What Science Says About Barefoot/Forefoot Running-Must Know This! 

I don't run. I'm elderly, but I started wearing barefoot shoes about a year ago. I've had foot problems most of my life although my feet look perfectly normal. Never could find "perfect" shoes. I've worn New Balance wide width walking and running shoes for many years as they were the most comfortable for me, but I was always catching my heel on steps. When I found barefoot shoes that problem was gone, no more protruding, thick heels to trip me. Another thing they've done is greatly increase my stability, which is something you appreciate when you get old. I got used to them in no time, but like I said, I don't run. My toes thank me every day as they feel so free. My knees thank me too as they are no longer sore. Hips even feel better. Back still hurts though.

Minimalist running seems the only way I can run without hurting my knees. So yeah. It's working for me.

I'm glad you mentioned the transition period. It takes a lot of impact off of the bones, but it has to go somewhere. The muscles, tendons, and ligaments that aren't used to that movement get very sore and can be injured easily if you try to run the same distance barefoot as you did cushioned.

Bob and Brads methods freed my frozen shoulder and brought movement and feeling back into my wrist, hand and fingers...before them, nothing worked. Bless these guys, they ars totally amazing. THANK YOU BOB AND BRADxx

My first 2 years in the Army I had horrible shin splints that a couple times brought me to tears. I am VERY flat footed and have very wide feet. I switched to a minimalist shoe, I took about a month or 2 of slowly building up my distance in those shoes. And within that time my shin splints completely disappeared.

Hi from Australia! I run 8 km twice a week. Barefoot. On asphalt. Under an hour. (People seem astounded but it really is NATURAL! Best 'shoes' I've had in 61 years...).

I'm so glad to hear you guys are on board with this. I've loved going barefoot or near barefoot for years, there were times when I used to get the urge to run and I can only do so by forefoot running, it feels so natural and painless.

I've been doing barefoot running as part of my warm-up, cool down, and conditioning workouts for about 2 years. This week I'm making the decision to start transitioning parts of my real workout into barefoot running as well. I'm lowering my distance and speed but I'm ready for it!

Brad, you mentioned trying to run barefoot, but thought better of it, I believe because of your age. I had not run at all for over 20 years when at 60, I started (slowly) running totally barefoot. At first it was a walk/run and gradually increased. After 3.5 years, I just ran my first 10k. Except for a minor calf pull about 1 month into it, I've been injury free throughout this journey. When on occasion I sense a tight achilles tendon or calf muscle, I take several days off and then start back at a lower mileage. That usually happens after increasing mileage too quickly . Happy Trails... BarefootDan :0)

I’ve been running since the late 90’s, and developed knee pain around ‘12. After reading Born to Run, just because it’s a good book that was recommended, I tried the Vibram shoes. I started out incorrectly (painful), then acclimated right (this took a few months). I’ve been running in barefoot shoes ever since and have no knee pain since! I enjoy running more now too.

I have gone barefoot as much as possible since I was a kid..and now I'm 37...bought my first pair of Vibram toe shoes back in 2011...LOVE THEM...just gotta get another pair..but they lasted me 5 years...taped up...used show goo...and STILL felt GREAT!!!...I'm a Martial Artist and do lots of running combined with other exercises...and STILL do well for me...GREAT VIDEO!!!

Looking Good Bob Brad 😁 Thank you both again

Nice video guys. I have been running for the past few years for my school team and enjoy it a lot. I have looked into this a lot already so this was cool to hear about from you guys

Thanks for the content bob and brad!

Way Thank You for Helping us Learn how to be able to to better take care of our selfs,, you guy are Very Helpful & Entertaining to watch you guy's joke & exude good vibes...

Good stuff -- your comment on the SOUND of the elite runners vs. everyone else was a pretty telling detail, too!

A few years back i trained to the point of bein able to run barefoot on the road. Also trained to run in high temps (44°c) without getting (too) ill. The rough kind of asphalt not smooth.. it was very freeing. Was at my lowest bodyweight though and definitely forefoot. I'm going to start back to that life.. its great for the fascia and for connectivity to the earth.

I hate running or even walking with my heel hitting the ground first. I just feel a shock go all the way up my body right into my teeth. I've been walking and running toe first for over 2 years and it feels much better. I also do parkour, so I like the aspect of being silent, which heel first makes impossible. There's simply more absorption with the the toe first. I definitely do feel a lot more strain on my ankles and top of foot, especially if train hard, but it takes just as long as normal muscle soreness to go away.

