Over time, this blog has been growing quite some content around barefoot running and hiking, mainly due to my own practice of this particular form of sport. I originally posted these references in a blog post, but given that they can be useful for people looking for easy to find references, I decided to group them in a single page.
References
Please note that while I practice barefoot running and hiking, I also have a far more skeptical stance on practices such as “grounding”. I try also to present a balanced view, but my own experience tends to lean towards the benefits of barefooting (which may not necessarily be linked to “grounding”).
Barefoot Running
For more about minimalistic running (no, I don’t advocate those Vibrams or other “minimalistic” shoes), here are a few resources:
Running World article on barefoot running (a measured view on the phenomenon)
Biomechanics of barefoot running
Sports science on barefoot running (a scientific study)
Should you be barefoot running? (an article of Trail Running Magazine)
And as it is interesting to show both angles of a discussion, this article warning against barefoot running:
Why barefoot running isn’t best for most runners Quite obviously, barefoot running is not made for everyone, as it requires changing a lot in your posture and approach.
Barefoot hiking
Finally, on the slightly different subject of barefoot hiking:
Should you hike barefoot An interesting nuanced approach to the question.
Pros and cons of hiking barefoot Another nuanced article.
Society for barefoot living And finally, to conclude this series a link to the website from the “Society for barefoot living” which features webinars with catchy titles such as “shoes: the silent killer”. Sorry, I couldn’t help but laugh at that one.
All about grounding And finally, to top it all, an article debunking that myth of “earthing”.
Packing for barefoot hiking 8 barefoot hikers describe how they pack for barefoot hiking.
