The Case for the Barefoot Lifestyle
If you have any sort of body pain, collapsed arches, flat feet, plantar fasciitis, bunions, or are just looking for better performance, strength, stability, and movement - this is for you!
Three and a half years ago, I switched over to barefoot shoes (VivoBarefoot), and my life has been forever changed. What prompted the change was a back injury at the time and what I learned from my mentor at that time, Andrew. He taught me that my weak feet and modern footwear were actually a piece to the puzzle in overcoming my movement issues and pain. What?? How??
Fast forward to today, and my feet are stronger than I could have ever imagined. My movements and running have advanced immensely, largely due to the fact that I live and train either barefoot or in barefoot shoes 99% of the time. (And no, you don’t need an injury to make the change. And no, you don't need to throw out your shoes. But you may want to consider this lifestyle swap!)
So, let’s get into it.
We didn't start wearing shoes until about 40,000 years ago. Shoes were initially created to protect our feet from getting beat up by the tough natural environment. However, the intention to protect our feet has transformed today to other motives, based in ridiculous and health-damaging “fashion." When worn excessively (ie every day of your life) modern footwear constricts our toes with pointed and narrow toe-boxes, weakens our arches with excessive cushion and orthotics, and contributes to ankle, shin, and calf weaknesses with elevated heels. In the long term, these can all be very damaging. If you have collapsed arches, flat feet, plantar fasciitis, bunions, or are just looking for better performance, strength, stability, and movement - this is for you!
So, why barefoot (shoes)?
1. Decrease impact with every step and potentially reduce injury
Modern footwear inhibits the natural flow of impact our body takes. Extra cushion in your shoes can give you a false reading on the impact your body is taking. While you may not feel it in your feet, the additional impact upon walking or running is sent up through the calf, knee, hip, low back, and then the rest of the body! Going barefoot will naturally adjust the amount of impact you take - because you can actually feel the ground. Modern footwear is a large contributor to increasing amount of running injuries in the feet, calves, knees, and hips.
Don’t believe me? Run with shoes on. Then run barefoot. You will notice your steps become quicker and lighter barefoot. This is more natural and better overall.
2. Improve balance and proprioception.
There are more nerve endings in our feet than anywhere else in the body. Our feet give us sensory feedback for our balance and coordination, and if we block that with shoes, our movement patterns can be severely inhibited.
There is a reason martial artists and gymnasts train barefoot.
3. Strengthen and mobilize your feet for a stronger body.
The foot is composed of 33 joints, 26 bones, and more than a hundred muscles, tendons, and ligaments that all work together to produce and absorb force. A healthy arch can absorb up to 52% of the impact from the ground. If you wear modern footwear for years and years on end, you reduce the opportunity to strengthen your base and develop your foot muscles. As a result, the knee, hip, and low back work harder for a job the feet should be doing!
4. Reduce and eliminate stiffness, aches, and inefficiencies in the body.
Narrow shoes = squished feet = bunions, sore feet, lack of circulation.
Stiff shoes = stiff feet = sore, immobile feet, plantar fasciitis.
Cushioned shoes = relaxed feet = weak feet.
Barefoot (shoes) = wide toe box, thin, flat, and flexible material = healthy, strong feet and body.
5. We were born to be this way.
Today’s environment and our lifestyle have proven to be problematic, as chronic disease and pain are more prevalent than ever. Often, our problems can be solved by the most basic solutions. Get back in touch with your feet, and your body will thank you.
(Yes, there is an argument that also says, "well, we weren't born to live on concrete and extremely hard surfaces," to which there is plenty of merits. That being said, build up that foot strength, and you will be much more durable.)
Your feet are the foundation of your home. Are you building a home with a stable foundation?
If you are looking at investing in barefoot shoes, Anya’s Reviews is a great place to start. Some of our favorite blogs from her are: