Is walking barefoot or in barefoot shoes actually good for you?
Walking barefoot or in barefoot style shoes is very good for human beings. When we walk barefoot, or in barefoot style footwear, we benefit from the information fed to our nervous system through the specialized skin on the bottoms of our feet. This information is processed in milliseconds, and determines how well we move. Thick shoes blunt this critical sensory information and hamper human movement. Being barefoot and wearing barefoot shoes, strengthens the small muscles of our feet, up to 10% stronger than people that wear conventional footwear.
Circulation in and out of our feet is greatly increased by being barefoot or wearing barefoot shoes that are shaped like natural human feet - widest at the tips of the toes. Barefoot cultures and barefoot shoe wearers have less foot deformity, and better posture. Being barefoot and wearing barefoot shoes has been proven to improve balance as well.
The downside of being barefoot or wearing barefoot shoes, is encountered when people that are not accustomed to being barefoot, or have weakened their feet with conventional shoes, suddenly do a lot of barefoot activity, or suddenly begin wearing barefoot style shoes when they haven't properly trained their bodies to do so safely. This is not a problem with being barefoot, or wearing barefoot shoes; this is a training error, that can be addressed with a slow progressive transition to being barefoot and wearing barefoot shoes. This safe transition for those new to barefoot shoes, can take months to years to accomplish without injury.
There is one group of people that should avoid being barefoot, or should be under careful supervision from their health care providers if they transition to barefoot shoes. These are the people who have some damage to their nervous system, that does not allow them to properly feel their feet. One condition where this comes into play, is called neuropathy, and it is common in diabetes. These people are at risk of damaging their feet, without their nervous system providing adequate protection. This is in fact a common reason for amputation.
What is the best walking gait cycle? Is it normal to land on my heel when I walk?
There is no best walking gait cycle. Human gait is highly dependent on so many individual variables, that there is no universal standard that can be applied to all humans.
Having said that, it is normal for most people to first land on their heels while walking. Exceptions to this are infants who are just learning to walk, will walk on the balls of their feet for the first few years of life, and the hunter/tracker community recommends toe to heel walking for stealth and quiet gait.
Are there groups who should be more cautious of walking barefoot or with barefoot shoes?
Those who are new to walking barefoot or in barefoot shoes, should exercise extreme caution when pursuing this valuable health strategy.
The older a person is, and the longer they have worn conventional shoes, predicts more difficulty transitioning to barefoot living and barefoot footwear. This is why we should begin implementing barefoot living and footwear as soon as possible in a person's life. Ideally from the first pair of shoes we own, and continuing for our whole lives.
As stated above, those with neurological conditions must be hypervigilant to how their body responds, if they go barefoot or wear barefoot shoes.
Why do you recommend barefoot/minimalst shoes?
As a sports medicine physician who has treated athletes for 31 years, I can tell you that the most potent strategy for staying out of my treatment room, and avoiding injury, is to introduce controlled barefoot training, and wear barefoot shoes all the time.
When my athletes do this, their feet get stronger, they improve their circulation, which improves recovery, they have better balance, and less deformity.
Yesterday I received an email from a former patient who began wearing barefoot shoes 30 years ago. She has successfully completed 54 marathons without injury. She has not needed treatment, because she did not get injured.
Our feet and bodies are capable of so much more than most people realize. If you want to learn what you are really capable of, pay careful attention to what you put on your feet, and your body will thank you for years to come.
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