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For those that are interested, a high quality video was made of me lecturing on barefoot vs shod running and on common running injuries earlier this year. The lecture was at a seminar for high school and college coaches and was held at a local junior college here in Sacramento. This video is 80 minutues long and is now available for purchase as a DVD.

https://coacheschoice.com/p-2674-bar...h-is-best.aspx

__________________
Sincerely,

Kevin

**************************************************
Kevin A. Kirby, DPM
Adjunct Associate Professor
Department of Applied Biomechanics
California School of Podiatric Medicine at Samuel Merritt College

e-mail: kevinakirby@comcast.net

Private Practice:
107 Scripps Drive, Suite 200
Sacramento, CA 95825 USA
My location

Voice: (916) 925-8111 Fax: (916) 925-8136
**************************************************

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Thanks for the info,
I just buy mine!
Blasie

Blaise:

After you are done viewing the video, I would appreciate it if you could come back here onto this thread to tell us, from your perspective, what you disagree with and agree with from my 80 minute lecture. This may help us build a bridge of common thoughts that we may further build on for the good of our patients.

Thanks in advance.

__________________
Sincerely,

Kevin

**************************************************
Kevin A. Kirby, DPM
Adjunct Associate Professor
Department of Applied Biomechanics
California School of Podiatric Medicine at Samuel Merritt College

e-mail: kevinakirby@comcast.net

Private Practice:
107 Scripps Drive, Suite 200
Sacramento, CA 95825 USA
My location

Voice: (916) 925-8111 Fax: (916) 925-8136
**************************************************

With pleasure
Blaise

I just watched Kevin Kirby's conference "Barefoot vs Shod Running : which is best?" which is sold directly by Coaches Choice DVD.
Here are my on-the-spot impressions.

The cost of 40$ plus shipping is rather for the content than for the quality of the making of the DVD!

The DVD is divided in 3 parts.
* First part exposes a whole set of theories surrounding footwear/barefoot (advantages, disadvantages, history, performance, biomechanical effects, ...). Kevin is clear, science is well introduced and the content well sustained even though sometimes it stands on superficiality. Even by being a modern shoes advocate, Kevin's speech is so well balanced that I almost agree with everything he says... I'm questioning myself if he wouldn't be discreetly becoming a defender of minimalism... :)
* Second part was about the 5 most frequent pathologies in runners. For this one section, it all comes back to the 80's, exposed ideas are backward and not so interesting. We see many ridiculous proposition like orthotics and anti-inflammatory to treat almost every problem, Q angle as the cause of patellofemoral syndrome, pronation as cause of the Achilles tendinitis, VMO strengthening exercises to treat patellofemoral syndrome... well, many outdated and uninteresting concepts.
* Third part, the question and answer period had a lack of interest too. I did smile when the very first question was asked with three words: Big Bulky Shoes. However, Kevin, a little political in his answers, did well. We can't say he doesn't know literature

Conclusion: interesting only if the footwear/barefoot debate fascinates you!

Blaise

Blaise, I'm still struggling with the notion of the world revolving around minimal shoes. Over the last few years I have replaced most of my running shoes with what would be considered minimal shoes but NOT COMPLETELY. I run 70 to 80 miles/week, I have been for decades. While I have experienced the benefits of wearing minimal shoes first hand, I don't think they are the end all solution.

I have found that after running considerable distances in minimal shoes, they do put a strain on my Achilles tendons and calf muscles for obvious reasons. When I run to the point that I start feeling tightness in the back of my lower legs, the simple solution is to just wear a pair of traditional running shoes for a day or two to take the stress off. I suppose I could take the time off from running but it's not necessary if I just wear some shoes that change the stress points introduced by minimal shoes.

I suppose a lower mileage runner could get away with just wearing minimal shoes but for those who are pushing limits, variation is always a good thing.

Dana

Hi Dana,

I can just be agree with you. The type of shoes you wear will change where the stress is applied... And the capacity of adaptation is proper to each person. The best is to listen your body. The best definition of minimalism for me is : The least amount of shoes you can safely wear now!

My problem with maximalists (big bulky, traditional, PECH shoes) is that health professional did recommendations under marketing influence. All professionals around the word was recommended maximalist shoes for beginner, kids... and every other runners...

The fist reflex of most of the debater here is to protect old unscientific idea that the BBS is good for runners. The fist reflex when I exposed the poster "how to select your running shoes" was 'that bull***t'... and nobody tell me why they don't agree. http://www.therunningclinic.ca/blog/...running-shoes/

Best
Blaise

Blaise, you really don't need to worry about what is being said here with respect to it's influence on the trends of the shoe industry. In short, what some of the podiatrists have been saying have had NO influence on the direction of the shoe industry. They just aren't big enough to matter regarding the advice they are giving their clients who happen to see them with some sort of pathology. Many of the presentations made or debates are done for and among themselves and is generally going unheard. There might be an occasional interview that goes into some article or 2 minute TV spot but it is doubtful that it has an impact.

What the medical professional has to say can't compare to the massive marketing effort put on by the running shoe companies. The reality is that the shoe companies have caught on to the minimalist trend, the running magazines have caught on, countless internet sites have caught on, the retail stores and internet stores have caught on. They are all selling and promoting minimal shoes and the consumer has caught on. Minimal shoes have become the latest craze in running, people can debate all they want, minimal shoes are what are selling, end of discussion.

Last week I went into a huge running specialty retail store called Road Runner Sports. The company started in the 1980's as a catalog running retailer and have since branched into physical stores. Walking in the store, they had a gigantic wall filled with 100's of models of shoes. The vast majority of the shoes I saw on that wall were marketed as minimal shoes. As for the "stability" shoes, they where tucked away on the side in the bottom corner with other old and tired models. You actually had to look to find them.

The brightly colored minimal shoes are what are hot and what are selling. It doesn't matter what shoe provides the best function for a given runner, what is more important to sales is the fashion statement the shoes are making. Minimal shoes are in, that's all that matters. At least for now minimal shoes have the bright lights and marketing dollars, in the future who knows?

As far as people protecting old, unscientific ideas, I think what people might be protecting is what they are selling. There are people whose fair share of their income comes through the fitting and selling of custom orthotics. Of course they are going to endorse shoes that accommodate what they are selling. It doesn't make sense for them to support a shoe such as VFF, that is just common sense.

People's interest in anything is generally short lived. People decide all of a sudden to get off the couch and start a running program. They go out and buy a new pair of running shoes. Who cares what they buy, in a few months when they realize they still don't look like the photo of the model on the cover of Runners World, they will be back to sitting on the couch and their new running shoes will be used to mow the lawn in. For the very few who actually stick with running, they will find with time and trial, what type of shoe works best for them. They may listen to various sources of advice but sooner or later, they will hopefully find the right shoe or class of shoes that work the best.

Just be happy that you have found what works for you, that the trend in the industry is consistent with what works for you and because of that, you certainly have a lot to pick from.

Dana

I don't recall anyone saying BBS are good for runners, let alone most debaters here. I do recall a lot of people saying that there is no one best condition, shod/unshod or type of shoe, for all runners.

Eric