赤腳跑步:為什么你應(yīng)該考慮用它來防止受傷

赤腳跑步:為什么你應(yīng)該考慮用它來防止受傷

It was around four to six million years ago when humans first evolved to walk upright. We continued to evolve into superb long-distance walkers and runners, made possible by our arched feet, long achilles tendon, and ability to cool through sweating.

大約四百萬到六百萬年前，人類第一次進(jìn)化為直立行走。我們繼續(xù)進(jìn)化成為優(yōu)秀的長距離競走者和跑步者，這得益于我們拱形的雙腳、長長的跟腱和通過出汗降溫的能力。

And surprisingly, for most of human history this long distance travel was done barefoot.

令人驚訝的是，在人類歷史的大部分時間里，這種長途旅行都是赤腳進(jìn)行的。

Some evidence suggests footwear emerged around 30,000 years ago. But it wasn't until about 100 years ago that fashionable footwear was reported to be altering the shape of the foot. Since the 1970s, cushioned running shoes have become synonymous with exercise.

一些證據(jù)表明，鞋子大約出現(xiàn)在3萬年前。但直到大約100年前，才有報(bào)道稱，時尚的鞋子改變了腳的形狀。自20世紀(jì)70年代以來，氣墊跑鞋就成了鍛煉的代名詞。

But a growing body of evidence shows running shoes might actually be doing us more harm than good. Our latest review suggests that wearing shoes changes the way we run and weakens the foot in a way that can contribute to many common sports injuries.

但越來越多的證據(jù)表明，跑鞋實(shí)際上可能對我們弊大于利。我們最近的研究表明，穿鞋會改變我們跑步的方式，削弱我們的腳，從而導(dǎo)致許多常見的運(yùn)動損傷。

Barefoot runners can start young

赤腳跑步者可以早點(diǎn)開始

Previously, our team revealed that we can still run barefoot, especially if we start young. We found that not only could children in New Zealand ages 12-19 run sprint and middle-distance races barefoot, we also found the prevalence of pain in the lower limbs (knees, ankles, and feet) was relatively low compared with children of similar ages from other countries. Other research has also shown differences in foot structure and function in barefoot and shoe-wearing populations.

以前，我們的團(tuán)隊(duì)透露，我們?nèi)匀豢梢猿嗄_跑步，特別是如果我們年輕的時候開始。我們發(fā)現(xiàn)，新西蘭12-19歲的兒童不僅可以赤腳短跑和中長跑，而且下肢(膝蓋、腳踝和腳)疼痛的發(fā)生率與其他國家同齡兒童相比也相對較低。其他研究也顯示了赤腳和穿鞋人群的足部結(jié)構(gòu)和功能的差異。

Shoes lead to weaker feet

鞋子導(dǎo)致了腳的虛弱

Long-term everyday use of footwear also leads to a weaker foot and often, a collapsed arch. When we start running in shoes, our foot isn't adapted to cope with these mechanics.

長期每天穿鞋也會導(dǎo)致腳部虛弱，經(jīng)常會導(dǎo)致足弓塌陷。當(dāng)我們開始穿鞋跑步時，我們的腳并不適應(yīng)這些機(jī)制。

But this damage might be reversible. Interestingly, one study found that foot muscle size and strength were found to increase after eight weeks of walking in a minimalist shoe. This is because removing the cushioned heel and arch support made the foot's muscle work harder.

但這種損害可能是可逆的。有趣的是，一項(xiàng)研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，穿著極簡主義風(fēng)格的鞋子行走八周后，腳的肌肉大小和力量都有所增加。這是因?yàn)槿コ_后跟和足弓的支撐會讓腳部的肌肉更加用力。

But the simplest and perhaps most specific form of proprioceptive training for runners is to take off their shoes and walk or run. In fact, barefoot runners appear to report fewer knee injuries and less heel pain compared to runners who use shoes.

但對跑步者來說，最簡單、或許也是最具體的本體感受訓(xùn)練形式是脫掉鞋子，步行或跑步。事實(shí)上，與穿鞋跑步的人相比，赤腳跑步的人膝蓋受傷和腳后跟疼痛更少。

However, barefoot runners do report more calf and achilles tendon injuries. This suggests that people who transition too quickly to barefoot activities may overload their muscles and tendons. This might be because barefoot runners usually have a shorter stride and more flexed hip, knee and ankle. They also tend to run more on the tip of their toes.

然而，赤腳跑步者確實(shí)報(bào)告有更多的小腿和跟腱損傷。這表明，過度快速地進(jìn)行赤腳運(yùn)動的人可能會使他們的肌肉和肌腱超負(fù)荷。這可能是因?yàn)槌嗄_跑步者通常步幅較短，臀部、膝蓋和腳踝的彎曲度較高。他們也傾向于用腳趾尖跑。

Walk before you run

先走后跑

Although ditching your running shoes might not work for everyone, if you want to give barefoot running a try, the best advice is to walk before you run. A minimalist shoe might be a good first step if walking or running in extreme temperatures or where sharp objects may be common.

雖然扔掉你的跑鞋可能并不適合所有人，但如果你想嘗試赤腳跑步，最好的建議是在跑步之前先走一走。如果在極端溫度下行走或跑步，或者在常見尖銳物體的地方，極簡風(fēng)格的鞋子可能是很好的第一步。

Running injuries are caused by many factors, such as age, previous injuries, body mass index, and sudden changes in training volume -- so shoes might not be wholly to blame. And while shoes are relatively new to our species, so are our sedentary lifestyles.

跑步損傷是由許多因素引起的，比如年齡、以前的損傷、身體質(zhì)量指數(shù)和訓(xùn)練量的突然變化，所以鞋子可能不負(fù)全部的責(zé)任。