Barefoot Running Good for the Brain

Brain function appears to be boosted by running without shoes. This study included 72 volunteers who were instructed to run either barefoot or while wearing shoes for about 16 minutes. The study found that after running barefoot, participants experienced about a 16% improvement in their working memory, or their ability to recall or process information. However, running in shoes did not result in the same immediate benefits to memory. The findings suggest that running barefoot requires greater mental intensity and use of working memory, which may explain this discrepancy. Study leader Dr. Ross Alloway writes, “If we take off our shoes and go for a run, we can finish smarter than when we started.” Perceptual and Motor Skills, May 2016