Fore-foot or Heel?

There has been increasing interest if not an open debate in recent years whether running shoes are helping or hindering when it comes to preventing running injuries. Much of this discussion has been fueled by the recent best-selling book "Born to Run", by Christopher McDougall which includes a scathing commentary on the ubiquitous Nike shoe company. Now there is a Nature article showing that barefoot running is definitely biomechanically different than running in modern running shoes. This is especially true for runners who have always run barefoot. The lead investigator Dr. Daniel E. Lieberman confirms that the forces generated with fore-foot strike (barefoot) are markedly less than when the heel strikes first (running shoes). This information will undoubtedly lead to adjustments made by runners which you can already see in local road races. I also expect to see running shoe companies scrambling to adapt their products to the new reality that runners are searching for a more natural (barefoot like) foot strike to limit injuries.