I don’t particularly enjoy running. On the other hand, I don’t particularly enjoy being overweight and out of shape either, so I do it — usually about three times a week, depending on my work schedule and willpower. But over the years I’ve developed chronic soreness in my knees and lower back, which I attribute at least in part to running — it can’t all be from spending my days sitting in an office chair. I’m not alone; in any given year, about two-thirds of all runners will suffer an injury of some kind. It’s enough to convince runners to spend hundreds of dollars on tricked-out running shoes that promise to protect their tired trotters.
But in some cases, injury inspires runners to do the opposite: dispose of their running shoes altogether. You’ve probably heard about the so-called barefoot running trend, which I write about in this week’s issue of Time, and which a growing group of running enthusiasts — along with the occasional scientist — argue is the best thing you can do for your feet.
