APR 26, 2024 9:53 AM PDT

Maybe You Don

WRITTEN BY: Xuan Pham

A few years ago, the running barefoot craze swept through the US. Supposedly, running without shoes is part of our evolutionary destiny. Without the constraints of man-made covers on our feet, the idea is that we can run more naturally, without impediments that would otherwise make us prone to injuries.

Proponents of barefoot running cite millions of years of barefoot running by our ancestors. Most recently, the Tarahumara people - Native Americans of northwestern Mexico - have become the poster-child for running bare. These people are known for their long-distance running prowess and the incredible fact that they can do this with little more on their feet than some thin, homemade rubber covering for their soles.


Has Nike and the entire multi-billion dollar running footwear industry been lying to us? Can we go without running shoes? Should we be donning the absurd-looking FiveFingers running shoes? Watch the video and make your own decision!
About the Author
Doctorate (PhD)
I am a human geneticist, passionate about telling stories to make science more engaging and approachable. Find more of my writing at the Hopkins BioMedical Odyssey blog and at TheGeneTwist.com.
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