Barefoot Shoes V/s Birkenstocks

If there is one brand that has become the symbol of style in comfort in the footwear space over the last couple of years, it is Birkenstock.
With their cork sole that reshapes according to your foot, it has positioned itself as the ultimate player in the comfort footwear market.

Do they do all that is claimed? Yes. Does that mean it’s healthy for you? Probably not.

Let’s understand Birkenstock and the “technology” behind it.

Birkenstock is a medical shoe. That is how they started as a brand. It is a cast for your foot. When your muscles get weak, they cannot support your body’s weight. This is where a custom orthotic comes into picture. A temporary support to manage pain in the weak and overburdened arch muscle. With Birkenstock’s cork sole, this molding process became easier and suddenly doesn’t require an orthopedic anymore. You buy it, give it time and it takes the shape of your foot.

What this does is, it gives your foot arch the rest it needs, and the pain goes away.

But the caveat here is that it only stays away till you use it.
And in the meantime, your muscles become even weaker because they are now not being loaded at all. In the long run, this creates bigger problems.

The true long term solution for muscle weakness is progressive overload - to train your feet slowly and steadily so as to not strain it further but to allow the muscle to become stronger over time, to be able to support your body.

The simplest way to do this - barefoot shoes. Barefoot shoes take away the “comfort”. They bring in your ability to become self reliant and train your muscles to support yourself.

The ideal process would be to slowly and gradually move towards wearing barefoot shoes throughout your day, and no other shoes for external support. 

Our bodies are very complex and extremely meticulously designed machines. When we put our feet in shoes that don’t let us feel, don’t let us use our muscles naturally, we limit our own ability.

Barefoot shoes become the way to let you explore your full potential without limiting yourself and while keeping yourself safe.

Try Zen Barefoot for that true long term comfort feeling.