This fact that running causes so many injuries seems odd when you think about it. There are people who run ultra marathons (double, triple or 100 mile runs) and do not suffer the same injuries as people who just run or jog a few miles a day - the difference is stride. Shoes with a lot of cushioning and support are forgiving, you can run with an incorrect stride with feeling any immediate pain - this puts a strain on knees and tendons which lead to injury.
When you run barefoot (or in minimal shoes), you feel everything. You quickly learn to adjust your stride for optimal shock absorption, which in turn protects your whole body.
Personally, I've had a pair of shoes made by Nike called the Nike Free for years. I like them (partly because you don't have to wear socks). These shoes are designed with minimal support and simulate barefoot running. I love them (though I'll admit, I don't run far on them - not because of the shoes, but because I haven't built up many miles).
A new player in the barefoot running shoe (is that a contradiction?) is the Vibram five fingers. These are essentially rubber gloves for you feet. They look weird, but many people swear by them.
The typical barefoot runner is a person who has been running for years and has injuries and is wiling to try anything. After a few weeks of barefoot running, injuries often disappear. This is because running barefoot will naturally correct errors in stride that cause the injuries by the first place.
Of course, barefoot running is not for everyone - if you want to give it a try, start with short distances, be sure to run (not jog) with your heel striking the ground first, and see what happens. When I started, my calves were so sore the next day because I had not used those muscles much. That soreness told me just how far off from "natural" my stride was.
My favorite thing about barefoot running, though, is how it feels. Instead of plodding along jogging, I am running and it is fun. It feels good and free and light. I look forward to running barefoot.
