BAREFOOT WALKING: step by step
I’ve been wearing barefoot shoes for a couple of years now and almost every time I meet someone new they point at my feet asking about my peculiar looking shoes. They have both been laughed at and complemented depending on who I was talking to. A common question of course, is ‘why?’ Why wear these ’unfashionable’ or as they were once described by someone I was on a date with, ‘sexless’ shoes when all these beautiful, gorgeous trainers, heels, pumps, sandals and whatnot are in existence?
Even though I do love the look of shoes and still wear the occasional high heel when I feel like it, I have always loved being barefoot.
When I was young my parents took me to a podiatrist. He made me wear customized soles inside my shoes. They were big, clumsy, stiff and I despised them. Not just because I was forced to wear them, but also because they only fitted in really ugly, rough looking shoes. Whenever wearing them my feet would be fine. But the second I took my shoes off at home my stance and gait (manner of walking) would be back to square one or even worse. I depended on them to correct me.
Many years later, I decided to take matters into my own hands. Being part of the yoga community, I had heard the term ‘barefoot shoes’ being mentioned once or twice. I started researching the health of shoe wearing and barefoot walking. I found many studies pointing towards the fact that the latter might actually be very good for me, and that the soles my doctor required me wear only made my condition worse.
A physiotherapist recently told me that my given treatment should only be prescribed to an elderly person with a deformity that could no longer be helped - a last resort. However, I was a young girl with growing, adaptable feet.
Now, I have been wearing barefoot shoes (or gone completely barefoot) for years, and my feet are stronger than ever. I no longer need to wear those silly, sweaty things under my feet. My balance has majorly improved (also by practicing yoga) and the control I have over my feet is much better.
However, there are still some barriers to cross before most people dare to wear barefoot shoes in public - let alone go completely barefoot. Some people are afraid they’ll be laughed at or ridiculed. Others don’t want to give up the joy of shoe shopping, or shoe wearing.
I have been raised not to care much about what other people think. So when it comes to that I guess I got lucky. However, that does not take away from the fact that I still love a pretty shoe.
Something that massively helped me cross that barrier was knowing more about the history of shoes. How and why they became the way they are and why it seems so normal to wear shoes that literally deform and immobilise our feet.
So, I am writing in the hope it might help others better understand themselves and their feelings towards footwear. You will read about:
The history of shoes in relation to fashion
What modern shoes do to your feet
How you can help your feet
What defines a minimalist/barefoot shoe
How barefoot walking can influence your life for the better
Tips on transitioning from regular to minimalist footwearç
Barefoot shoe recommendations based on my own experience
I am no doctor. However, all of the sources and research that form the base of this article are written by doctors, podiatrists and other people who do have medical degrees. You can find the sources below if you’re interested.
History of shoes in relation to fashion and foot deformation
Fashion has been a huge part of civilisation since, well, forever. Even the earliest civilisations used clothing, accessories, make-up or footwear to ‘upgrade’ their outward appearance. But why is fashion so important to us? At the core, it comes down to two simple things: Status and Attraction.
These are two of the most human motivating things. Yet fashion is often described as superficial, fickle or shallow. Despite it’s reputation, fashion plays an enormously influential role in our lives, often involving and affecting our health physically, emotionally, psychologically and psycho-sexually. And this applies particularly to fashion footwear.
We humans have long time believed that Mother Nature somehow fell short in designing the ideal image for our body and its parts. We have spent most of our many centuries on this planet trying to correct nature’s mistakes. Each new generation has its own ideas of what the new shapes should be, which largely accounts for the constant evolution of fashion.
From the earliest times tribal chieftains and the upper caste families of any given society have dressed and ornamented themselves to look different from all the rest. This ‘tradition’ applies today just as well as in primitive times. The reason: To establish visible distinctions of class, rank, wealth and authority. Wether subconscious or conscious, Fashion is an insignia of social caste, the undeniable sign of status. It is the ideal instrument for this because it is so visible. Think of chinese foot binding practices, body deformation due to corset wearing, even the ancient Egyptians deformed their feet to make them look smaller. These examples and the systems of caste might seem like things from the past, but to this day everyone does something to alter their appearance to belong to a certain (sub)culture or to communicate who they are and what they stand for.
As podiatrist William A. Rossi says,
‘There is a significant message seeking to get through here: Fashion is not a modern invention. It has been with us since the earliest civilizations. There is no mystery or “mystique” about fashion. Nor is it flighty or frivolous or fickle or shallow. And least of all is it associated with “vanity”. It is, instead, a vital force of human nature and essential to our state of well-being and self-image. However, Keep in mind that all fashion or dress footwear is designed not for the natural, unspoiled foot but for the already deformed, shoe-shaped foot.’
So if fashion isn’t shallow and our shoes look nothing like those horrifying three-inch foot binding shoes (called lotus shoes), why is wearing modern shoes still a problem?
