Nearly a decade ago, my friend Tammy introduced me to barefoot shoes. She explained that the feet are the foundation of the body and we are only as strong as our feet are. I have always dealt with aches in my body due to scoliosis so I was curious. I joined a few barefoot groups on Facebook. Researching the shoes I quickly realized it’s a whole thing and It was foreign. Overwhelming even, so many brands and debates on the purity of a shoe… not to mention they are expensive! There’s also risk of injury if you transition too fast, so there’s that.
Anyway, I stayed in the groups and peeked in over the years. I found myself spending more time barefoot. I decided to try a pair from Amazon with good reviews and they were $40. I started wearing them to work after a few weeks I noticed that certain muscles started to ache as though I had been working out… like, muscles that I don’t remember feeling any action in. So I decided to be more intentional and learn more about these shoes. I read a book called “Whole body Barefoot: Transitioning to Minimal Footwear.” Here are some takeaways:
What’s a “barefoot” shoe?
Some key features are: lightweight construction, thin soles, minimal cushioning, wide toe box, flexible design & zero drop. They also need to attach to your foot, they can be fully enclosed or have a strap.
Some of the benefits of wearing barefoot shoes are:
Stronger Feet – Muscles, tendons and ligaments in the lower feet get stronger from more natural movements
Better Balance – Barefoot shoes encourage a more natural gait, enhancing proprioception, meaning awareness of body position.
Natural Positioning of the Feet – the feet are more naturally aligned with the body and posture is often improved when wearing barefoot shoes.
Increased Flexibility – barefoot shoes are typically more flexible, allowing the foot to move as it would when barefoot.
Enhanced Sensory Feedback– thin soles of barefoot shoes provide better ground feel, which can improve your body’s ability to react to different surfaces and conditions.
Reduced Injury Risk – some suggest that transitioning to barefoot or minimalist footwear can reduce the risk of certain injuries, such as plantar fasciitis and shin splints, although this can vary based on individual biomechanics and transition practices. *It’s important to pace yourself as you transition.
Encouragement of Natural Gait – barefoot shoes promote a forefoot or midfoot strike, which can reduce impact forces on the joints compared to a traditional heel strike.
Lightweight Design – often lighter than traditional shoes, contributing comfort and a reduction in fatigue.
Improved Circulation – lack of restriction promotes better circulation. The lymphatic system and circulatory systems interconnect. Movement promoted by alignment in the body when wearing barefoot shoes can encourage improved drainage in the lymphatic system.
Mindful Movement – improved awareness in proprioception, as well as an awareness of one’s own waking and running mechanics promotes mindfulness of movement in different environments.
Since wearing barefoot shoes for about a year now, I’ve have also noticed that I drop things a lot less. I may start to fumble something and have found myself catching them more often than not. I suspect there’s been improvement in my lymphatic drainage. I notice less puffiness and fewer occurrences in some concerns I would encounter.
While I do take supplements and herbs to support my lymphatic system, I have been taking these for years and notice further improvement. I also feel I feel more aligned with my body and have less pain in my foot knees and ankles. I do have increased pain in my right hip, shoulder and arm. I have a leg length discrepancy and figure my right side is compensating for this difference. I figure that the weight distribution in my body has shifted and plays a role in this.
I imagine the previous pain in my foot, ankles and occasionally my knees was probably produced from the way my feet carried my body previously. I decided to purchase inserts to minimize the discrepancy in my lengths and help my body transition. I don’t know how long I’ll need the inserts, I may need them indefinitely.
I’ve noticed that the pain in my shoulder, hips and arm has improved since utilizing the inserts in my right shoe. This does take away some of the key features of barefoot shoes. Primarily the zero drop element. This is a transition and one of the highest benefits of wearing these shoes is that I do feel more connected to my body AND my environment. I’m focusing on that and will continue to observe myself as I adjust.