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Keith Olbermann has Stress Fracture Running in FiveFingers

On May 18, 2011, ex-MSNBC news personality Keith Olbermann appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman — his first television appearance since his exit from MSNBC on January 21, 2011.Though the interview with Letterman is more about Olberman…

On May 18, 2011, ex-MSNBC news personality Keith Olbermann appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman — his first television appearance since his exit from MSNBC on January 21, 2011.

Though the interview with Letterman is more about Olbermann’s upcoming return to TV via network Current TV, it’s the beginning that we’ll all find interesting: Keith Olbermann walks onto the stage with a cane — seems he got a stress fracture running in Vibram FiveFingers. Here’s the segment, as well as a transcript of the first two minutes of Olbermann’s exchange with David Letterman:

[Audience claps as Keith Olbermann enters the stage, walking with a cane]

KEITH OLBERMANN: Thank you! I can walk!

DAVID LETTERMAN: Good to have you on the program. Good to see you again. I had no idea that you were injured. Tell us about that and what’s going on.

OLBERMANN: Well, it’s not as easy to get out of NBC as it was when you did.

LETTERMAN: Oh I see. They had a guy work you over?

OLBERMANN: Ahh might very well think so I could not possibly comment. Ah no actually it was an accident in a shop class oddly enough.

LETTERMAN: Well they will happen.

OLBERMANN: I’m out of material. Uh stress fracture running.

LETTERMAN: How much do you run?

OLBERMANN: Not much at the moment.

LETTERMAN: No, not now. But are you like a 5 – 10 miles when you go out that kind of guy?

OLBERMANN: No 5 – 10 minutes on a good day.

LETTERMAN: How did you fracture your foot? I mean, I guess it’s obvious but why?

OLBERMANN: Badly. I fractured it very badly. You’ve seen the five-toed running shoes?

LETTERMAN: I have seen them: they’re like the glove.

OLBERMANN: Yes. My foot doctor is the doctor for the Rockettes, which is an enviable job that I’m” sure many of us men would like to have. What he said was these are the most wonderful shoes in the world to walk in. And I noticed this a year ago when I first put them on. They’re great for you knees. They’re great for your hips. They make you actually feel like you’re younger like can walk again. You’re not old guys. Unfortunately, if you try to run in them and you weigh more than 175 lbs., you will break something. This does not say this on the side of the box. And as he said, I hate to tell you this in your late stage of life here but you’re not less than 175 lbs. So walk to your hearts content but don’t run in them.

LETTERMAN: When did you first audition for the Rockettes?

So it seems Keith Olbermann may have run too much too fast in his toe shoes, he got a stress fracture, and his podiatrist (who I suppose we should be impressed with, as he works with the Rockettes?), drew a line in the sand that if you’re above 175 lbs., you can’t run in Vibrams.

What do you think about that? Are VFFs only good for running if you weigh less than 175 lbs.? Sound off below!

By Justin

Justin Owings is a deadlifting dad of three, working from Atlanta. When he's not chasing his three kids around, you'll find him trying to understand systems, risk, and human behavior.

113 replies on “Keith Olbermann has Stress Fracture Running in FiveFingers”

Fluctuating between 205 and 210 here. I am running two miles three times a week right now, slowly increasing the time/distance, at a fairly constant 6 MPH. Completely new to running as of last year, when I first tried running in my Sprints (previously just used for bumming around). Knees are better now (used to have issues all the time). No stress fractures in my feet, over a year later.

Too much, too soon is a good way to get injured, no matter what you’re wearing. Olberman is a knucklehead anyway.

I am 6’2″, 210 lbs, I have been running in five fingers for almost 2.5 years now with 10 and 20 Km runs.

No fractures or any problems.

My feet got a lot bigger of time though, muscle and nerves. I guess we need to ramp up slowly.

Keith Olbermann is an idiot… not surprise he couldn’t get the VFFs right. I’m over 175 and i’ve never had a problem when i switched.

Honestly, I think this whole thing is “stupid” in a word. A man who only does 10 minutes of recreational running a day shouldn’t be in VFF’s unless he is going to use them the rest of the day as well.

I also think that a weight limit on a shoe is just ridiculous, I want to see the research and the scientific evidence of this statement…have you seen the shoes the Rockettes wear? Those aren’t good for anyone, high heels and pointed toes do more damage than a fat man in a rubber sock…

Overall I think that doctors need to keep their mouths shut and stop making up rumors. I bet if he hadn’t gotten injured that doctor would have told him that VFF’s are great for fat people too. I’m going into Physical Therapy and I’m almost ashamed of the medical community for their misinterpretations and misguided advice. A stress fracture has nothing to do with the shoe…it has to do with someone not taking care of themselves or doing too much too fast.

I’ve been running in FiveFingers since February and just completed my first 1/2 marathon (while wearing them) yesterday. Throughout this process, I have always been 6’3″, and I have never been less than 205 lbs. Generally, I hover around 209 lbs.

My calves and feet are a little sore today, but I have never had a stress fracture or other serious injury running in FiveFingers.

Dude! I am 190 lbs and run completely barefoot all the time. That podiatrist needs to be smacked in the head with one of those “foot gloves.”.

I’m pretty darn sure I weigh over 175 and no problems here… That said, I did a very gradual build up to my current level of running and am continuing to build up to something worth talking about.

I feel for Keith because I don’t want to see anyone get hurt. However, his Podiatrist gave him piss poor advice. I’m a 36yr old, hefty 6’1 210(on a good day) and I just ran a ridiculously hilly Five Trails Half-Marathon race in Leavenworth, Kansas. I’m not ready for the Olympics or anything, but I was comfortable finishing with a 1:44 in my Bikila FiveFingers. I had ZERO pain following the race, calf soreness the next day and in two days I went out for a 6 miler to make sure I was good to go. No issues at all. Did I mention I weigh 210. Bottom Line though you have to get used to running in them over 2-3 weeks before you go all out…All of my ailments from 32 years of playing soccer disappear in my FiveFingers. Now if I can just convince my Army Unit to let me wear them at PT…

I am disappointed that Keith and his doctor blame the shoes for his injury, when, in fact, it was their lack of education that caused the injury. Even worse is the statement that running in VFFs while over 175lbs will cause a stress fracture. Any weight can get injured if you start out too fast. Heavy or light, everyone must start really slowly when wearing these shoes or going barefoot. In fact, I am a woman in the 170lb ballpark and have no problem running in my VFFs. Keith and his doctor’s ignorance is going to hurt the barefoot/minimalist running movement, which is very unfortunate.

Bah-loney! I’m a 200+(++) pound woman who started running for the first time in my life last August in VFFs, and that’s all I’ve run in since then. While I suffered through shin splints when I started, that had more to do with moving a previously sedentary body and using unused muscles than the amount of weight being moved. The only time I’ve ever had a foot problem with VFFs was when I wore them to my first spinning class…didn’t know there were clips on the pedals, pinched a nerve, and limped for 2 weeks!

While I think Keith and/or his doctor are twits who are spreading misinformation, I also think that anyone who wants to run in VFFs should do some research, read lots of opinions and information, and make up their own mind from the total information presented, not the opinion of one talking head.

I’ve been running in VFFs, barefoot, and other minimal shoes for over a year now, including a marathon in Bikilas last spring. During that year, I don’t think I’ve ever weighed less than about 180lbs. I’ve had some growing pains as my feet make the transition but I’m convinced that as the feet get stronger during a slow buildup then there isn’t a problem with those of us on the large side going minimal.

You can get a stress fracture if you weigh 110 lbs if you’re doing it incorrectly. On the other hand, you could be 200 lbs and run 50 mile weeks with no problems if you’re doing it properly. I doubt Olbermann knew what he was doing.

Not true at all. I’ve played football most of my life (Running Back) and have had ankle and knee problems in the past, but with these I have no problems with my feet, ankles or knees…I’m 210lbs.

Honestly at 225lbs and 41 years old, I don’t really run, so much as amble, mosey, or perhaps even lumber. But no, no feet problems other than the 5 Finger funk.

I don’t think there is any way to know what conversation really happened between him and the doctor.

Don’t even know if he went too far too fast. Heck, me may have charged off heel striking, came off a curb without paying attention, etc.

Well every body is different. They may be wrong for him when it comes to running, some people just can’t or shouldn’t wear them. Don’t run “barefoot-ish” if you weigh over 175lbs, I wonder what other podiatrists say?

I feel my feet getting tired after 4 miles on the pavement, though I know it’s because I’m only running 2 days a week. So that’s on me. I used to run 4 days a week and no foot fatigue in my vibrams.

I wonder how much and how quickly he went to Vibrams, I hear more stories of people being impateint and jacking up their legs and feet than actually researching and building up to run in them.

I weigh 233lbs. I completed a 16mile training run in my TrekSports on Sunday. I’m nearing 200miles for the year, 99% in the TS, the other 1% split between some old KSOs and some NB Minimus Trails. I’ll be wearing them in July when i run in my first marathon No injuries from footwear here(knock on wood).

Single factor thinking does not apply in this perfect example. Where is the fracture? When did it occur, i.e. at what point in the gait? Speaking of gait, on what part of his foot does he land? Is he a pronator/supinator? Does he have valgus/varus knees? is his hip joint internally/externally rotated? What sort of shoes was he using running prior to the vibrams? Which of the multiple muscles in the lower extremities are not functioning at capacity?

I’m not even close to discussing body weight, let alone movement above the hip joints.

Since there are so many potential issues to assess, there is no way I would try to create an opinion without having a session with him.

Don’t get me wrong – I promote freedom of movement shod or not. Hopefully others will also hesitate to jump to any sort of opinion, unlike Mr. Olbermann.

No, the issue is just that, you have to condition your feet to reverse the years of constraining abuse they stood through from standard shoes. VFF’s don’t claim a miracle on the box either, so being a lazy, overweight, over the hill, mouth for a living will not leave your feet very healthy i’m sure.

Who cares who your doctor works for, the rockettes preform in high heels, WTF kind of Podiatrist allows that? Did his doctor say “here are some gloves to protect your feet, now go running down the hard cement and they’ll make you all better.” did this doctor even go to medical school? Perhaps do a bit of reading before he started recommending VFF’s to rich assholes?