*Traditional 3 inch Chinese footbinding shoes (lotus shoes)
scmp Pictures
The impact of modern shoes
You might think your favourite pair of trainers give your foot plenty of space, great support and aid you in your daily life. The problem is, as stated above, that these shoes are made for already deformed and weak feet. You might compare it with having healthy legs, but still living your life in a wheelchair everyday. Over time, your legs will become weak and it will become more and more difficult to use them. The same happens to your feet, which as a result causes them to lose their natural arch - especially when the shoe has a thick, sturdy sole or platform.
“All platform shoes are functionally foot-deforming, especially if frequently worn. A natural gait is impossible with them, and the foot itself acts more hoof-like than the flexible organ it naturally is,” podiatrist William A. Rossi says.
Poor arches can have many consequences:
You may feel increased fatigue
Pain in the arch, ankle, heel or outside of the foot
Leg cramps
Poor balance
Uneven weight distribution
Rolling of your ankles
Changes in gait (the way you walk)
Bad shock absorption
Foot movement (e.g. standing on your toes) is a challenge
The big and second toes become overstressed
Bad posture
Overpronation. When uncorrected, Overpronation can cause injuries that create pain all the way up to your knees and hips
Besides weakening your arch, the modern shoe also very often closes in on your toes, causing them to grow inward into a point shaped foot.
Whereas naturally, our toes would be the broadest part of our feet.
Simply look at the picture below, comparing a man’s feet who has been wearing shoes habitually, to another man's feet who has been barefoot his whole life.
Besides the example above, have you ever seen a baby with pointed toes? All babies’ toes are the widest part of their little feet. This shows it is the natural way for our feet to be.
However, during infancy many parents put little shoes on their babies’ feet. Very often, the baby will try to take them off, as they are uncomfortable. However, this doesn't stop parents from making their kids wear shoes. They simply lace them a little tighter so that the kid is unable to take them off, restricting blood circulation to the feet. After a few months, the discomfort has become the new norm, the baby accepts wearing the shoes and the process of foot deformation begins. Squishing your toes together in an unatural manner for longer periods of time can cause bunions, hammer toes and other foot problems. It also weakens the toe muscles as they are not used, limiting the range of motion on our toes and changing our gait. Scientific studies on the biomechanics of the human foot show that, from heel to toe, feet are supposed to be close to the ground with the toes splayed (spread apart) for two main reasons:
A barefoot stance creates a wide base for our feet to support a naturally aligned spine, and therefore proper walking and running form.
Only in their most natural, naked state can your feet benefit from natural proprioception - meaning that the bones, tendons and muscles of the foot send critical signs to the brain on how to function and perform.
During World War II, the British drafted the Sikhs of India into the British Army. The barefooted Sikhs had long been famed as fighting men. They were assigned British uniforms, including the regulation boots. During training routines the foot casualty rate skyrocketed, disabling most of the Sikhs whose feet could not adapt to the boots. The British were forced to concede, allowing the Sikhs to be barefoot again. The Sikhs went on to post a remarkable record for valour in military performance during the war.
Similar things happened with the US Army when summoning farmers and other people from rural areas to fight. Many of these men became severe casualties, had their feet badly bruised, swollen and were in excruciating pain. As their feet had not been molded to fit the shoe shaped boot.
How to help your feet
Of course, assuming you have worn shoes from a young age. To ‘prevent’ the process of this deformation you would need to be capable of time traveling back to your earliest years to prevent little you from wearing confining shoes altogether. This would be pretty impressive.
Going completely barefoot would ultimately be the best solution. However, dealing with things such as climate, modern cities, litter, societal norms etc. make it difficult to cut out shoes completely. Fortunately, a great alternative to barefook walking has been invented: Minimalist shoes.
But what makes a barefoot or minimalist shoe?
A proper barefoot shoe will have extremely flexible soles, no elevation in any part of the foot and a toe box wide enough for your toes to spread naturally, making it possible for them to grip the ground as we walk. They offer no support, simply a layer of protection to prevent you from dangers like glass and other things you might find outside.
Barefoot or minimalist shoes have proven to:
Increase sensory input (important in maintaining balance)
Allow natural range of motion
Stronger legs
Stronger feet
Improve posture and balance
Increase ground feel (aids mental and emotional health)
Allow natural gait, increasing shock absorption.
Increase blood flow compared to conventional, tightly laced shoes.
Tips on transitioning from regular to minimalist footwear
When you first switch from a conventional to a minimalist shoe, it might take some getting used to. When I first walked a full day in my barefoot shoes, I had sore soles, shins and calves at the end of the day. This is a very natural reaction, as those muscles were not used to being so active. However, I built them up quite quickly and now they are practically all I wear.
While a little soreness might be inevitable as you’re strengthening your feet, there are some things you can do to make the transition lighter:
Start wearing your new barefoot shoes for short timeframes at first. For example, 30 minutes and then slowly extend the time of wear. This way you’ll have a smoother transition and you allow your muscles to gently adjust to their natural way of walking.
There are many different brands offering different kinds of barefoot shoes. Some will be more minimal than others. What you can do to ease into the world of minimal footwear, is chosing a shoe that might not be the most minimalistic.
