Footfall patterns during barefoot running on harder and softer surfaces Allison H. Gruber, Julia Freedman Silvernail, Peter Brueggemann, Eric Rohr & Joseph Hamill Footwear Science (in press) Quote: It has been suggested that the development of a thick, soft midsole of running shoes over the past 30 years has been primarily responsible for the majority of runners adopting a rearfoot or heel-toe footfall pattern thus deviating from a more ‘natural’ forefoot pattern.

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Footfall patterns during barefoot running on harder and softer surfaces