Want to Run? Ditch the Shoes

A new study out Thursday, led by Harvard researchers, suggests that running barefoot can actually be better for your feet than running with shoes, as it saves your feet from a negative impact. “It’s as if every time you land on the ground, someone hits you on the heel with a hammer,’’ said one scientist. “It’s an amazing thing. Running barefoot can be less impactful.’’ Barefoot runners land on the ball or middle of their feet avoid the problem of landing heel-first. When runners land on their heels, the foot experiences an impact of two to three times their body weight. Barefoot runners avoid this fate.