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Here is a great post from Sam Murphy, He attended UKSEM’s (UK Sport and Exercise Medicine Conference) debate on natural running. It was a panel debate that consisted of Professor Daniel Lieberman, podiatrist Simon Bartold, Professor Benno Nigg, Professor Daniel Howell and Dr Matthias Marquardt.
http://www.sam-murphy.co.uk/newsandevents/?p=961
From what little i know, as a relative newbe to this field, i agree with Sam’s conclusions that running is all about form and injuries stem from poor form. The major trouble being the traditional running shoe and it supporting a non-natural running technique. One of the key interesting points of the debate, regardless of the panelists views of the current barefoot running trend and the various shoes that are sale now, they all agreed on what a running shoe does not need. That is that: a running shoe shouldn’t need: cushioning, stiffness, medial posting, arch support or a heel raise.
Great writing from Sam, and it will be interested to see how sneakers start to change as this debate goes on.
barefeat 
November 28th, 2011 at 9:44 am
hi, i’m looking to forefoot strike and stumbled across your post. ty.
some comments.
1. ” injuries stem from poor form” yes. but what is good form? and who says it’s good?
2. “the traditional running shoe and it supporting a non-natural running technique” if it is so unnatural then why do the vast majority of us do it by default?
Despite that; i do KIND OF agree with you.
I recently was a guinea pig in barefoot shoe testing at a UK sports lab. I pronate quite a bit and the natural/barefoot shoes did my calfs in FOR WEEKS.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:00 am
Verity,
Thanks for reading and thanks for your comments. I’m no expert, so i will reply based on my own personal opinion. To your questions:
1 – I think thats the key questions, What is good form? It’s odd that running seems to be the last sport that science has a serious look at to define form. Golf, Tennis, Soccer, Football etc all have been looked at in the greatest of details to be sure that each athlete operates at the very pinnacle of the sport, yet running for the most part has been left alone. What i think is most interesting is this is now changing and over the next few years what we think is good form and how our shoes work will change greatly.
2 – I think you have question 2 confused. The vast majority of us heel strike because we have spent the last 40 years being trained that way, If you look at both my kids 4 and 9, neither heel strike. They both land on the mid foot. I would guess that a majority of kids under 100 all mid foot strike.
Interestingly enough (although it’s early days) i can still run much faster in big soled shoes and heel striking. My mid foot form seems to have me maxed out at around 9:30 /mi yet it is not tiring like my heel strike.