Marathon runners and fashion-conscious joggers are turning to 'barefoot trainers' for safer racing
http://sport.guardian.co.uk/athletics/theobserver/story/0,10541,1461861,00.html David Smith and Denis Campbell Sunday April 17, 2005 The Observer The 35,000 runners lining up for today's London Marathon probably believe that, after months of gruelling training, they are at the peak of physical fitness. >From the moment the starter's gun is fired, however, they risk an array of injuries and illnesses to which the average couch potato is immune. And for all of those who have taken up jogging as a way of keeping fit, similar problems may be ahead, mainly because they have the wrong footwear. Stress fractures, twisted knees, torn Achilles tendons, ruptured hamstrings and 'runner's nipple' - where the rubbing of a sweat-soaked vest can draw blood - are among the hazards facing those tackling the 26-mile, 365-yard course. The marathon, one of sport's great challenges, also exacts a heavy toll in blisters, broken toenails, chafing and fatigue. According to the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, up to 60 per cent of sports injuries are caused by worn-out or unsuitable footwear. Experts warn that the wrong trainer can do more harm than no trainer at all, a view that has fuelled a boom in shoes that replicate 'going barefoot'. Thousands of Britons - including Cherie Blair and, last week, Jemima Khan - have turned to Masai Barefoot Technology (MBT) trainers, whose uneven soles apparently encourage wearers to move in the same way as East Africa's Masai tribespeople walking barefoot in the sand. These trainers force wearers to engage core muscles to maintain balance, and are said to reduce back pain, arthritis and cellulite. Aware that many great African runners began their careers training barefoot, sportswear companies have been exploring the technology's potential for years. A barefoot runner's foot hits the ground at a much shallower angle than if a shoe is worn, distributing the pressure more evenly and enabling the foot's 26 bones to interact. The latest innovation is the Nike Free trainer, which went on sale for £60 this month and has been used by Paula Radcliffe in her preparation for today's race. It has deep grooves and slices on the sole, heel pockets to allow more natural movement, and slices to make the top more flexible. It is intended as a training aid rather than a running shoe. Mike O'Neill, a podiatric surgeon at Princess Margaret Hospital in Windsor, said: 'The idea of the Nike Free is that is has a very thin sole with deep grooves so your feet will act as a natural spring. It has hardly any stability or motion support and will be a bit like wearing a sandal. For someone light and biomechanically stable, it's probably OK for short distance running. I wouldn't advise anyone doing longer distance running to wear it.' O'Neill said he saw many injuries caused by the wrong kind of trainers. 'A lot of people come in here with knee problems, shin problems, back problems. So many of them are wearing crappy trainers, I can't believe it. 'The London Marathon is a big problem for us. People will see it on Sunday and think, "I'll do it next year." They'll put on old trainers or buy some for £20 or £30 and start running. Or people can spend £70 to £100 but often the staff in the shop don't know what they're selling.' The marathon will test some footwear - and bodies - to destruction. Dr Jonathan Folland, an expert in exercise physiology at Loughborough University, said: 'There are 10 or 20 injuries that are reasonably common among endurance runners. The marathon puts a big strain on the body, especially with all the training involved.' Running such a long distance also leaves athletes vulnerable to infection. New research from Teesside University found that 77 per cent of those taking part in a half-marathon suffered flu-like symptoms afterwards. ENDS