I'm a big fan you this channel and it's helped me get educated about my health and correcting some issues. Regarding this video's subject, you don't have to be a runner to appreciate the benefits. I'm 54, I am not a lightweight or a runner, or even the ideal athletic specimen, but do live an active lifestyle. In addition, various injuries and a physically demanding job (Firefighter) has caused some wear and tear. On that note, my back and knees. My journey to improved health has led me to zero drop and minimalist shoes. I am seeing steady improvement with this change in footwear and correcting my gait. IMHO, big cushy soled "comfort" shoes are the junk food equivalent for feet. For me they created a toxic condition for my balance, knees, and back and resulted in injury and pain. When I realized the connection, my foam sole "comfort" footwear went in the garbage. They allow far too much movement between your foot and the ground for you to be stable walking or standing and are ultimately less comfortable.

I had surgery on both knees and for years I had pains in my knees and hips. Ten years ago I started my barefoot shoe journey and a few months into it, the pain went away and gradually my feet widen and I became more stable in my stride. I really don't understand how people still don't see the benefits of barefoot shoes.

I have been running barefoot (no shoes) for more than 50 years. I didn't know I was a pioneer, I just thought I didn't like wearing shoes. I even ran barefoot in the military when we did our annual physical fitness test. It was the only time I could get away with being barefoot while on duty. : - )

We've simply messed up our bodies mechanics by trying to live easy

I developed some ankle pain over a few weeks and realized that It was my longer leg and the I was not running enough on the forefoot as much as the other leg and letting that ankle hit the ground harder than the other leg. I improved my barefoot running technique( leaning a bit more forward, smaller strides, less sloppy with my feet, etc) and the ankle pain went away in the middle of the run. I'm 55 with bad knees. I do 24 minutes every morning-no knee pain since going forefoot. Love it!

Love that you did a video on this topic. I switched to xero shoes to get rid of knee and hip pain. I'm almost 40 now and haven't had any pain from normal walking or hiking trips, since I switched my shoes.

If you’re interested in barefoot or minimalist walking/running, start by walking barefoot. Start with short distances of 20 to 50 yards. Your skin will tell you how far you can go. As the skin toughens, the muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints will adapt to longer distances.

I started running when I was 15 (back in the days when they rarely told you about protecting your knees or any other joints, until it got so painful that you could hardly walk) and I switched over to racewalking when I was 46 so I could distribute my weight more evenly. I began using muscles that usually got ignored and much more of my upper body. Going barefoot around here always makes me squeanish, but I generally look for a shoe with a flat heel and then put a cushion under the ball of my foot, because there is more emphasis on the forefoot than the heel area. Lately I've had some tendonitis woes and have to try to patiently wait for that all to get better, but in my normal walking I have noticed that if I focus more on leaning forward a bit and using my quads more, it is a lot more comfortable. It took me at least two years to fully make a switch and get good at it. I am sure Bob just needed to warm up and then he could easily balance on his forefoot. And I also practice yoga, which is how I can be so flexible at 55. I tend to do a lot of it in the privacy of my own apartment along with a yoga routine on the Internet, but I have found some great stretches to target the legs. Hips as well, although so much of it emphasizes the outer hip, and it is just as important to have mobility on the inside of the hip. Otherwise, I end up with tight adductors and they in turn pull on the tendons in my knees. It's fascinating how the human body is all connected.

Having had some serious injuries to my spine, as a child, as well as some later sports injuries, I can remember my body would naturally adjust as I walked/ran/played sports to minimize the impact & stress on specific parts of my body. "Forefoot" strike, quicker & lighter steps/pace were a natural for me. I took notice that I felt less stable & more unsure of myself when I wore shoes. Because I was so young, I did not over analyze it- much less care about any science behind it. I really didn't wear shoes much, unless I had to. As an adult, married & starting a family, I refused to put my children into stiff "trainers", instead opting for soft leather moccasins & such~ mostly barefoot however. They all are grown now, & still prefer no shoes for sports/exercise or very minimalist.

Even if both are equal regarding injury rate fore foot/mid foot just feels more intuitively human, but just looking at the heel bone it’s obvious it’s not designed to be banged into the floor before the forefoot spreads the impact

I've noticed a lot of muscle growth with minimalist shoes on "I'm not running in them yet" but I do take a lot of walks and at first yeah definitely had some growing pains but now they are way more comfortable than a pair of newbalances.