Try running at all before you try to go running BF, I’m glad he broke is widdle fwoot(pansy). That’s what you get for running before you can walk. Idiot.

I am 210lbs 6’7″ and live in VFF’s, i have also bought a pair for my 56 year old, 265lb, 6’4″ father who after a bit of foot strength conditioning loves to run, and jog in his VFF KSO’s.

If only we could make stupid people allergic to VFF’s and the concept of free feet. if only..

“F**k SHOES” as Dane Cook once said,

JMB

Keith Olberman is an idiot. Enough said. Barefoot humans weighing more than 170lbs. ran on this earth for thousands of years before an overweight tv host got a stress fracture.

Of course no mention of his running style, but he sounds like he had little running experience. I bet if you heel strike in VFFs or come on too fast, you will break something at any weight.

I think VFFs are slightly dangerous to the average Joe in this way because they give just enough foot protection from the road to allow you to push too far too soon. If he started barefoot and learned the right way, then used VFFs as a preference, I bet he would not have had any problems.

I’m 210 (down from 235 a year ago) and I have been running in VFFs and barefoot for about 2 yrs now with no issues. I built up slowly and really analyzed and changed my running style.

Doctors told me I was too heavy to run when I kept getting shinsplints and knee and back soreness. As soon as I went to barefoot and built back up I never had another problem. It’s all about conditioning and technique, as many of you here know.

I did everything right and still got a stress fracture. Bf and super-minimal running is simply not for everyone.

Give him a break, the guy prolly never walk much his whole life, shuttling between studios in limos. I weigh about 225-230, at 6′ and have done 5-6 mile runs in bikilas and trek sports. About the only complaint aside from blisters in bikilas are calf muscles tightening. This fat head prolly did a whole extensive run teh first time around.

I’m 190 and I run 7.5 mph for 3 miles or so then sprint as fast as I can. Never had a stress fracture. Know plenty of.people.who’ve had them in regular shoes tho:) anything’s possible…might have been his running style…might have been bad luck…but probably not the shoes.

I have gone from 228 to 205 wearing five fingers, NB Minimus and Merrell tough gloves. My long runs are over 5 miles right now with no issues. I need to agree with Ed, I would be curious as to whether he was forefoot striking or heel striking. I don’t know if stress fractures are impact related or not.

Hmmm. I’m 210lbs and 41. I ran in mine just last night (on asphalt), and didn’t stress or break anything. So much for that theory, Keith.

Of course I shouldn’t be 210, but when I got the shoes, I was 235. There may be a correlation there 😉

Well, I know someone that got stress fractures running in conventional running shoes and she was nowhere near the 175 lbs. mark. So it sounds like a bunch of nonsense to me.

I’m 6’1″ and about 250lbs. I run full marathons in my VFF’s. I am working up to an ultra. You can’t just take them out of the box and run with them. You have to learn to run properly. I’m still tweaking my form after 2 years.

add me to the list of 200+. i’m currently carrying 225 pounds of pregnancy sympathy weight. normally i’m about 210. but i have done a half in VFFs and a 25k in EVOs. currently i’m up to 1 mile completely barefoot with no stress fractures or other issues.

robb.

The Vibrams weren;t the cause for Keith’s injury. He must have done something on his own to cause his injury. As in barefoot running, you have to learn & gradually learn to run in them. I also disagree with his podiatrist in saying that if you weigh over 175 lbs you shouldnt run in Vibrams. I have never heard of anybody receiving any kind of fracture from Vibrams. I’m 215 lbs & 6’5″ & I used to run barefoot & now run with Vibrams & I never have had any injuries or problems. I even wear my Vibrams just about all the time, to work, around town, etc.

I’m 230 lbs, 43 years old. Have been running for 2 years. What little problems I did have (IT band) have not once appeared with over hundreds of miles on my ‘fives’.

I’m over 175 and have been running barefoot or minimalist for over 10 years. No stress fractures; just strong, muscled feet.

I’m 6’2″ 235lbs and while I’m not running outside a lot, I do use my VFFs every day at the gym, including a lot of cardio, dance and weightlifting.

While I understand running puts a different kind of stress on the foot, I’ve never had a problem in the past 2 years with any of my VFFs (KSO, TrekSport, Bikila, or Sprint).

I think Mr. Olbermann’s issue may not be his weight, but the gray hairs on his head. 😉

I hate to rain on everyone’s toe shoe parade, but science proved back in the 80’s that humans have evolved too large too fast and anyone that weighs over 175 lbs in general should only be allowed to drive around in scooters, standing only temporarily to grab bags of cheetos from store shelves or to climb into a large SUV. Obviously, Olbermann and his podiatrist didn’t watch the news of these scientific discoveries back in the 80’s. (sad)

lol
seriously, did that Podiatrist even think about the mumbo jumbo he was muttering?

The other day I went running with a new local group. I met a very nice and very talkative lady who informed me that her podiatrist LOVED vibram toe shoes because they brought him sooooooo much business. She of course had never worn them herself, and proceeded to show me her exercise running shoes and her race running shoes (both nikes not minimalist or anything). She then also remembered that she had forgotten to grab her orthodics out of the car, and ran back (literally) to her car to get them and put them in her running shoes.

Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to mention that my podiatrist HATES my toes shoes. He/she hates them because they do not bring them business. In fact, I do not HAVE a podiatrist, don’t need one, never worn orthodics and seriously doubt that I ever will (short of maybe experiencing a car accident or something that causes me to lose some bone in a leg or hip or something).

I’ve run for almost 2 years in toe shoes now (weight admittedly bounces from 179-169, usually hovering around 170 the last year, but really depends on how much upper body work I do). I have injured myself in toe shoes, either from running too fast (before I was trained and ready) or from running too far and not being careful enough when I started to get to the outer bounds of my range. Olbermann obviously did something wrong, the question is whether or not he is smart enough to listen to his body and fix what he did wrong, or listen to his podiatrist who specializes in ladies that dance in high heels. (nothing against the Rockettes nor high heels, but I suspect running injuries and shoes are very different from dancing injuries and shoes).

6 foot, 250 pounds, ran in 3 5Ks in them recently. Took a while to build up but that’s the thing. Gradual change, not a magic bullet.

He ran too fast, too soon. Duh.

I’ve never been below 214 in the 18 months I’ve been running in Vibrams. Save for one pulled calf muscle (four weeks recovery) and one bout with ITBS (six weeks off), I’ve felt absolutely fantastic the rest of the time.

Both of my injuries were caused by poor form from me trying to do too much, too fast.

Well, like other before me… I am 5’9″ 185 have been running in VFF for 2+years now, and just did my first triathlon ever yesterday, while doing the run portion of the race in VFF. Oberman I think as was stated did too much too fast…

I’m 88kg (195lb or so) and done four marathons in them and some thousands of miles. So what a load of rubbish.

I am 240 and I run in them frequently. I guess he was just not ready to run as far and as fast as he did. I have also heard people who are running in 200.00 super softee shoes having the same problem. I would not blame the shoes, I blame the runner.

No one over 175lbs should run in VFF’s? haha, he might as well have told him that he could walk around his house barefoot as much as he wants, just avoid a hurried run to the bathroom or else he’ll get a stress fracture!

Anyways, im 5’11” weighing in at 195lbs and although I dont run long distances, I do some pretty intense sprints usually on uneven grass fields. I play baseball and my feet used to hurt after every game… but when I switched to running in VFF’s in the offseason last year, my feet havent hurt ONCE. Same pair of cleats, too. I owe it all to the VFF’s.

I started in VFF Bikilas in July of 2010 at around 250 lbs. Now hovering around 240 (see also “horrible eating habits” and “a touch of tendinitis”) with over 500 VFF & barefoot running miles, on my second pair and nothing worse than over usage injuries. I’ve also completed a full marathon in them! So, Keith, slow down, adjust to wearing them on short runs, and you’ll be ok. I promise.

– Fat Runner

THIS IS TOTAL BULL!!! I am 250lbs fairly constant through the year and have never had a problem running in the fivefingers!
As proof of how good they are i will be part of a relay team running the classic quarter in 4 weeks time, 44 mile costal run and i have no doubt i will have no problems completing it happily!
Perhaps this dude needs to grow a pair and MAN UP!!!

How come no one ever blames stress fractures on their Nikes, Brooks or Sauconys? Only VFFs get singled out.

Spreading misinformation? Drawing conclusions without supporting facts? Now THERE’s a new one for Mr. Oberman! Not! I’m 51 years old, 6’3″ 220, down form 235, and dropping, thanks to my VFFs and Merrells. My prior plantar fascitis, knee pain, and back pain are now gone. I still haven’t figured out how not to pull calf muscles from time to time, but I’m sure that I would not now be running regularly if I hadn’t switched to barefoot style.

plenty of women have injured themselves while wearing high healed shoes…maybe the good doctor should be advising the Rockettes against wearing them.

I don’t weigh 175 but actually started wearing these shoes when I was recovering from a fracture in my foot. They were the only shoes that were comfortable. They positioned my toes and relieved the pain. I have been running and everything else ever since. I don’t have any problems at all. My knees have stopped hurting and my feet feel fantastic. You must learn about these shoes first and work your way into them. Not everyone understands that concept. I tell people to treat them as you would any other workout gear. Work into them.

I guess there were only swift footed light-weight people when we humans didn’t know what shoes were, Or they weren’t running then? Bllsht.

I use to love running in my five fingers but I have gotten hurt twice while wearing them. It has happend each time after three to four months of gradually breaking them in and trying at that point to wearing them for all runs (typically I run 5 to 6 days per week). Both times I got a stress fracture in my metatarsal bone. I always switch back to my brooks running shoes after I can run again and then after a few months try to transition over to the five fingers. Unfortunately I think I’m done trying to get back into the five fingers now I have been running pain free for 5 months even though I love them. I’m sure they are not the sole reason for getting hurt but I’m trying to be safe with training now as I cant stand being sidelined with injuries. I am a smaller running (140 lbs) so I know weight is not my issue.

