When I saw this title in a recent triathlete magazine I was somewhat intrigued as it did not make sense. Runners who wear shoes use cushioned shoes that would help absorb the landing forces. As a result they should have a softer landing.
As I got into the article it became clear that they really meant that the barefoot was better able to absorb the landing forces and not allow the forces to travel up to the ankle, knee, hip and lower back. This is a great benefit of barefoot running.
However, it should be recognized that you can also do this with proper running technique, even when wearing shoes. The culprit, as was also brought out in the article, is the heel hit, which accentuates the forces.
The article relies on the findings of Lieberman’s study, in which it was discovered that most barefoot runners make contact with the ground on the forefoot. Some runners landed on the midfoot and a few barefoot runners were heel strikers. This latter finding is surprising because it is very painful to run with a heel first landing.
In contrast to the barefoot runners, almost all runners who wore shoes landed heel first. Barefoot runners experienced significantly lower impact forces when they landed on the forefoot first.
This latter finding is questionable. Even world-class sprinters who are well known for supposedly landing on the forefoot do not do this. There have only been a few world class runners capable of running on the ball of the foot. Most land midfoot.
Thus I wonder if they truly landed on the forefoot or if it was more of a forefoot-heel type landing (more midfoot) which would be more effective. Also questionable is how they landed on the forefoot. Was the foot moving forward, or backward or was it relatively stationary when first contact was made forward?
The answer to this question would help to explain the forces that are experienced. All runners with good running technique execute pawback in which the foot (leg) is moving backward prior to contact. This is not so with heel strikers.
Since most long-distance runners do not have the most effective technique, it would be interesting to find out how the landing takes place. Usually barefoot runners learn to run more effectively than heel strikers. But landing on the forefoot places great stress on the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles and the Achilles tendon. In time, this can cause injury.
Thus regardless of whether you are a barefoot runner or if you wear running shoes, how you run is very important not only for the prevention of injury, but also in relation to speed and economy. For more information on effective running technique see Explosive Running and Build a Better Athlete.