For someone who is a heel-striker runner, I believe it is the period of transition to forefoot running that is tricky and perhaps more prone to injuries because it takes a while to get it right. They can hurt the heels and ankles easily during that time. I feel that some studies of forefoot/barefoot running are a bit biased because their subjects are heel-strikers and they study their transition period. For the majority of people the transition period is full of small aches and pains until the body adjusts.

I'm a massage therapist on my feet all day. I was always having foot pain until I got barefoot shoes. Love them!

Thanks so much

Hi, mexican here, the tribe it's called Tarahumara. Thank you for the info, I'm looking into this subject exactly.

I tried forefoot running the first time at 35 in barefooot running shoes. It was awesome! After that, I gradually involved my glutes and legs more and more to even out the load. But even then the barefoot running shoes helped a lot because you feel everything that happens.

1.5x speed thank me later...

Mom was just complaining about me walking barefoot earlier lol

When i did gymnastics, they trained us to "run on your toes" your heel wasn't allowed to hit the floor. It always felt easier and like lighter impact. I would struggle in physical therapy when they told me i had to hit heel first.

I love barefoot running. I converted after reading Born To Run. Thank you for the video!

I like barefoot/minimalist shoes because they not only fortify my ankles and foot. But it fortifies my knees, hamstrings, and glutes. I can feel the earth much more better. However you must take care of your calves when you are wearing zero drop or barefoot shoes.

Not sure how I just came across this video. I’ve been running barefoot since 2010. My running hasn’t been consistent due to several life changes, but I’ve managed to run 2 barefoot 100k’s (one on a track, one in the forest on trails), a 50 miler (also in trails in the woods), and probably 15~20 runs between 26 and 36 miles. I’ve covered a few thousand miles (I think around 7~8k, but there’s a 3 year period where I can’t find any recorded data... 😑) and only 60 miles have been in shoes. My only running related injuries have been from over use when I did the 2 100ks undertrained and over weight. I don’t think it’s for everyone, I don’t think it’s a cure all, and I don’t think it’s always practical. But it’s worked for me so far!

I start barefoot running indoors only 4 months ago my blood pressure turn to normal and strength seems to be more stronger tnx for nice video

As an Athletic Trainer, I've been transitioning to minimalist shoes, Vivobarefoot specifically, and my feet have never felt stronger. Do you two try to transition patients to walk more naturally or do you have them continue with their normal gait amd focus more on strengthening where they are weak?

I adapted very quickly to forefoot running in Vibram 5-finger shoes, but I hadn't really been much of a runner before that so I didn't have a strong heel-strike habit to overcome.

The elevated heel is to help with calf strains, not to encourage heel braking at low cadence. 170-180 cadence will fix overstriding/heel braking. Not sold on all the barefoot stuff but may try a zero drop. Calf strains and achilles flare ups are awful

I wearing zero drop shoes, form xero shoes. But I don't focus on a forefoot strike, unless I'm walking downhill. Mostly, I focus on striking the ground with the internal side of my foot, from the ball of my foot through the arch to my heel. That way, I always know what direction my feet are facing. And it becomes easier to use my toes too. It's a very flat-foot type strike, but the outside parts of your feet don't hit the ground quite as much.

Barefoot running. Best. Thing. EVER! And I’m talking completely barefoot. No shoes, socks , or any protection. It’s glorious. I went from not being able to run a mile to being able to run 8 miles. I went from not running at all to running 1,000+ miles in a single year. 500 barefoot. 500 in Xero sandals and Vivobarefoot EVO Pure shoes. Best part... zero pain. No hip or knee pains or anything. Barefoot does amazing things for my ADHD brain, also. Oh, and barefoot runners don’t have toughened feet. Their feet are like soft leather.

Early in the video I was reminded of something I did many years ago... I walked 3 hours barefoot to a friend's place and the whole way there was rocky. There were no sidewalks put in along the route yet. That was painful. It was worse the next day when I woke up. The muscle pain did go away eventually about a day or two. Didn't do that again. Didn't stop me from being barefoot. I just didn't push it so much anymore and avoided long barefoot walking on gravel.

Yes. Barefoot races (5 km) transferred the stress from a problem knee to my calves - and they can take it. I still wear low drop shoes for long runs.

