Can Vibram FiveFingers Improve Your Run?

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So, you're not sold on the whole barefoot running shoe trend, especially after news of lawsuits and injury. But check this out, the results of a new study may help to change your outlook on at least one style of the popular sneakers. The Vibram FiveFingers, which many consider to be somewhat of a pioneer of the barefoot movement, have been proven to show an increase in running economy. If you're not familiar with the term, running economy is how efficiently one uses oxygen while running at a given pace.

Runner's World cites a study in which fifteen experienced runners were analyzed as they made a gradual transition to the FiveFingers model. The Dublin City University study used the Asics Nimbus as a comparison, which initially showed a 1.05% increase in running economy while using the Vibrams. After four weeks had passed, the runners using the FiveFingers were a full 8% more economical than those using the Nimbus.

[Runner's World]

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