Last Place Jason

The following is the third part of a three part series


“Top of the foot” pain

One of the dangers of beginning barefoot running is doing too much too soon. Your feet have likely spent most of their active life confined in shoes. Shoes weaken the bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons of your feet. The skin on the soles of your feet will not be used to the sensory input of the ground. In order to prevent injuries, it is important to begin barefoot running cautiously. Barefoot running feels wonderful! The urge to do too much before your feet are ready is very powerful. As such, it is important to follow a conservative plan even if you feel great in the beginning. Going too fast may result in a myriad of injuries, including tendon and ligament damage, excessive blisters, stress fractures, and other over-use type injuries. If at any time you experience pain, STOP! Add a second day of rest, and then try again. Continue until you are pain-free. Do not give in to the temptation to “run through the pain.” The soft-tissue injuries that can occur during the foot-strengthening process can set your progress back by weeks or even months. TOO MUCH TOO SOON injuries are the greatest obstacle to successfully transitioning to barefoot running! A fairly universal complaint is often referred to as the “top of the foot pain”; it feels like a dull ache on the top side of your foot. This seems to be a function of your foot anatomy adapting to the different stresses of using new muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Mild soreness is not a major issue. Generally, you can train through this dull ache. If the pain becomes moderate to severe, stop. Rest until the pain subsides. Give this process time and the rewards will be great!
This section © 2009-2010 Jason Robillard; used with permission from “The Barefoot Running Book” available January 2010.

Calf/Achilles Issues

Aside from TOFP, the other common issue experienced by new barefoot or minimalist shoe runners is calf and/or Achilles pain or tightness. The cause of this is obvious. Traditional shoes, running or otherwise, have a built-up heel that is higher than the forefoot region of the shoe. Think of high heels, just not quite so dramatic. The more we wear these shoes, the more we chronically shorten the Achilles tendon. When we move to barefoot or minimalist shoe activities, the Achilles tendon is stretched. This stretching causes calf tightness. If we are not patient in the transition to barefoot or minimalist shoes, we run the risk of injuring this area. Also, the tightness of the calf and Achilles tendon can lead to other problems such as plantar fasciitis.
Some degree of tightness or soreness of the calf muscle is expected. This is the normal consequence of using a muscle that has been allowed to weaken for years. If you are patient, there is no danger. However, if you fall victim to doing too much too soon, it is possible to develop a litany of problems associated with the calf muscles and Achilles tendon. If you experience any acute or moderate (or severe) pain, stop immediately. Rest until the pain subsides, then ease back into your training schedule.

This section © 2009-2010 Jason Robillard; used with permission from “The Barefoot Running Book” available January 2010.

Blisters

Blisters are a fairly common issue for the new barefoot runner. Generally, blisters result from some combination of heat, friction, and moisture. If all three are present, blisters tend to form quickly. In the absence of one variable, blisters may still form if the other two conditions are fairly extreme. For the new barefoot runner, friction is usually the main culprit. Moisture is a non-issue unless you are running in mud or rain. Heat can be an issue if running on a hot surface such as asphalt on a sunny day or some treadmills. If blisters do develop, they can be an indicator that your form is not quite as good as it could be. Where blisters develop can be very informative. If blisters develop on the heel, that is usually an indicator that you are heel striking or over-striding. If they develop on your toes or the ball of your foot at the base of your toes, that can be an indicator that you are “pushing off” with each stride. If you do develop blisters, slow down. you are most likely running too fast or too long for your current skill level.

This section © 2009-2010 Jason Robillard; used with permission from “The Barefoot Running Book” available January 2010.

Advancing

• Keep gains less than 10% per week distance or 15 seconds/mile pace
• Add a variety of terrain
• Practice Fartlek drill, hill drill, debris drill

After learning the basic form and elements of barefoot running, I also instruct our students on racing, trail running, extreme conditions, and other special topics associated with barefoot and minimalist shoe running.