Lose the Shoes
The benefits of going barefoot are profound and foundational. Come take a look at why.
In a world full of “you need more”, let's explore the notion that, sometimes, we might actually need "less."
Today we’re talking about shoe-wearing/not shoe-wearing. From slippers in the morning to trainers at the gym and work shoes during the day, we spend the majority of our time with shoes on. While wearing shoes all day is the norm and often necessary, I can’t stress enough that spending a meaningful amount of time withOUT shoes on throughout the day is important. And at risk of sounding like a shoe-hater (I promise, I am not), shedding your shoes might be the key to addressing certain ailments that were thought to require more supportive footwear.
Before delving into the scientific benefits of going barefoot, let's acknowledge the impact we don’t need extensive research to see. From the time we take our first steps, our feet have their freedom revoked. As parents we strap our kid’s shoes on without considering the impact on their sensory development and foot growth/function. Modern shoes have small toe-boxes, elevated heels, and narrow widths. On top of that, we lace those suckers up nice n’ tight. All of these features lead to feet that are:
Misshapen - Claw toes, hammertoe, bunions, etc. Shoes can be a source of these issues, especially if worn all day. Ingrown toenails and calluses are a few other negative consequences.
Dysfunctional - Our feet are made up of 25ish bones, 30+ joints (for real), 100+ ligaments, muscles, and tendones, and a bajillion nerves/nerve endings. That is a lot of interconnected, working parts! Restricting the movement of one part of the foot, such as your toes, limits the function of the rest of the foot. Even more so, a dysfunctional foot can cause issues up the entire kinetic chain.
Unadaptable - The two main functions of the feet are to bear weight and to move our bodies- both require adaptability. When our feet can not adapt to their environment, we start to see issues such as plantar fasciitis, tendonitis, neuroma, etc.
To be clear, ill-fitting shoes are one probable cause of the issues listed above. Not the only.
Now, let's shift our focus to the positive aspects of being barefoot:
Improved sensory feedback and awareness:
Postural control is highly dependent on sensory feedback from the soles of our feet. Development and maintenance of sensory awareness are critical pieces to the complex process of staying upright and moving through space.
Spending meaningful time barefoot from infancy to adulthood is important and we’ve got various research to support it. but this one sentence may be enough for you: Going barefoot “seems to be a promising approach in the management of patients with balance disorders, with specific chronic pain syndromes, with neurologic diseases or those at risk of falling.” Sounds like taking off your shoes may be worth a try!
Development of toe, feet, and ankle strength:
The big toe is primarily responsible for balance and bearing weight. Wearing shoes can minimize or negate the responsibility of the big toe. Wearing shoes can diminish the responsibilities of the big toe, leading to a loss of function. If ya don’t use it, ya lose it. Being barefoot allows feet to adapt to uneven surfaces, weight gain (such as during pregnancy), weight loss, impact (such as during plyometric movements), and much more. This promotes strength development and improved mobility leading to better coordination and healthy function throughout the kinetic chain!
Increased ability to adapt to changing environments:
Improved sensory awareness and foot strength/mobility enable feet to make vital adaptations and vice versa. Understanding proprioception is important for a discussion on foot adaptability. Proprioception, the awareness and ability to detect and coordinate our body in space, relies on our sensory feedback. As we’ve already learned- the soles of our feet play an important role in sensory feedback. Shoes limit the foot’s ability to use this feedback to adjust to changing environments. Keen proprioception is crucial for all phases of life… as we take our first steps, as we play sports, as we move around our homes, and as we focus on minimizing fall-risk with age. The articles below share how having adaptable feet can be beneficial at any age.
Last but not least, let's briefly explore the benefits of Grounding/Earthing—a practice involving bodily contact with the Earth's natural electric charge. It may sound a bit “hippy”, but stay with me. Think of it like mom & baby skin-to-skin time, except you’re the baby and the Earth is your mom. :)
This simple act of physical contact with the Earth’s surface has not only been found to reduce inflammation, stress, and pain but also to improve mood, blood flow, sleep (by normalizing day-night cortisol rhythm), and energy. Research has shown grounding to impact circulating neutrophils and lymphocytes (white blood cells that support immune defense), increase heart rate variability, and speed wound healing (what the heck?!). Read about it yourself:
As you can see, the benefits of going barefoot extend far beyond foot health.
Here are some tips if you would like to spend more time barefoot but don’t live in a place where it is practical. If you don’t have the luxury of taking your shoes off as often as you’d like, there are great “barefoot” shoe brands that offer a minimalist shoe. Brands such as VivoBarefoot give your feet a meaningful amount of freedom while providing protection. As well, an outdoor grounding practice may be challenging if you live in the heart of a city or during the winter months. Nowadays, there are grounding/earthing products that are made for indoor use, such as grounding mats.