Introduction: The past, present, and future of research on running barefoot and in minimal shoes

Barefootrunninghasbeenaroundformillionsofyears,anditissafetopresumethatformostofthattime,thepracticeoccasionedlittleinterest.Ourancestorsranbarefootbecausetheyhadnoshoes.Whenfootwearwasfirstinventedduringthelast40,000years(nodoubtatdifferenttimesandindifferentplaces),shoeswerebynecessityminimal-essentiallysandalsandmoccasins-designedtoprotectthesoleofthefootbutlackinganyofthesophisticatedfeaturesandmaterialspresentinmodemrunningshoessuchaselevatedcushionedheels,archsupports,andtoesprings.Mostofthesefeatureswereinventedinthe1970s,andtheyquicklybecamemorepopularandsophisticatedasrunningunderwentaworldwideboom.Today,thevastmajorityofrunnersthinkitisnormaltowearcushionedrunningshoes,andwouldneverdreamofrunningwithoutthem.