colin tung barefoot

Middle-distance runner Colin Tung went barefoot at a recent race. (Photo © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports archive photo)

The benefits of barefoot running will soon come to your school. Education officials have decided to introduce barefoot running to primary school students during Physical Education (PE) classes as an alternative.

“We think barefoot running has its benefits and helps to strengthen otherwise unused muscle groups,” said Wo Hen Qiang, an ex-commando regular who is now a PE teacher. “Also, we want to toughen up our ‘kuniang’ boys. Some of them are like fresh tofu – soft, white and wobbly.”

Barefoot running was studied by a team of researchers and its findings were published in November 2009 by Nature, a science journal.

Running without shoes forces the foot to land more on the mid-foot and forefoot because it hurts to land on the heel. This shortens a running step and keeps the knee bent which reduces the chances of injury.

The study showed that there is evidence that the brain, knowing that there is no longer a shoe to absorb the impact, activates different muscles in the final few milliseconds before the foot hits the ground to soften the landing. With barefoot running, calf muscles and ankle joints play a larger role than before.

This may have an impact on sports stores that sell running shoes as their core business. A retail executive working at Queensway Shopping Centre feels this may impact the industry if barefoot running takes off.

“If a lot of people think barefoot running is good, that’s bad for business!” said Mei Yeo Chien who has been in the business for 15 years.

Students have a mixed view on this.

“I hate wearing shoes! If I could, I would not wear shoes at school the whole day!” said primary two student Tan Kai Young whose first habit every day when he is picked up from school by his father is to take off his shoes in the car.

For Colin Tung, an undergraduate who specialises in middle-distance running, barefoot running has its benefits.

“Barefoot running is good. Then, the heroes behind the work, that are our feet, can get the credit they deserve by being shown to the world in all their sculpted beauty. With the kind of mileage I do every week, running barefoot also has its financial benefits,” said Colin.

Education officials are now considering the possibility of boys doing PE shirtless in the sun to toughen them up for National Service.