The Chi Running and Other Running Trends

Chi running, Pose running, barefoot running and ‘natural running’ are all part of a growing trend within running away from a heel strike to more of a midfoot strike running. If you read the websites and books about these techniques, they do make some extraordinary claims for the benefits of them, none of which are actually backed up with any evidence. Chi Running is also a philosophy of running as well as a technique and as such tries to apply some of the philosophies of Tai Chi to the running experience. To accommodate these trends all the running shoe companies seem to be coming out with the minimalist footwear. Even the New Balance running shoes company has a partnership with the Chi running movement. The Chi running technique also uses more of a forward lean as well as the midfoot strike pattern

Podiatrists need to be aware of these trends as some of them, especially the barefoot running movement, are leading to an increase in the number of injuries seen in runners. This is despite the rhetoric and propaganda that come out of the Chi Running, Pose Running and barefoot running communities.

Incoming search terms:

• Chi Running

Related posts:

1. Barefoot Running
2. The Running Shoes from Asics

1,198 total views, 1 today