(School of Physical Education,Key Lab of Physical Fitness Evalution and Motor Function Monitoringtion,Southwest University,Chongqing 400715,China) Abstract: The authors gave an overview of researches on barefoot running at home and abroad, and summarized the differences in biomechanical characteristics between barefoot running and shod running in terms of kinematics, dy-namics and physiology etc. As compared with shod running, more likely barefoot running is carried out in a way of moving forward with forefoot landing, a shorter step length and a faster pace frequency, such a mode can greatly reduce ground impact shock peak and loading rate; barefoot running can better utilize foot proprioception, thus in-crease foot power and stability during moving forward; barefoot running does not have an injury rate lower than the one shod running has, currently there is no authoritative evidence showing that a higher sports injury rate during moving forward is caused by a tremendous repeating impact force, therefore the way and mode that affect barefoot or shod running injury rate need be further probed into; it has been proven by experiment that barefoot running is more economic than shod running, while almost every long distance run event world record holder is a forefoot landing runner, hence the authors recommended to include barefoot running as a way of cross training into long dis-tance run event athlete and coach training plans, which is conducive to improving athlete’s way of landing. Key words: sports biomechanics;barefoot running;injury;proprioception;review |