Schedule some completely barefoot time for yourself on a daily basis. For example, set a certain hour where you will simply always be barefoot.
Get to know your own feet. What problems do you have? Bunions? Flat arches? Hammer toes? Or something else? Once you find out if and where you have any discomfort in your foot, try some additional exercises that might help your specific problem.
To be completely honest: I did not do most of these things when I started going barefoot and am perfectly fine. I just wanted to include some tips for those who might find them useful.
Something to take note of, is that it is important to change your ‘footstrike’ as you transition to barefoot walking (or running). Usually, people who wear conventional shoes hit the ground heel first with every step. This puts a much heavier load on the body than a front foot strike or a mid foot strike. With cushioned shoes, the stiffness of the sole slows the rate at which the body hits the ground, making the impact more comfortable, but the force is the same. Meaning the impact isn’t really worse when you go barefooted - but you will feel it more. In my opinion, this is a good thing. It makes us more aware of what is happening in our bodies.
Having said this, I also would like to mention that there is no shame in occasionally wearing those head turning heels, cool looking boots or whatnot for the sake of fashion and to put yourself in a certain mood. As said before, I still wear heels every once in a while. And this is absolutely fine by me. I know I treat my feet very well 90% of the time. And if I want to feel sexy, beautiful, strong, powerful etc. and a shoe helps me get there occasionally, why not?
Another thing of course is to challenge yourself to feel absolutely gorgeous in your barefoot shoes. Which is something I seem to get better at as time passes. Point is, don’t be too tough on yourself for wanting to wear something that makes you feel good. But also love your feet. Just as the buildings we build need strong and healthy foundations, so do we. We live our lives on our feet. Yet we barely speak of them, or attend to their health. Feet are the foundation of our body and so they deserve some tender love and care, don’t you think so?
Hug them, but not too tightly ;) Your future self will thank you.
With Love,
Elle
Shoe reccomendations:
SAGUARO
I love Saguaro´s Vitality 3 for working out in the gym, going on mild hikes, or doing anything else sporty. They come with insoles that you can take out depending on how barefoot you want the shoe to be. They are definitely the most comfortable barefoot shoe I have tried so far and have amazing grip. Saguaro offers a wide variety of styles, so there is something there for everyone. I also find them to be more affordable than most other brands. I´d say they fit true to size too!
BAREVENE
Barevene is another Spanish company that I love. They make gorgeous velvet barefoot shoes. I´m really drawn to them as I have not seen any other barefoot shoe that looks this classy, and I´ve searched far and wide.. Before I purchased them, I was worried they would not hold up well considering their material. However, they have pleasantly surprised me on this matter. I would say the barefoot qualities of the shoe are great as well, as the sole is super flexible and the toe box is wider than conventional shoes. I would have liked for the toebox to be even more spacial. But then I do have naturally wide feet as well, and its not tight enough for me to dislike them. So if you have slimmer feet than I do they might be the perfect fit for you. In any case I love and recommend them!
LEGUANO
These were my very first pair of barefoot shoes ever, and held up super well. I used to wear them every day during spring and summer for years until they had holes in them. I´ve used them in cities, as water shoes, on hikes (maybe not the best shoe to wear in the mountains as they don´t have great grip) They´re very simple, as when I first got into barefoot shoes, there were not that many options. I would still recommend them to people who are ready to dive into barefoot shoes and are looking for something simple for the summer! The link below is a link leading towards their Dutch website, but they are also located in the UK / rest of the EU
JUURI SANDALS
I love the style and feel of these sandals, even though it is a bit of work getting them on and off every time. I found that when I keep my feet completely flexed as I put them on, they stay on best. The soles (I have the vegan version, but they do leather as well) of the sandals have lasted me a long time, however the string wears out rather fast. Although I find this an easy fix as you could weave any string through the loops, and there might be cheaper ´string´ options in local shops rather than getting the replacements from Juuri all the time.
BOHEMPIA
I have to confess, I bought these because they looked like the barefoot version of VANS, but would not necessarily say that it´s my favourite barefoot shoe. The materials are high quality and natural, they will last you a long time. But the fit could be improved. I have had them a little over a year now and so far they have held up very well with regular use. They also have barefoot styles that look like all-stars, so if you´re really set on the style, they might be what you are looking for. However, I do think that for the price, I would not really buy them again, even though I am happy that I have them now
Barefoot shoes I have not tried yet but would like to:
DADABRAND
DADA offers sporty looking barefoot sneakers, which I will try after my bohempia ones wear out, as these look slighty better made, although it´s hard to tell! They are also 100% vegan :)
GROUNDIES
Groundies have soooo many different styles to choose from, however sadly for me, most of their styles contain leather, which I personally don´t buy new. But I dream of the day that their florence style sandal comes in a vegan version
VIVOBAREFOOT
Vivo is at the bottom of the list here because I feel like they are already ruling the barefoot shoe industry, and I wanted to give lesser known brands their moment to shine first. However, I have heard great things about VIVO from friends who are also barefoot obsessed, and they are said to live up to their pricetag. So.. again, I´ll let you know what I think when I try them one day!