I weigh 195, and I have been running in VFFs for 1.5 years. I fractured both feet in the exact same spot and have had various other injuries and issues. I attributed it to “figuring out how to land”. When I fractured both feet, I was landing WAY to far up on my toes. Now I have found the perfect landing zone and I run half marathons in them with no problems. I run 20 to 30 miles per week in them. Those are my ONLY running shoes and have been for a year or more. I LOVE them!

Gary

Google is our friend! Olbermann first mentioned his size 14 Vibrams on Twitter last year in July at the ball park and posted a photo. Raved about how good it felt walking in them, so evidently he’s totally sold on these shoes. Someone alluded to his running on a treadmill. Stress fracture was on top of the foot.

Don’t know what any of this means as I don’t run; however, am always barefoot around the house & yard. I think the shoes are cute!

I was very much a victim of too much too soon syndrome. When I finally went to a podiatrist he asked me about my mileage increase and when I stated it was, ahem, about 50% in a month, he kind of giggled. He said, it wasn’t your shoes brother, it was your head. You could have been wearing anything and you would have broken something increasing your mileage like that.

I’ve seen a number of folks that get vibrams and proceed to run like they used to, heel strike and all. I’m going to go out on a limb and say this is what ol Keith did as well.

I see people running in Vibrams all the time, and most (nearly 100%) of those people are running with extremely poor technique.

It not the shoes causing the injury, it is the lazy and clueless runners in the shoes, who probably haven’t given a second thought to learning proper technique first, causing their own injuries.

I’ll bet his doctor didn’t even think of having his technique evaluated. Even if he did, he probably would have sent him to some Podiatrist who thinks that heel-to-toe running is normal and natural, and that almost everyone should be wearing orthotics.

Keith Olbermann is a liberal idiot. They always want to blame someone else. He didn’t transition. I’m 6’2″ and would love to be under 175 but I like food so I’m 190-195. In my 2.5 years in my five fingers, I’ve run 3 marathons and 4 half marathons. I’ve only run in the five fingers. No stress fractures. Keith, stop blaming evil corporations for the worlds problems (or your stupidity) and take personal responsibility for a change.

Add me to the list. I stay between 240-250 and only wear Vibrams when I run. I had achilles tendinitis and plantar fasciitis prior too switching to Vibrams. It’s been over two years and a few hundred miles with no problems.

Consider the source… both the interviewee and the interviewer in the video. Enough said.

As to the doctor’s comments about that specific a weight… I don’t see how he can make that kind of generalization. Everyone is different. But, if he is tending to Olbermann, I would question both his character and his medical judgment anyway… but that’s just me!

LOL!

I fluctuate between 200 and 190 and have been running in VFFs since early 2010. The only injury I’ve got is a flare up of an old calf muscle injury when I was doing sprint intervals. I’m running between 5-10km every day and am focussing on running a half-marathon either in VFF classics or barefoot. This Olbermann fellow sounds like he went too hard too soon.

Glad no one ever told me that. I started running at 285 and through running and watching what I eat dropped to 265. I did get hurt after running my first half marathon but that was through improper training (achilis). I’m recooped now and ready to start running again.

I bought my first pair of Vibrams about 3 years ago. I now have four pairs and I do almost everything in them, including jogging. I am 6’2″ and weigh about 220 lbs and I have not had a stress fracture.

I am at least 210 right now and slowly I’ve gone up to 4 miles running in my Bikilas.

Do people who weigh more than 175 never walk barefoot? Use your brain guys.

49 YO male, 212 #’s, over documented 480 miles on my first set of KSO’s…. THEY SAVED MY KNEES AND MY FEET. ITS ALL ABOUT THE FORM!!!!

No doubt he had form issues.

My knees hurt so much in Nikes and full strides, I had to stop running. With BFR style, I may not be running fast, but I am logging the miles!!

I weigh far too close to 300 pounds (it’s getting lower) and I have been running in Vibrams and other minimalist shoes for almost 2 years now and been exclusively “minimalist” for over a year. I don’t run a lot, maybe 10-15 miles a week in the summer. Primarily on pavement. I have never experienced a stress fracture or any injury. Well, with the exception of that big sidewalk heave I kicked last summer bruising the ball of my left foot. When I was in the Marines not too many years ago I injured my knee, which damaged my hip and running in general was too painful. Then as a civilian I hurt my back and could barely walk at times. “Losing my heels” helped me get back on the road and trail, and I’ve never felt better.

Once again: I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED AN INJURE BECAUSE OF MINIMALIST FOOTWEAR… that wasn’t my-own-damn-fault.

I don’t believe it, I’ve done a couple of 10k fun runs in my Bikila LS, and I’ve done a couple of 5k on roads and 10k on treadmills on my KSOs, and I’ve never experience anything more than sore calves… and I weigh 185lbs…

Justin-Can you get the name of the podiatrist and bring him in for a session of Q & A? Maybe we can help bring him back from the dark side.
I’m 6’3″ and 220. Healthy running here barefoot and with my VFF Speeds.

