Publication on Running!

CASHP doctoral candidate Kevin Hatala, alumna Heather Dingwall, and Chair and Professor Brian Richmond, along with James Madison University professor Roshna Wunderlich, published a paper in PLOS One last month. The paper, entitled “Variation in Foot Strike Patterns during Running among Habitually Barefoot Populations,” discusses the strike pattern during running. The researchers carried out the project in northern Kenya with the help of the Daasanach people, who grow up barefoot. Scholars have long hypothesized that populations who grow up wearing shoes move their feet differently during walking and running than peoples who grow up without shoes. The results demonstrate that the Daasanach people strike their heel first during slow running, though they strike with the middle and front of the foot when speed increases. 

The publication is available at: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0052548

The publication was also covered by several news outlets, see the following to see their takes on this article:

23 Jan 13  New York Times, Gretchen Reynolds, "Is There One Right Way to Run?"  (http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/23/is-there-one-right-way-to-run/)

21 Jan 13  Washington Post, Lenny Bernstein, "‘Minimalist’ running style may be undermined by new findings from Kenya."  (http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/minimalist-running-style-may-be-undermined-by-new-findings-from-kenya/2013/01/18/e1f4100c-60d2-11e2-b05a-605528f6b712_story.html)

11 Jan 13  Outside, Joe Spring, Adventure Lab, "Challenging the Conventional Wisdom on Barefoot Running Form."  (http://www.outsideonline.com/blog/fitness/challenging-the-conventional-wisdom-on-barefoot-running-form.html)

10 Jan 13  Runner's World, Amby Burfoot, "New Study Reaches Different Conclusion On Kenyan Foot Strikes." (http://www.runnersworld.com/barefoot-running-minimalism/new-study-reaches-different-conclusion-kenyan-foot-strikes)

9 Jan 13  Scientific American, Katherine Harmon, "Some Barefoot Runners Tip Orthodoxy Back on Heels."  (http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2013/01/09/some-barefoot-runners-tip-orthodoxy-back-on-heels/)

9 Jan 13  Yahoo! News, Katherine Harmon, "Some Barefoot Runners Tip Orthodoxy Back on Heels." (http://news.yahoo.com/barefoot-runners-tip-orthodoxy-back-heels-223500291.html)

9 Jan 13  Science Daily, Lee Dye, "Variation Found in Foot Strike Patterns in Predominantly Barefoot Runners." (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130109185856.htm)