
Is Barefoot-Style Running Best? New Studies Cast Doubt - jseliger
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/05/is-barefoot-style-running-best-new-studies-cast-doubt/
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furyg3
I'm not an advocate of either style, but I can say that it is pretty hard to
change your mechanical habits.

Very frequently when people stop and focus on how they stand, sit, or move
(via martial arts, tai chi, qigong, whatever) they notice that they have built
up certain habits which are not really helpful. Slouching, for example, feels
relaxing but it's pretty taxing on your lower back... you just don't notice
that until later on. Correcting these habits is a pain in the ass... even
people who allocate many, many hours can take a long time (years) before they
change their natural stance or form. Quick fixes like shoe inserts can even be
counter productive as humans are pretty good at adjusting their previous habit
to the new circumstance.

Because of this, I'm a bit skeptical that changing or removing your footwear
'forces' you to do something right. If you have bad form while running with
supportive shoes, I'm pretty confident you'll be able to maintain that bad
form while running shoeless.