68 years old, 185 lbs, over 15 months running in VFFs three times a week three or four miles at 10 minute/mile, no more shin splints, heel spurs or knee pain since threw away the over padded shoes with big heel rise

My husband had a full fracture (NOT a stress fracture) after running about 9 months with the Five Fingers. The doctor also blamed on the FF. It solved all his knee issues, but then his foot broke. Apparently, when people do get injured with the FF, it’s always on the feet. It’s been about 8 months since his fracture, and he hasn’t been brave enough to run with his FF again…

Wow I should have watched this video before I ran 63 miles on Asphault during a race a week and a half ago… Crap I didn’t know. I have only been running in VFF’s for 7 months. Everything I needed to learn I didn’t learn on David Letterman!

“Should’ve gone to Birthday Shoes….”

He’s admitting to running just 5 to 10 minutes at a time then this screams lack of fitness and foot strength. He can point the finger at Vibram all he likes, but a bad workman will blame his tools!!

I say this because I too am a “10 minute runner” – at the moment – but thanks to peeps on the forums here I know I need to be patient, change my form and strengthen my feet first to even give them half a chance. Weight is not the greatest issue here – I’m 140lbs and it would be just as easy for me to break something.

A year wearing barefoot shoes now has altered my feet so much – in flexibility and in strength. In this time I have had plenty of aching, a twinge or two from my Morton’s toe, but no pain, no injury. Now I feel ready to train and run proper.

Its a too much too soon thing or my other contention would be he has improper form. I didn’t think it would be possible but as a perfect example, we just got the Hattori in stock at my store and we tested a guy in them last night who claimed to be a minimalist runner (vibrams, trail glove,…etc.) and after 30 seconds of HEEL STRIKING, his shins hurt…hmmmm. You have got to have serious biomechanical problems if you can heel strike in a zero drop shoe. Just shows how an ok shoe can be marketed bad.

I am 6 feet tall, 195 lbs, I ran 5 marathons and a half marathon last season all on Vibrams – not to mention all the training that goes along with it – hundreds of miles – injury free. I most recently trained for a 50 mile race in them. I don’t find they protect well enough for long trail runs so I went back to running shoes for several of my long runs and race day. I lost 4 toenails and I am nursing a potential knee tear as well as IT band issues. I don’t think it is a coincidence. I don’t believe it is the increase in mileage either. My longest long run was 31 miles, not a great deal longer than a marathon. I also ran my last three marathons on back to back to back weekends last year with no issues.

I’ve been running in Vibrams exclusively since almost a year ago. I weigh about 245 pounds and haven’t experienced any pain in my feet or joints. The switch actually helped me to run more and more comfortably. I had to transition slow, but now I’m running everyday without trouble or pain.

Sure, Vibrams are a miracle shoe, but you don’t have to be under 175lbs to run in them. I think if someone is used to hitting the ground really hard from “normal” running shoes and hasn’t learned to run lighter on the balls of their feet then injuries will occur.

Unfortunately I only had time to read a few of the comments which were pretty great so I apologize if I am repeating anything already said.
I got five fingers because I am way overweight and no shoes have been comfortable for me since I slipped these on. I took it slow for a while and am still doing fine I now way 365 and am doing high intensity trail workouts in them with no injury. if anything has a weight limit it would be shoes with those serious foam cushions that turn into pancakes after a few months of use. What also is important to note is that one of the ways our bones become stronger is to heal if you are getting stress fractures it is because your bones just like your muscles haven’t been used properly and if you over do it with the exercise you are going to both see and feel this happen much faster than you would if you took it easy. For your bones to reshape themselves they are going to have to break a little.
So Mr. Olbermann your feet have been deformed by the shoes you wore for 50 years try giving your feet more than a few months on their own.

Well, I will not call the guy an idiot. I will say he pushed too hard, too fast. I am 6’1″, 300lbs. I get at least two miles every other day in my KSOs. That is with a 15 minute “run” and some intervals tossed in after my heart rate comes back down. The fastest I go in them is 5.5mph, but have to slow it down. I do notice my stride changes as my speed picks up from a walk to a run and I can feel myself NOT hitting my heel.

When I started out, I hurt my achilles by doing the same thing Olberman did. I went too fast way too soon. Now, I ease into my runs. My achilles is still tweaky, but while running, it feels fine.

I guess I win the big boy prize in this topic.

38yrs old, 258 when I started running in my Vibrams March this year. Started slow, the way you’re supposed to and got a REALLY bad case of freakin LOVING IT!!! Lost 12lbs in a month and already running sub 30min 5K. There is a reason Doctors call it a “Practice”!! Ignorance has been injuring and killing for decades…trust me…it ain’t the shoes!!

So, it looks like we’ve thoroughly debunked the bunk being spread by Mr Olbermann and his Dr. But then, what did we expect from the Dr treating the Rockettes???

Anyway, I’m 6’0″ and currently sitting around 240 (down from an all-time embarrassment of 275) and heading for somewhere in the low 200’s. I credit changing my diet 180 degrees and ditching the shoes! I’m not running much yet, but recently did about 1/4 mile chasing a stray dog down the road bare-soled and was amazing by the utter lack of pain anywhere! That’s coming off 20 years of knee damage and back injuries…

I’ve run a 3:30 marathon, ultramarathons, and 90+ mile training weeks in vibram fivefingers. I weigh 185 lbs and I’m 42 years old. I didn’t switch to them for any particular reason. I tried them on and they felt good.

