Those Barefoot Wackos, Again

Recall that some time ago, shoeless wackos descended on my blog post - Is Your Brood Shod? - and ran the discussion up to 100 freakin' comments.

Well the barefoot movement has really taken off, apparently. Not only are people shedding footwear....they're running marathons and whatnot unshod!

And I count myself among the converts - around the house anyway. Shoes are 100% unnatural, a bailout for the feet. Like all bailouts, there are substantial unforeseen side-effects and they're doomed to continual, escalating failure.

Consider this excerpt from a New York Times article this week:

As the practice has grown in popularity, however, it has drawn criticism from podiatrists who say there is no scientific research that shows barefoot running reduces injuries. The American Podiatric Medical Association recently released a statement urging runners to be wary of the method, noting the lack of peer-reviewed studies and expressing concern it could lead to puncture wounds from road debris or added stress in the lower extremities.

Hah!

I'm like so wicked shocked that podiatrists are officially against barefootedness!

Without shoes they won't sell any of those expensive, useless inserts that constitute the sweet spot of their 150k average salary.

This is perfectly analogous to those quack back doctors who examined me and could only come up with taking Vioxx/Celebrex FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE....and expensive, invasive, dubious surgery instead of yoga. And this is the same certified guild that looks with disdain upon *chiropractors*.

One point of irony worth a mention here is that, I believe in the doctor pecking order, at near the very bottom dwell podiatrists. I don't think technically they even attend *med school*. The way I always understood it, podiatry was for the medical school applicant manqué. Look ---> a link!