Is it having a resurgence or just never died?
While some fundamentalists might go completely barefoot, I've always heard people talk about that book in terms of using light sole shoes instead of heavy shoes, not ditching protective footwear entirely. Even the subject of that book often wear thin moccasins during long distance runs.
I remember once bushwalking with a group and there was a sudden torrential rainstorm, and you could see all the little leeches sticking their heads up from the mud. By the time we got back to the van, I was the only one without a single leech on me.
I only ever had issues with cuts etc in town on the bitumen or gravel (but I suppose it could be quite dangerous in some parts of the world).