简介：Itisbelievedthathumanancestorsevolvedtheabilitytorunbipedallyapproximately2millionyearsago.Thisformoflocomotionmayhavebeenimportanttooursurvivalandlikelyhasinfluencedtheevolutionofourbodyform.Asourbodieshaveadaptedtorun,itseemsunusualthatupto79%ofmoderndayrunnersareinjuredannually.Theetiologyoftheseinjuriesisclearlymultifactorial.However,1aspectofrunningthathassignificantlychangedoverthepast50yearsisthefootwearweuse.Modernrunningshoeshavebecomeincreasinglycushionedandsupportive,andhavechangedthewaywerun.Inparticular,theyhavealteredourfootstrikepatternfromapredominantlyforefootstrike(FFS)landingtoapredominantlyrearfootstrike(RFS)landing.Thischangealtersthewayinwhichthebodyisloadedandmaybecontributingtothehighrateofinjuriesrunnersexperiencewhileengagedinanactivityforwhichtheywereadapted.Inthispaper,wewillexaminethebenefitsofbarefootrunning(typicallyanFFSpattern),andcomparethelowerextremitymechanicsbetweenFFSandRFS.Theimplicationsofthesemechanicaldifferences,intermsofinjury,willbediscussed.WewillthenprovideevidencetosupportourcontentionthatFFSprovidesanoptimalmechanicalenvironmentforspecificfootandanklestructures,suchastheheelpad,theplantarfascia,andtheAchillestendon.Theimportanceoffootwearwillthenbeaddressed,highlightingitsinteractionwithstrikepatternonmechanics.Thisanalysiswillunderscorewhyfootwearmatterswhenassessingmechanics.Finally,properpreparationandsafetransitiontoanFFSpatterninminimalshoeswillbeemphasized.Throughthediscussionofthecurrentliterature,wewilldevelopajustificationforreturningtorunninginthewayforwhichwewereadaptedtoreducerunning-relatedinjuries.