You can’t run in minimalist shoes without “fixing” your stride (back to the way we were MADE to run vs the way our supercharged running shoes have totally jacked up our natural and correct running stride). My guess is that he never tried to correct his form. If he did, he didn’t give it enough time and didn’t get enough coaching/feedback.

5’8″, 140 lbs. here. Got one stress fracture running in vibrams and another one running in Brooks sneakers.

It’s not about what’s on your feet (or not), and it’s not about your weight. It’s about whether or not you train like an idiot. I did, and I got hurt. I assume the same is true of Mr Olbermann.

He is right, just ask his Doc, Rockette MD. What he should have done is take off all shoes and learn how to run and be more sensible. We all need to take off the shoes and learn to run. Then put them back on when necessary and no other time.

The doctor is an idiot. I weigh over 175, last year alone, i put in over 3,500 miles on my Vibram Treks/Bikila’s, and just recently finished the American River 50 miler, in my Komodo’s. The only problems i have incurred with vibrams is broken toes, from kicking rocks/roots while running, which is my own fault, not the vibrams

I don’t believe there is a weight limit, though I can’t say very much since I only weigh 130. But yeah, the main thing is don’t go out running barefoot too much too soon. Your feet will get strong enough to support you, just take your time.

I never realy wore shoes untill I got my KSOs, I weigh 230 pounds and have never broken a bone running.

I’m skeptical of this…assuming he had good form (i.e. gentle forefoot strikes with good posture and not heel-to-toe), I’m agreeing that he probably just did too much too fast. I’ve been running in FiveFingers for a year now and weigh 180, but weighed 203 when I first started…never had any problems. As a matter of fact, I’m more injury-free than I have ever been. I run 15-20 miles a week in FiveFingers and I know many who do more than that without issues. I also do everything I possibly can barefoot except for shopping or going to the office. Olbermann’s explanation leaves me skeptical and does nothing to sway me from my love of barefoot running! 🙂

Its obvious that Kieth is a little overweight,while that isnt the main issue, he probably bought them and just started running in them without getting acclimated.

I got a stress fracture too, not a big deal doctor told me to stay off of it for 5-6 weeks (no running or wearing sandals or vibrams). XC coach blames my bikilas. Been running since december almost exclusivey in vibrams and track spikes (lots of running in preverbial bricks before). I guess running 20-35 miles a week was just too much for my third metatarsul…

I started loosing weight at 345lbs with diet and lower impact exercise. I’m now 305 and I’ve picked up running. I started in conventional running shoes and heel-striking. It was really painful for ever joint I have. Unconsciously one day I started forefoot striking while running. It was so much better. I’ve now watched several videos on a proper forefoot running stride and posture, and run like that. Those have turned me on to minimalist shoes, and I’m decided between VFFs or Merrels, and loving it. I think being heavy actually exaggerates the benefits of a minimal shoe, and very much encourages you to use your body’s natural mechanics to absorb the pounding of getting a silly amount of meat in motion.

Olberman is rather misinformed. Just like standard running shoes, if you run with poor form, you will hurt yourself. If he injured himself in vibrams, then he would have injured himself with standard shoes. I’m approximately 250 lbs, and I run in my KSO’s three or four times a week. The only thing that I ever “hurt” were my calves when I first started, pushing myself too far too quickly. Compared to standard shoes where as I couldn’t run more than a mile without my knees and back killing me, vibrams allow me to go three to five miles without ever feeling anything more than winded if I set a fast pace. If anything vibrams are BETTER for heavier people than any standard shoe for all of the exact reasons that vibrams are good for anyone. Trying to slam 200+ lbs through a squishy mattress every stride is going to injure the same bone structure more than a 150lb person trying to do so.

I have run in my VFF Speed for nearly a year now and ran my first half marathon (Göteborgsvarvet in Sweden which btw is the world’s largest halft marathon) just about a week ago and it worked fine. No injuries though I am a bit overweight (though I weighd about 13 pounds more when I first started running in them). Though it felt like a bit too hard on my ankles to run 21 km on asphalt when I haven’t been running any distances over 10 km on asphalt.

I think that it’s more important to not land hard on your heel if you weigh a lot. Therefore VFF should be the better choise rather than a thick-soled traditionall runningshoe.

Here is a pic of me and my VFF Speed running Göteborgsvarvet.

Keith Olberman is an idiot to the extreme! He was an idiot on ESPN & MSNBC so it doesn’t surprise me about this at all! I, along with a lot of people I know has never had a problem in five fingers let alone a fracture! That’s idiot liberals for ya!

i know someone who has a stress fracture in the foot– possibly from using vff’s. I doubt it, personally. what I think these cases are: possibly not in shape or prepared to run barefoot-style, running too far with too little support, on too hard a surface with too little cushion (ie: street); you’re bound to get hurt, a regular shoe will simply move the pain to different joints. run in vff’s and then slap on a regular shoe for 10+ hours with exaggerated arch support and you immediately increase pressure points along the foot, forcing it to bend unnaturally…

i for one wish i could just wrap my foot in a fabric, lol

In my personal experience with a stress fracture of the foot, it was due to weakened immunity. In my personal experience with clients who had stress fractures, elsewhere, it was weakened immunity. Diabetes can also be a part of this weakened immunity. I stuck with my barefootin’ shoes right on through my stress fracture … I focused on rebuilding my immunity AND keeping my feet strong. So far, so good.