I’m not a podiatrist. I am just a runner. For me, it just makes sense to have a zero drop shoe with a well-cushioned neutral sole. Zero drop removes the unnatural heel, and the neutral sole doesn’t create an unnatural platform for your foot. A neutral cushioned sole would prevent hard impact, but would otherwise be “natural” like barefoot running.

I started trail running in minimalist shoes (Merrell Vapor Glove) - or just going barefoot - several years ago. Now I use them always (if I wear shoes at all), not just for running, and I find "regular" shoes very uncomfortable: too stiff, too cushioned, not enough space for the toes, the heel's too high, and the arch support is terribly annoying.

Not only running, but squatting, deadlifting, carrying, etc in bare feet feels amazing

"Evidence to date shows that changing gait patterns, not shoe selection, is the best intervention in lowering the injury prevalence in runners. Minimalist shoes may give better feedback to runners and allow them to focus on changing their gait, but not everyone does, and this could lead to more injury." -Jonathan Roth, MD, Orthopaedic Surgeon American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons Moral of the story....learn to run correctly, then switch to minimalist shoes or barefoot!

I agree 100%.

I definitely want to try.

I am naturally a forefoot runner, but I find that my left calf muscle strains easily causing injury. I prefer low impact exercise like cycling and swimming to prevent injury.

It would be helpful if you would put a link to Irene Davis's website. I did a search and couldn't find it.

My whole life I had a floating walk and landing on the front of my foot first… it was more efficient and felt better … however people would tell me I was walking wrong and urged me to land on my heel first… I tried but it felt so clunky and jarring so was never able to figure it out… love that today people are finding this is not only not the problem but ideal

Avoiding the winter running is bad you can use it to see how well you are keeping your feet landing where they should. If you are slipping and sliding you are landing with your feet off center and the breaking action will cause you to slide. To run on icy and slippery surfaces you need quick light steps with the foot fall always centered, if you foot is landing forward you will slip and also you don't push off with your toes or that will make you slip as well. Running on bad surfaces teaches you better form by forcing you to pay constant attention to every detail of your form.

I'm a sprinter so I already run on my toes. I'm researching to see how this will help me other than putting my toes in a more natural state.

The ultrarunner featured in the book "born to run" died from heart attack due to the excess running,basically the heart fills with calcium. Also the Tarahumara do a form of "slow running" perfect for long distances over time very differente from the style of many accomplished ultra runners. Running is a great sport and marathon is its queen however the first marathon runner, Philippides , died from exhaustion (and if you ever manage to do a marathon in athens in summer you will understand why). I love running but especially over 40 beginners really need to start slowly.

I'm curious what there is to be said about barefoot running on pavement? Since trails, grass, dirt, etc. are softer, is it then ideal to run with cushioned zero-drop shoes on the roads, since they are much harder? Also, very glad to see two knowledgeable voices discuss this! Thanks!

p.s. Your video on how to fix a herniated disc & to strengthen hip & how to fix the crazy painful permorfis muscle & stop the craping of the permofis that seem to cause syatic nerve pain so bad,, i couldn't us my lower half of my body / legs & became bed bound,, now i can walk again & trying to get back to work again...

I have been wearing the rubber version of Birkenstock’s. I prefer being barefoot but sometimes you just can’t. The Birkenstocks have helped me transition from work shoes to being barefoot. Now that they have so many barefoot shoes to choose from, I’m on the search.

I would suggest working on the leg muscles before running. That will get you set up well for forefoot running. My calves burn, for sure... So, I'm doing it right. It's very difficult to switch, though...

I'm waiting for my zero shoes to arrive. But I can atest to being very cautious about switching straight to forefoot running as I pulled both calves and have been limping for a week. Hopefully just walking in the minimalist shoes will help strengthen where I need it.

I do not run but am in a walking group. I am 73 yr old woman, 2 knee replacements, a little overweight. I wear flip flops most of the time. Wearing shoes give me leg pain. Barefoot when im in a safe place like the garden. I soak my feet almost every night in epsom salts. Do foot care. Love my feet

Best thing I ever did for myself, no more knee pain or issues and no more ankle pain.

I gained about twenty pounds since the pandemic, got plantar fasciitis and just started being able to walk. I won’t be wearing barefoot shoes any time soon if ever again.

