By this time you may have been assessed by your health care provider to determine whether or not you could withstand barefoot running. Your second step would also have been to start strengthening your intrinsic foot musculature to begin the rigors of barefoot running. By now you have to be pretty eager to get into your barefoot/minimalist shoes and start logging some time. However, this phase of your transition needs to be done properly and it takes TIME! Below is a transition program that was designed by Dr. Irene Davis of the Spaulding National Running Centre at Harvard Medical School.

Stage 0 Pre-Entry into Jogging Program (Days 1-14)
Week 1: Walk around house 30 min/day, increasing 5 minutes/day combined with intrinsic foot exercises daily
Week 2: Walk around house for 1 hour/day, increasing 5 minutes/day combined with intrinsic foot exercises daily
Stage 1 Walk and Jog Stage (2 days loading 1 day rest)*Continue intrinsic foot musculature exercises
Perform on treadmill or outdoor track. Transition back to shoes if pain is experienced and finish workout as prescribed. Do not proceed to next work level until able to complete without pain. May cross train or run in shoes on rest days.
Day 15 Walk 30 minutes
16 Walk 9 min jog 1 minute (x3)
17 Rest
18 Walk 8 min and jog 2 min (x3)
19 Walk 7 min and jog 3 min (x3)
20 Rest
21 Walk 6 min and jog 4 min (x3)
22 Walk 5 min and jog 5 min (x3)
23 Rest
24 Walk 4 min and jog 6 min (x3)
25 Walk 3 min and jog 7 min (x3)
26 Rest
27 Walk 2 min and jog 8 min (x3)
28 Walk 1 min and jog 9 min (x3)

 

 

Stage 2 Jogging every other day
Perform on treadmill or track. Transition back to shoes if pain is experienced and finish workout as prescribed. Do not proceed to next work level until able to complete without pain. May cross train or run in shoes on rest days.
Day 29 Jog 12 min
30 Rest
31 Jog 15 min
32 Rest
33 Jog 15 min
34 Rest
35 Jog 17 min
36 Rest
37 Jog 17 min
38 Rest
39 Jog 20 min
40 Rest
41 Jog 20 min
Stage 3 Jogging (four loading days in one week)
Day 42 Jog 25 min
43 Rest
44 Jog 25 min
45 Rest
46 Jog 30 min
47 Jog 30 min
48 Rest
Stage 4 Individualized running (Five loading days in one week)
Day 49 Running
50 Running
51 Rest
52 Running
53 Running
54 Rest
55 Running
Stage 5 Return to Activity (Individualized)

 

Congratulations! You have just successfully transitioned to barefoot running. Now get our there and pound some pavement…safely of course. If you have any questions regarding barefoot running, be sure to contact your AHI health care provider.

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