05/16/2013    

RESPONSES / COMMENTS - (SPORTS MEDICINE)

RE: Biomechanics of Barefoot Running (Jefferson J. Mennuti, DPM)

From: Dennis Shavelson, DPM

This issue boils down to rearfoot contact gait, running, and biomechanics vs. midstance and forefoot contact. There are moments when one of these forms of function may be more optimal than another. There are moments when we are standing still washing dishes or waiting on line when neither are optimal. One question raised here is that when choosing sides: Which is better - to have peroneus longus be a stronger pronator of the RF (HC) or a stronger pronator of the FF (FFC)? I side with the latter, regardless of gait.

Since most of our high-level research, gait analysis, computer gait analysis, and the orthotics developed are based on HC gait, what would finding out that midstance contact or forefoot contact gait was better or healthier even some of the time than HC do to our evidence-based medicine? Podiatry is confronted with patients having problems in stance, moving side-to-side, going backwards, contacting the ground in forward gait differently, lifting, spinning and gyrating, in addition to problems arising from heel contacting or running.

We need devices, shoes, and a plan of individual patient care that address one's overall biomechanics along with EBM establishing their value. Devices, shoes, and a plan of care for going heel-toe from point A to point B alone often won’t satisfy the biomechanical requirements at hand. We need both acumen and our biomechanical scope to grow instead of the only option to be either or.

Dennis Shavelson, DPM, NY, NY, drsha@foothelpers.com

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05/21/2013    

RESPONSES / COMMENTS - (SPORTS MEDICINE)

RE: Biomechanics of Barefoot Running (Brad Makimaa, DPM)

From: Robert Scott Steinberg, DPM

A few things are missing from Dr. Makimaa's rationale. First, he does not mention that the runners' "length of leg", which is of course determined by the runner's height, has to be taken into account.

Second, after we take into account the effects this has on stride length, we must then look at the runner's chosen stride length, and determine if the runner is...

Editor's note: Dr. Steinberg's extended-length letter can be read here.

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05/20/2013    

RESPONSES / COMMENTS - (SPORTS MEDICINE) - PART 1A

RE: Biomechanics of Barefoot Running (Jefferson J. Mennuti, DPM)

From: Kevin A. Kirby, DPM

First of all, let's set things straight. The scientific literature to date has found no decrease in injury rate with barefoot or with shod running. In other words, we simply don't know for sure whether barefoot running produces fewer injuries than running in minimalist shoes or in conventional training shoes.The prospective research has not yet been done on this subject.

However, it is clear that running barefoot or running in minimalist shoes can cause...

Editor's note: Dr. Kirby's extended-length letter can be read here.

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05/09/2013    

RESPONSES / COMMENTS - (SPORTS MEDICINE)

RE: Outside Magazine’s Article by Andrew Tilin on Barefoot Running

From: Amol Saxena, DPM

I am sure the article was designed to fuel the debate between minimalist/barefoot running and traditional shoes. Unfortunately, it isn’t that clear-cut. By printing McDougall’s inflammatory comments towards podiatrists, specifically saying they aren’t research scientists (neither is he the last I checked), actually weakened his argument. He should also note that Dr. Kevin Kirby has published extensively in many high-level biomechanics journals before he (McDougall) casts stones. In general, podiatrists see only people with injuries, so they will be biased in that regard.

 

Back in the 1970s, runners wore minimalist shoes and got injured. Shoes got more supportive and...

Editor's note: This letter was originally send to the editor of Outside Magazine. Dr. Saxena's extended-length letter can be read here.