Do barefoot shoes really work?
What are barefoot shoes?
Barefoot shoes, also known as minimalist shoes, are footwear specifically designed keeping in mind human physiology. They allow you to move more naturally. The idea is to give you the feeling of walking barefoot while keeping you safe.
What are the benefits of barefoot shoes?
Conventional shoes, may they be sports or dress shoes are unnaturally pointy in the front, and have a thick and unstable sole, usually with a raised heel. You don’t realise, but wearing these shoes lead to health problems.
For many people, barefoot shoes provides the long- needed relief and improvement in chronic problems, such as knee pain, back pain, ankle instability and hallux valgus.
Wearing barefoot shoes is not enough to reverse problems however. Training and exercising are long term solutions that can be aided by barefoot shoes.
Toe Freedom
Barefoot shoes have a wide toe box to accommodate all your toes in their natural shape. This allows you to engage your big toe properly and enables a healthy arch and natural foot function. This prevents development of conditions like hallux valgus, hammer toes, and flat foot.
Zero Drop Design
Barefoot shoes have a zero heel design, which means that your heel and your toes are at the same level on the ground. Conventional shoes shift your weight to the toes. In the long run, this creates posture issues due to overcompensation by the back, and shortening of the calf muscles.
No Heel And Arch Support
Barefoot shoes do not have a heel or an arch support. Wearing shoes with a permanent, defined heel and arch support limits your body’s ability to engage your muscles. Not engaging them means you tire out less but it means your body loses this ability and the muscles get weaker even further. This causes problems like flat foot, and plantar fasciitis. If you’d not wear a brace on your arm forever, why brace your feet forever?
Thin, Light And Flexible
Barefoot shoes are designed to be thin, lightweight and flexible for a completely barefoot experience. Your body needs sensory feedback from the ground to function optimally. This improves balance and agility. Furthermore, walking and standing in heavily cushioned shoes causes muscle stiffness and pain.
Barefoot shoes are designed to allow you to relearn your natural movement patterns that affect your entire body. They work to enable you in working on your health and take your abilities to the next level.
