Yep, our curiosity gets the better of us :) Happened to me and glad I started to experiment. And yes, the Kinvara is a great and pretty safe choice for an experiment – you may actually find you don’t want to go back!

—-
Pete Larson’s Web Links:
My book: Tread Lightly – http://ow.ly/bdUO0
Blog: https://runblogger.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/oblinkin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Runbl…

1. The average VLR of all participants together was lower when increase cadence, but not significant… so yes it’s possible that the small sample size was the reason.
2. The average cadence was 172. (hight for recreational runners)… so it’s possible that the VLR didn’t change as much when cadence increase to 189 (10%) than someone starting to 150 and changing for 165 (more common with my patient)
3. In my practice (not nine but thousands of patients) there is a lot of inter-individual answers to biomechanical interventions. I don’t have a sophisticate plat form integrate to my treadmill but I use various very simple things to quantify the impact force, like the noise at the impact (suggest by Dr Davis to be a valid intervention) and an accelerometer place on the treadmill.

My clinical point : every runner is different and prescription/advices to
different individuals have to be personalized. Indeed, it is possible to
decrease the impact force of runners (mostly the VLR) by modifying running
form. However, strategies which cause significant reduction in heard impact may
be different from one runner to another, and have to be recommended
accordingly. Most durable (automatic instead of voluntary) and most simple
interventions will be preferred.

Most of the time, I use these four interventions with
runners when trying to decrease the impact force, number 1 being my most
frequent and effective intervention.

1. Minimize shoe interference (decrease cushioning and ramp)

2. Increase step frequency / shorter stride (170 to 190 steps
per minute)

3. Voluntary reduction of impact noise

4. Midfoot strike

Hi Blaise,
I’m curious about one of your intervention. In your practice, do you sometimes use only the first intervention (minimize shoe interference) ? If so, does that intervention alone is enough to increase stride frequency / shorter stride?

I’d say stick with what works that allows you to run pain free and accomplish the goals that you have for your running. The end goal need not be zero drop for every runner, just what works best for each individual. Thanks for reading my book!

—-
Pete Larson’s Web Links:
My book: Tread Lightly – http://ow.ly/bdUO0
Blog: https://runblogger.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/oblinkin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Runbl…

Yes…
Yes for most of runners…
The average increase of cadence to our clinic (hundreds of patients calculated specifically for that) from their usual shoes to barefoot is 10 (0 to 20 depending of the client). For minimalist shoes (compare to traditional-maximalist shoes) is very variable. Some have the same result than barefoot, some no difference. It’s depends the client and how much minimalist is the shoes.

I really like seeing the raw data myself since I’m fascinated by the individual responses to various interventions. I think Blaise is going to address some of the questions I had.

—-
Pete Larson’s Web Links:
My book: Tread Lightly – http://ow.ly/bdUO0
Work: http://www.anselm.edu/internet…
Blog: https://runblogger.com
Dailymile Profile: http://www.dailymile.com/peopl…
Twitter: http://twitter.com/oblinkin

Thaks Peter. I think I will stay more or less the same way, but the researcher in me will try to seek new shoes to run with…I guess you will undestand. At some point I will try something like Kinvaras, which does not look as “dangerous” to me. And probably combine them with some barefoot running in the beach near my home; running on sand is something I have always donde in my youth with no trouble at all.

http://www.barefootbrett.com