What are barefoot shoes?

Evolutionarily, our feet are designed to interact with the ground we walk on. If our feet are not allowed to function properly, walking, standing, and running affect everything above our feet. When we put on shoes, we restrict the natural movement of our toes and feet, changing the load on our leg muscles. The sensory input from our feet, which conveys information to the brain about the surface we are walking on, is also reduced. Barefoot shoes

When we walk barefoot, we feel the texture of the ground and its changes. This information travels quickly through the nervous system to the brain, and the brain sends out instructions to the muscles on how they need to work to maintain our balance on the changing ground. This sensation persists even when we wear barefoot shoes. However, when we wear shoes with thick soles, much less information reaches the brain from our feet. As a result, fewer leg muscles are activated, which in turn has a negative effect on the biomechanics of our feet. 

Shoes that are too tight on the foot create an artificial support for the foot, the toes cannot move properly during walking or participate in the process. The result is that the leg muscles do much less work and become weaker. The result can be, for example, clubfoot or enlarged toe bones (hallux valgus). Research results (Forrial and Echarri, 2003), (Chen, Liang, Meng and Popik, 2019) have shown that people who have been barefoot since birth have higher arches. People who have worn shoes their whole lives are more likely to have flat feet. Barefoot vs. shoe-wearing runners have also been studied (Arulsingh, Pai, 2015) and the results showed that those who run barefoot have fewer foot deformibows (e.g. hallux valgus, hallux rigidus).

Barefoot shoes are designed to make us feel like we are barefoot even when we are actually wearing shoes.Let's review what properbows footwear must have to create a barefoot feeling.

Barefoot shoes have a thin sole

Through the thin sole, the foot feels the ground well and can engage all kinds of muscles, joints and nerves. At the same time, the foot is still protected from possible sharp objects that could hurt the bare foot. Due to the thin sole, barefoot shoes can be bent in a C-shape or even rolled up and twisted like a towel. The shoe, which is flexible in this way, does not restrict the movement of the foot in any way.

The sole of barefoot shoes has no elevations, no supports, and the heel and toe are at the same height.

Barefoot shoes do not have heel lifts, arch supports, or cushioning under the sole. The sole is smooth, meaning the heel and toe are in line (in English: zero drop). When we are barefoot, our body is at a 90-degree angle to the ground. When we wear heels, we have to change our posture to maintain balance.

We arch our back and push our pelvis forward. What does this do to our body? The front of our legs are incorrectly overloaded, the ankles are overextended, the knees are overloaded, the calf muscles are too tight, the quadriceps and hip flexors are too active, the pelvis is tilted forward, the lumbar curvature of the spine has increased (the back muscles are tense and the abdominal muscles are underactive). Negative changes also move up the spine to the neck and shoulders, the chest muscles are tense and the upper back muscles are underactive. It is not difficult to assume that such changes in the body can eventually cause knee and back pain, and imbalances.

However, arch supports make the foot muscles lazy and weak, which can cause the arch to flatten. If you start using these muscles (e.g., by wearing barefoot shoes), they will definitely show and you will feel it (e.g., as muscle pain).

There are receptors in our feet that sense how hard we hit the ground. If there is cushioning between the ground and these receptors, we actually land with even more force. So the cushioning that is supposed to protect our feet and reduce shock actually puts more strain on our feet, knees, and hips.

Barefoot shoes have a wide toe.

Barefoot shoes follow the natural shape of the foot. In barefoot shoes, the toes can be free, grip the ground, and participate as much as possible in walking. When the toes are free and spread out, we have a larger support surface and therefore better balance.

Narrow-toed shoes also push the big toe in towards the smaller toes. The big toe plays a very important role in shapen the arch of the foot. However, since the big toe cannot function properly in a shoe with a narrow toe, narrow-toed shoes can also cause the arch of the foot to flatten. Flattening the arch can in turn cause the foot to roll inward from the ankle joint, or overpronate. This can cause conditions such as plantar fasciitis and tendonitis. Since the toes are compressed into an unnatural position, long-term wearing of narrow shoes can cause the toe bones to enlarge (hallux valgus), hammertoes may develop, foot pain may occur.

Barefoot shoes are lightweight and can be securely attached to the foot.

For example, when we wear flip-flops (or even rubber boots), we have to hold onto the shoe with our toes to keep it on our feet. This causes excessive tension in the foot muscles and tendons, and in the worst case, can lead to plantar fasciitis. Similarly, the foot muscles are overstretched when we have to walk in heavy shoes.

How to start wearing barefoot shoes?

Children are born with perfect feet. It is best to leave them as they are and choose barefoot shoes as their first footwear. However, it is never too late to throw away your old shoes and start a new “barefoot” life (unless there are any medical contraindications). It is always better to prevent foot problems than to deal with them later. Barefoot shoes will definitely help you with this.

• Get to know your feet. Measure it.! We all have feet of different lengths, widths, heights and toe positions.

• Choose as your first barefoot shoes I prefer shoes with a slightly thicker sole. (for example need). Consider that if you have been wearing shoes that support your feet for the last 30 years, now those muscles that have been dormant have to start working. Let's say you haven't exercised for 10 years. Now you go back to exercising and do everything at maximum load. The next day you will be quite sore. The same feeling will be felt in your leg muscles, joints, tendons, which now have to do a completely different job.

• Start at a leisurely pace. Correct Toes inventor Dr. Ray McClanahan recommends a two-month transition period. The first week, wear your new barefoot shoes for one hour at a time, the second week for two hours, the third for three hours, etc. By the end of the second month, you'll be wearing barefoot shoes for eight hours a day. If you feel any pain (not muscle pain), be sure to slow down.           

 

• Spend as much time barefoot as possible. I prefer to go outside barefoot in the summer.
• Strengthen your leg muscles, do stretching exercises, balance exercises (e.g. stand on one leg), and massage your calf muscles.

Have fun exploring the world of barefoot shoes! If you need help choosing the right shoes for you and/or your family, write to us. info@tupsunupsu.ee or Facebook.

Material used

Echarri, JJ, Forriol, F. (2003). The development in footprint morphology in 1851 Congolese children from urban and rural areas, and the relationship between this and wearing shoes. National Center of Biotechnology Information. 12(2):141-6. doi: 10.1097/01.bpb.0000049569.52224.57.

Chen, FF, Liang, ZQ, Meng, Y., Popik, W. (2019). Analysis of foot morphology in habitually barefoot group. Journal of Biomimetics Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering 41:1-9. doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/JBBBE.41.1

Arulsingh, W., Pai, G. (2015). A study of foot defects, deformibows and diseases among shod and barefoot middle and long distance runners - cross sectional study. International Journal of Current Research and Review 615-23.

• https://www.putneychiropractic.co.uk/what-are-barefoot-shoes-and-should-i-be-wearing-them/
• https://www.mountwaverleypodiatry.com.au/this-is-a-blank-blog/
• https://fitnessenhancement.com/workout-101/why-high-heels-are-linked-to-back-pain/
• https://drchloetillman.com/feet-support-and-orthotics/
• https://vitalsage.com/9-benefits-of-wide-toe-box-shoes/
• https://www.softstarshoes.com/transitioning-minimalist-shoes