I’m 6’7″ 225 lbs. I’ve been running in Vibram Sprints for a little over a year and barefoot for about a month. I’ve taken it slowly as recommended and haven’t had any problems. I run 3-4 miles 3 times a week. It’s all about building necessary strength and flexibility over time. Olberman’s (doctor’s) comment was ridiculous.

Oh, there is no fracture visible because the injury was to his left foot, and the x-ray image posted is of his right foot.

Why did they post an x-ray of his right foot?

Why did they even take an x-ray of his right foot if his left was the problem?

I ran a 3hr35 for Frankfurt marathon and 3hr48 for Boston marathon in five fingers Treks and I am about 210lbs. My knee injuries are gone and I have had less injuries training for my next ironman than I normally get. I love my five fingers and my trail gloves.

Guest Writer Joey here. I’m 180lbs and been running in VFF and other minimal shoes for more than 2 years without issue.

…er, well, full disclosure, I broke one two and sprained another early on, but I chalk that up to too-much-too-fast, like Justin does for Olberman.

Im a small guy, only 5’6″ and about 150. I’ve had more foot related issues in my old New Balance and Brooks than I’ve had in the last year and a half in my KSO’s. Unless you have a serious health issue that effects your running, than its just bad form or increasing too much too fast. People that are not serious runners should not use a product unless they know how to use it. I would never go hunting if I didnt know how to fire a gun.

So yeah, our names are similar (but my mom was on Demerol when she decided to make “Keith” a girl’s name) but that’s where the similarities stop.

I walk, run, shop, lounge, work, play, ride, and goof around in my sprints. The only problem I’ve ever had was when I had the heel straps too tight and I had some rubbing sores. User’s fault.

I love my VFFs and I think they’re a great way to go barefoot when you can’t go barefoot.

I am 5’11” and weigh 240lbs I just finished a 5K this morning. Wearing 5’s and I managed to avoid a stress fracture. I have been running/ wearing 5’s for 2 years.

Put me in the “too much too soon” camp. I’m 200 lbs and have been running in VFFs on on trails for over two years and on pavement for a little under a year. I did fracture one of my legs last year, but I had 1) migrated from trails to streets, 2) almost *tripled* my distance, and 3) increased my speed, all at once. Stupid. I knew better, but the street lacked the obstacles present on the trails and I didn’t think about it. I would have had a problem regardless of my shoe selection; it was just plain bad practice.

Been wearing vibrams for 3-4 years and love them. I am rehabbing from a hairline fracture I got wearing my vibrams in a trail race. Not the Vibrams fault though, I fell on rocks,think I caught my toe. My biggest foot injury in the vibrams came from stepping on a cactus during another trail race. I bought the NB Minimus for exactly that reason and to keep me warmer in the snow/allow for Yak Trax.

What a knucklehead. I ran my first VFF 5K at 190 pounds, did my half marathon in VFFs at 185. His doctor’s ridiculous. Too much too soon is probably what happened, OR he just had poor form. When people transition over, they think that they can immediately go out there and bust out 10 miles. No. You’re like a babhy again. Got to learn how to run and let the muscles adapt.

And the best way to transition is to actually run full bare. Get the form. Wear the VFFs just for protection, not as another form of “shoes”. Poor form, too much too soon, is how the dude got a stress fracture.

I’ll be damned if people over 175 pounds can’t run barefoot or in VFFs.

Yes, all of these personal anecdotes prove that Keith Olbermann is an idiot for getting a stress fracture, as if running minimalist immunizes you from injury.

I suspect that many of these commenters voted for Bush and supported the monumentally idiotic war in Iraq and now hold a grudge when anyone in the media holds them to account for their ignorance.

Not to run to Olbermann’s defense, but I also suffered a stress fracture on my second metatarsal from VFFs…I had been running in them for a few months at that point, and simply overdid it on city streets (no easy access to trails). It healed in a couple of months and, with water jogging, I was back running fairly quickly. I’m under 175, too, and had never suffered a running injury in years of running.

I learnt that one must ease himself into the VFFs but, also, that if one is forced to run on pavement, VFFs don’t do much for you beyond 4-5 miles, even with good form. I switched to the Saucony Hattori when it came out (after a couple of years with VFFs) and that allows me to blow through 6-7 miles average per day without any problem and without any nagging stress. To each his own, and I still use my VFFs when I can get to a trail or when I’m doing a shorter jog, but the Hattori has really won me over

6’0″, 287 pounds. A FAT man. I started running in Bikila LS’s this summer. (I’m 30 pounds lighter than I was before I started running.) Being a heel striking big guy, I used get knee problems (AKA intense pain) from running even the shortest distances with regular running shoes. I’ve run pain free this summer for the first time since I was a kid by adopting proper barefoot running form and using VFFs. I’d be willing to bet that Olberman did not change his running form and was heel striking like he would in his old running shoes.

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