Tread Lightly arrives at a pivotal time, as runners everywhere have begun to experiment with minimalistic foot-wear, and question the relationship of footwear and the injury epidemic. Peter Larson is a professor of biology and leading blogger for running shoe innovation and selection. Bill Katovsky is the co-founder of Natural Running Center, and author of several books.
In Tread Lightly, Larson and Katovsky provide well-detailed and balanced interpretation of modifying running form and footwear while questioning the underlying belief that humans are indeed “born to run”.
The chapters are updated with current evidence regarding the running shoe, pronation, foot strike, stride, and nutritional considerations. Each chapter addresses the pros and cons of modifying the practices of recreational runners, and offers expert opinion from leading foot-wear scientists, biomechanists, coaches, therapists, and competitive runners. Particularly, the concluding chapter provides strategic advice with reference to literature citations, helping runners to make informed decisions. Readers require a foundational understanding of anatomy and biomechanics in order to fully grasp the proposed risks and benefits of altering running practices.
I would recommend this book to therapists, coaches, and recreational runners who desire a lifetime of pain-free miles for themselves and their athletes.