Hi Bob&Brad, at the end we´d have to walk and run with our four extremities if we review human evolution history, I love to walk with sport shoes, Why Bob, why?, Brad you're so patient and lovely, one of my friends interrupts me when I'm talking, frequently, and that's very annoying. Loves to both of you 😘😘

Changed into barefoot shoes for over a year now. I don't run yet though, but there are multiple postural benefits

Bobby and Brad

I switched in August 2020 because of chronic injuries and took me 3 months to transition from shoes to been totally barefoot, running over 420 miles without shoes since ditching my shoes, I am massive fan of minialist running and for me the positives massively out way the negatives, the only way to learn barefoot running is actually to run barefoot in my opnion, it's crazy to most people but works really well for me #barefootblade

Heel strike running produces a jolt/jiggle all the way up to my eyes. So when playing baseball when I'm running after a pop fly I don't want my eyes to jiggle, forefoot running helps to track the ball in flight better.

I moved from a country where we rarely wore shoes and was outside barefoot loads(warm all year round climate).Then came to a place where I had to wear shoe all year round because it was so cold and I developed severe corn, callus, hammer toe and knee pain and all sorts wearing high heels etc. i didn’t put two and two together just always struggled to find any comfortable shoes. I have now transition back to barefoot shoes and knee pain is gone, hip pain is gone and my feet feels so much stronger, I have a much better grip when walking it’s like having a new pair of feet. It didn’t take long for me to transition because I believe I never got used to western shoes in the first place.

Shouldn't the question be, 'What does science say about cushioned running shoes?' And, 'What does science say about the elevated heel on any shoe?' And, the big one for me (more on this at the end of this post), 'What does science say about shoes that force the outer toes to bend inwards and/or prevent them splaying outwards?' And furthermore, 'What does the science say about shoes that inhibit the movement of the toes and/or bend upwards at the toe in order to compensate for their immobility?' And 'What does the science say about hard, inflexible soles on shoes?' The only reason we don't ask these questions is these dumbo design features have been around for years and we accept them as normal. But they are additions to and alterations of the foot and how it operates, and they appear to have passed into convention largely incrementally without the slightest bit of scientific justification. In the meantime, pending detailed studies, for both walking and running, shoes that let the foot do its thing with the least interference seem clearly like the safe bet. And sure enough, the internet is awash with people saying their foot and knee problems (and sometimes beyond) cleared up thanks to barefoot shoes. And I'm one of them. :-D I'm a walker not a runner, and in my forties I was developing what seemed to be chronic foot and pain in my left knee that seemed related to pain in my left big toe. I went to the doctor about the knee pain and he said, 'Normal wear and tear. You're getting older, the ligament's damaged, nothing to be done.' A bit later, really just looking for shoes that wouldn't pinch my toes, I found my way to a pair of Vivobarefoot Ra. All the foot pain went away within about two weeks and the knee pain significantly subsided and stopped getting worse. Later still I got the most comfortable pair of shoes I've ever owned: Freet Connect 2s. They are more flexibile than the Vivos (and a lot cheaper) and with a wider toe box that lets my toes fully splay. At this point, I gave some attention to my beleaguered pinky toes and the muscle alongside the metatarsal below them by massaging them. Doing this removed the knee pain completely, a somewhat counter-intuitive result, but it seems worth sharing. The little toe is important for support, but we don't let it do its job and meanwhile loads of us suffer worse and worse knee pain as we get older. Worth checking if there's a connection. There was for me.

The whole shoe business it a billion dollar industry, and the reason we all wear shoes is marketing. I've been running on completely flat, 20 dollar Decathlon sandals with a max 3 mm sole, and I've had over 2000 KM on them now, and they barely start to wear. 2000 KM on "running" shoes would have cost me about 600 euro's and still growing, not even counting buying the wrong shoes, different shoes for different ground types and the costs of analyzing my feet by an uneducated shop clerk. Wearing shoes while running is fashing.... that's all.

Minimalist running should be called natural running. It helps mimic the way we evolved to run but with additional protection.

Have you guys tried the barefoot shoes that Jim green makes. I love them. I also found the brand called Splay to be really good.

I had some inflammation on the inside of my bone in the shin. It would go away, was still hanging around 10 years on. Then I started running again. Found some exercises on barefootrunning instructor. That help take the top of it. Then I though what about trying that barefoot running. I had long transition. After a year or two, I noticed the problem in the shin was gone. I feel I can run hard without having problems walking the days after.

