Originally Posted by
Shimagnolo
The first advice is to throw away any running shoes with thick, mushy soles that cause to to land on your heels, and pronate. The Merrell "glove" type shoes, or Vibram Five Fingers let you run correctly.
I would present this from a different angle....... have some one look at how you run, and get coaching to move from heel strike and roll style to a mid-foot strike style.
Just going to minimalist shoes without a plan will not get good results. The recommendations are consistent start really low distance and build up slowly to avoid injuries and you have to change your running style
I am slowly working on this and it seems that it is easier on my knees than heel strike
Outside had some interesting thoughs on this here is link
http://www.outsideonline.com/fitness...ng/Myth-2.html
bottom line it is not a universal panacea....here is brief excerpt
The biggest mistake barefoot newbies make is overstriding. Adopt quicker movements that cover less distance. If you’re on the fence about whether barefoot is right for you, use the following chart as your guide.
Injury: Sore knees
Switch: Worth a try. Barefoot running can lessen knee pain.
Injury: Achilles tendon problems
Switch: Probably not. Striking your forefoot increases stress on the Achilles.
Injury: Heel pain or plantar fasciitis
Switch: No. Without perfect form, you'll be pounding that sore heel without any padding.
Injury: Sprained ankle
Switch: Could be beneficial after the ankle heals. Going shoeless can improve the body's pro-prioception, or spatial awareness, reducing risk of another sprain.