Embrace Natural Movement: Barefoot Shoes for Better Balance and Stability
Growing up, anytime we would go shoe shopping, I would always get a size with the W behind it because I have wide feet. And to that I would add more comfortability like the inserts that you can get custom recommended at Walmart or more cushioned soles to get through the long school days. Traditional shoes, with their fancy cushioning and support systems, seemed to be the obvious choice but then I discovered barefoot shoes. Three years ago I started wearing barefoot shoes full time and I have looked back for even an hour. I have seen a major shift in my balance and function since the switch so let's explore why barefoot shoes are a better choice than traditional shoes.
What are Barefoot Shoes:
To make sure we are picturing the same concept, let me explain what the characteristics of barefoot shoes include; zero heel drop, wide toe box, and thin soles. Those are the most important characteristics that cause limitations with traditional shoes. Zero heel drop means that when you stand in place with your feet together, the heel and ball of your foot are on the same plane. Traditional shoes, especially tennis shoes, often have a raised and cushioned heel that puts your heel above the height of the ball of your foot just a bit. A wide toe box means your toes have plenty of room to move and stretch sideways. Personally, I have always had a need to be able to stretch my toes enough inside my shoes that no two toes are touching. In school, if I couldn't get all five toes on each foot to separate completely I would have a slight freak out and kick my shoes off in order to do so. Thin soles are important for proper balance and feedback from our feet when walking and running. Having the ability to feel the ground beneath us is beneficial to allow the foot and ankle to respond accurately to whatever surface we are navigating whether it is just smooth concrete or a rocky hill.
Why Barefoot Shoes:
As I have come into adulthood, one of the weirdest things I have come to learn is how little time people spend barefoot on a day to day basis. I can understand wearing slippers in the house in case your feet are cold or for cultural reasons, but waking up, getting dressed, and putting your tennis shoes on just to hang out in the house all day is crazy! I never wear shoes in the house and when the weather allows, I barely wear shoes when I am outdoors. It is a beautiful freedom to walk out of my house and onto the grass, across the driveway, and down the street to the mailbox all without shoes. I can feel the softness of the deck leaving the front door, the cushion and cold of the grass, the warmth of the sun coming down, the rough surface of the tar driveway, and every little pebble or rock that I encounter on the way. Sounds painful to some, right? It probably is a bit when your feet aren't exposed to nature the way they should be. I have spent so much of my life barefoot everywhere that I can be and the caluses have built up so that walk to my mailbox is comfortable for me. The idea of the barefoot shoe is to protect your feet in situations that you can't or really shouldn't be literally barefoot while still providing the feedback loop necessary to walk well.
If you have ever broken a bone and been put in a cast, you stop using that part of your body for several weeks and it gets weaker than every other body part. It is very noticeable when someone breaks a leg. Once they get the cast off, its like they lost all muscle in the one that has just healed! This is the same idea that applies to wearing barefoot shoes because traditional shoes act as a crutch, cushioning and artificially supporting your body weight to decrease pain that you may be experiencing. But, after using shoe inserts for a while, people often need different inserts with more cushion and even more support. Then they always wear their shoes everywhere they go because it hurts not to. Weakness is painful and now the foot muscles and connected muscles going up the ankle have been crutched for years constantly getting weaker and weaker. When these muscles are strong and healthy, it leads to good balance, great stability, and much less pain.
Conclusion:
Choosing barefoot shoes not only embraces a more natural and healthy way of walking and running, but also allows you to move towards improved balance and stability. Gaining just these two benefits from barefoot shoes can positively impact your overall well-being. The best way to take your feet to the gym is to start your transition to barefoot shoes and feel the difference yourself