*HELLO SIR GOOD MORNING I'M FROM INDIA,My toe is not moving downhill, how will it be okay?*

RE: Morton's neuroma. I've had no past pain while running (on my mid to forefoot area), it's just after!. Bought a new pair of NB for running yesterday and the toe on them is remarkably raised. Before MN diagnosis I gravitated toward shoes and high heels with elevated toes and bigger toe boxes, they seemed to make my feet feel better, but found no science to back it. So, I think these new shoes may or may not work out. Am I barking up a wrong tree? Do you think the raised toe will worsen or help long term? The pressure where the ball and toe come together is lessened, but I worry I am imagining it and harming another area or aggravating the MN itself. Also, my lumbars 2-5 are flat against each other per recent X-ray. Darn it all! I want to still run (treadmill only), but am I asking for trouble? Will the hanging on 2 chairs be enough? Thanks! I hope you have time to reply and sorry for the novel. I fell off high heels permanently a few years ago. Ha ha! And there will be no barefoot running for me, I can tell you that.

I live in Duluth and just signed up for an ultra, small world!

You know, growing up everybody including my parents and fiancè made fun of me for "running on my toes" and I have to send them this video with the biggest told ya so... I've had painful dislocating knees for 17 years and many anatomical factors contributing to it, and I guess my body found a better way to run for my specific anatomy. I'm kicking myself for trying to "correct" my running to heel-toe.

OH yeah i wear the Xero shoes really good barefoot running shoes. especially the HFS

The scientific view is also: be skeptical of that which you wish to be true.

Grandmas Marathon from Two Harbors to Duluth

I’ve started to get mild plantar tingling. I’m thinking it’s a precursor to plantar fasciitis. Would wearing a more flexible, barefoot shoe, help with this?

I just switch to them not to run I’m not a runner but it just make my feet feel good my knees and back don’t hurt I don’t over arch to keep my posture straight

I have vibrams lol. Great for bunions bc it's like being barefoot. But i just used for walking shopping etc not anything heavy impact. Also they take forever to get on lol.

What I like about minimalist shoes is the wide fit and the zero heel drop, rather than the thin soles.

I'm a long distance runner/triathlete. been running for about 30 years now and been running completely barefoot for about 10 now. In my opinion for what it's worth running barefoot is not as difficult as people make it out to be. People seem to be always concerned that they might step on something, but from my experience the worst I've ever had was what amounts to a sliver, and this only happens maybe once or twice a season. Generally speaking most people can run barefoot if they tried it's honestly only culturally significant in North America to run with shoes.

I switched to mid/forefront running three years ago and I’ve never looked back. I only feel stronger, no pain anywhere. My knees are stronger. I used to have hip issues with heel-toe striking. No more.

Late to this,, how do I change to forefoot walking? I do heelstrike and hurt all the way up to my head when I try to speed up. Thanks

Ita 11:30pm over here have a good night gents.

Read Katy Bowman, Biomechanist, and bestselling author. Wrote "Move your DNA", "Whole Body Barefoot, transitioning well to minimal footwear" and "Dynamic Aging" plus other books.

I can’t find the Irene Davis website with the forefoot running protocol

The thing about running is that your cadence increases as you go faster, generally. When you run faster, you also lean your torso forward more. This means you are more likely to land on your midfoot or forefoot as opposed to heel striking. But if you slow down, and your cadence also slows, you will not be leaning forward as much and heel striking will increase. Basically, the faster you run or the faster your cadence, the more you land on your forefoot. My shoes are ~12mm drop or so. If I drop below a 9 minute mile or get fatigued, my form gets bad and I start heel striking more. But if I'm running fast, I'm more efficiently transferring energy forwards as opposites to vertically. It is possible to increase your cadence at slow speeds, but it often feels unnatural and I don't think it's a good idea to force yourself into a different cadence. I think the real answer here is that as you get better at running, you are more likely to become a forefoot runner simply because your leaning forward more. That's probably why all these studies show different results with respect to heel striking, cadence, and forefoot running.

Have you looked at different minimalist shoes, not just the ones with separate toes? My PT is recommending a Merrell shoe.

Hard to argue against thousands of years of evolution.

I don't run at all but wearing "barefoot" style shoes is the best thing I ever did for my feet/knees/hips. If it doesn't have a wide toebox, flat heel, and flexible sole, I am not wearing it. No more plantar fasciitis, bunion, ingrown nails, etc. Ditch the foot coffins and free your feet, people!