starting minimalist

Good choice to go minimalist. I had injuries for years before I started including 4 stress fractures.

Start in some Nike Zoom Jasari+ or some Nike Zoom RS+, they are basically the same shoe but the Jasaris are lighter. I found this to be the perfect minimalist transition shoe. I would also recommend 5 to 10 minutes of daily barefoot running on a soccer field, this will help your achilles with the transition.

http://www.quickswood.com/my_weblog/2006/08/athletic_footwe.html

i like the adidas adizero line.

if you're reluctant, just wear them for a couple days a week on your shorter runs. if no problems, wear them more often.

and anyone going minimal should get a refresher on proper running form (there's tons of literature out there) -- that will keep you injury-free more than anything.

believing "minimalism is what causes injuries" is like believing you'd get laid if you wear stiletto heels

It may not cause injuries, but there is no formal peer-reveiwed study that indicates it will reduce them either. I am all for experimenting with your footwear, but I find it laughable that minimalists think they will never get injured again because they run in racing flats. I think you are probably learning to run correctly for the first time, concentrating on your form, and strengthening the feet and leg muscles (which, you should have done before you moved to a minimalist shoe). Those of us who have already learned to run correctly, have strong feet and legs, have no need to move to a minimalist shoe.

This is the problem wrote:

It may not cause injuries, but there is no formal peer-reveiwed study that indicates it will reduce them either. I am all for experimenting with your footwear, but I find it laughable that minimalists think they will never get injured again because they run in racing flats. I think you are probably learning to run correctly for the first time, concentrating on your form, and strengthening the feet and leg muscles (which, you should have done before you moved to a minimalist shoe). Those of us who have already learned to run correctly, have strong feet and legs, have no need to move to a minimalist shoe.

You are wrong on so many levels. Actually there is a great deal of literature suggesting the typical training shoe with elevated heel, motion control, tapered toe box, etc. causes one to run unnaturally. Your suggestion that one can run "correctly" and have strong feet and legs is ludicrous. One simply cannot run naturally in the modern training shoe. And the restrictions imposed by such footwear prevents muscles in the feet and ankles from strengthening. Minimalist/barefoot running has so many advanatges.

Fan of Harry wrote:

Actually there is a great deal of literature...

he didn't say there isn't "literature." He said there are no formal peer-reviewed studies. If you are involved in science, you should know what this means. There is a shit ton of "literature" about everything on the internet now, and at least half of it is worthless. So it would be great if you could cite those formally published, peer-reviewed studies.

This is the problem wrote: It may not cause injuries, but there is no formal peer-reveiwed study that indicates it will reduce them either.

How vast is the body of formal peer-reviewed studies which concludes the modern 12 oz trainer with lots of "support", "stability", cushion, and a half inch or more heel reduce injury?

Just askin'. Maybe it's out there. Or maybe lore (== accumulated and digested anecdote) is the best we've got for the moment?

I think you are probably learning to run correctly for the first time, concentrating on your form, and strengthening the feet and leg muscles

If you agree that minimal shoes can foster these changes, they're probably not a bad thing, right? Maybe there's other roads to Rome but this seems like a pretty good one for many.

please dont squeeze the garmin wrote:

How vast is the body of formal peer-reviewed studies which concludes the modern 12 oz trainer with lots of "support", "stability", cushion, and a half inch or more heel reduce injury?

As I suspect you already know, there are no such studies.

As for bonzo, a good place to start would be with the studies listed as resources for this paper:

Running causes injuries .That's why recovery is so important.It is a stressful activity.If you haven't figured this much.And your idea that "I am learning to run correctly" suggests you are convinced that you yourself run correctly. All I would be saying is that I am experimenting and that i have been, for my satisfaction, largely succesful.It would be interesting to see an honest account of your running-related injuries.regards, tpcb

This is the problem wrote:

It may not cause injuries, but there is no formal peer-reveiwed study that indicates it will reduce them either. I am all for experimenting with your footwear, but I find it laughable that minimalists think they will never get injured again because they run in racing flats. I think you are probably learning to run correctly for the first time, concentrating on your form, and strengthening the feet and leg muscles (which, you should have done before you moved to a minimalist shoe). Those of us who have already learned to run correctly, have strong feet and legs, have no need to move to a minimalist shoe.