It may seem strange, but the best way to run is actually barefoot. Whilst no one is going to want to head out on the tarmac or on a cross country jog without any shoes on, the actual process of putting on shoes will, in the majority of cases, change the way in which we run.
When barefoot, the majority of people will land with a flat foot or land with the front of their foot first. However, when wearing even high quality running shoes, the majority of runners will land heel first, something which can be far worse for the joints and also quite simply for technique.
Therefore, like any outdoor clothing, the running shoes that are bought need to bear practicality in mind as well as comfort. Whilst the right jackets and vests will allow the body to breathe naturally as it would without such clothing, the best running shoes will allow runners to run as though they weren’t wearing shoes.
For this, Vibram shoes are by far the best purchase. Their design ensures that each of the toes is separated and in turn recreates the same conditions as you would have if you were running barefoot. In turn, these Vibram Toe Shoes mean that the majority of people will again land on their toes first as opposed to landing on their heel.
Whilst such shoes might have once been considered to be simply a unique aesthetic design, the actual benefits are numerous, reducing the impact on joints significantly, making running easier and quite simply allowing the runner to be more comfortable at the same time.
In an ideal world we would all be able to run in bare feet, no matter where we were. However, since in the majority of instances this is not practical, the next best thing is to wear shoes that separate the toes.