Going barefoot used to be, and in some parts of the world still is, completely natural. In developed countries, however, footwear has become a kind of cultural tradition, a fashion item and, along with watches, an indicator of prestige and social class. What does it matter that it deforms our feet and toes, puts undue strain on the joint system and spine, promotes chronic inflammation in the body and causes all sorts of infections from mycoses to fungus to so-called athlete's foot? Are we really willing to take these health-threatening risks for the sake of fashion?
The natural equipment of the human foot consists of 52 bones out of a total of 206 in the human body. Each foot has more than thirty muscles, each of which has its own function - working, warming and circulating. The foot arches absorb the energy of the footfall and act as shock absorbers during walking and running. If the foot did not perform its physiological function, our joints from the foot to the spine would take the brunt of it. But that's exactly what happens when we wear shoes. For shoes immobilize the foot, prevent it from its natural function, and the foot weakens and degenerates.
How is the shoe harming us overall?
- Limits foot flexibility and the gripping and bouncing ability of the toes
- Shortens the Achilles tendon and weakens the calf muscles
- Reduces sensory feedback between the bottom of the foot and the brain
- Changes the distribution of the weight of the body and the places bearing this weight in the foot
- Restricts the physiological function of the foot arch
- Changes joint positions in the foot, ankle, knee, hip and spine
Let's take a look at the most common negatives of shod human feet under scrutiny.
Risks of tapered toe dress shoes:
Insufficient space in narrow-toed shoes causes toes to squish together, bunions, hammertoes, ingrown toenails and calluses.
Cushioned toe of the sports shoe (gently raised up):
It immobilizes the toes, which are in an unnatural position and hardly participate in the work of the foot. The consequence can be, among other things, insufficient blood supply to the toes and numbness.
Closed shoes:
With its darkness, humidity and heat, it offers an ideal breeding ground for bacteria and mould. With minor foot injuries caused by the shoe (blisters, abrasions, contact dermatitis), the risk of foot infection increases. We can see for ourselves how "sterile" the environment in a shoe is when we smell our shoes at the end of the day. Conversely, smell your bare feet after a barefoot hike. J A closed shoe also leads to the so-called hot foot syndrome (there are a large number of sweat glands and thermoregulation sensors in the foot, if we clog them up in a shoe with a sock, we prevent the exchange of heat/cold and the body can overheat frequently and unnecessarily).
Tightened laces:
The tightened laces restrict the flow of blood through the artery that runs along the top of the foot. Lymph flow is also restricted. This can manifest itself as hot foot syndrome, swelling of the feet or ankles or, conversely, chills.
Raised heel (both for formal and sports shoes):
It has been measurably proven that an elevated heel leads to shortening of the Achilles tendon over a period of months, thus weakening the calf muscle. Therefore, people who switch to sandals for two months after winter footwear may experience some "discomfort" and unpleasant pulling in the Achilles area during the first few weeks. In addition, even a difference of a few millimetres between the lowest part of the foot (usually the middle) and the heel position leads to a so-called ankle sprain and a lifting of the arch, which weakens. By wearing shoes with a raised heel for a long time, the arch breaks down. The permanent stress on the foot arch with the heel raised greatly weakens its natural ability to absorb shock and the spring effect of the foot. This all leads to overloading of other joints, knees (arthritis), hips and spine (lumbar pain).
High heels:
They cause everything mentioned in the previous paragraph. Wearing heels, however, brings one other significant "bonus". Since it is very aesthetic, ladies do not like to give up this footwear. The significant lifting of the heel leads to "optical lengthening of the legs", bending of the knees and sculpting of the calves and thighs, extension of the pelvis, i.e. pushing out the buttocks, sagging at the hips and pushing the chest forward, i.e. pushing the breasts up and forward. Just look at a woman standing in heels and a woman standing barefoot and compare. Painful arthritis, degenerative arthritis, painful lumbar spine and frequent headaches be our nutritious reward to women for the beauty and sensuality of the posture. By elevating the heel, the forefoot ultimately carries up to 90% of body weight, and it is squeezed into the very small space of a narrow toe. The foot deforms, the big toe digs in, the arch collapses, and bone spurs develop. Do you ladies still long for pumps?
Orthopedic shaping of the insole in healthy feet:
The foot arch naturally acts as a shock absorber and spring. Supporting the foot arch in footwear reduces or even eliminates these functions. These unnecessary and even harmful elements only cause the muscles and ligaments of the foot to weaken and become lazy. Even some orthopedists are of the opinion that many foot problems are treatable without the use of orthotics, just throw away the shoes.
Cushioned and firm sole:
We have extremely many nerve receptors on the foot, the foot is sensitive to touch, surface sensation, temperature, etc. Putting on a shoe that numbs the foot changes the way we walk and run. The stride is lengthened and the angle of the stride is increased. A significant heel strike puts extreme stress on other joints - ankle, knee, hip, spine. The joints have fewer pain receptors than the feet. Then we walk and run in a way that hurts our bodies. We don't notice and only become aware when the changes in the joints and feet are irreversible and the condition is serious. Walking or running in cushioned sports shoes can be described as 'heel striking and then buckling'. In contrast, walking or running barefoot consists of 'stepping on the arch and toe-off'.
AND NOW WHAT?
Now you definitely don't have to throw away all the shoes you have in your shoe closet and spend 24 hours a day barefoot. Your feet are probably not ready for such a load and you need to give them time. As a first step, it's definitely a good idea to look at your footwear and consider the elements mentioned above and eliminate them (narrow toe, cushioned toe box, raised heel, arch support). I would eliminate such shoes first. Heels have had no place in my shoe closet for a few years now J You may be surprised, but the old familiar sneaker is a very good transitional and anatomically appropriate shoe for a healthy foot. They have a thin and flexible sole, and the forefoot doesn't go into the toe, nor is it cushioned. Interestingly, until Nike introduced athletic shoes to the world in the second half of the last century, running was done in kecks. Since then, athletic shoe manufacturers have been able to scramble to develop something extra. And now everything is back to where we left off in the 1970s. It was a dead end. Many manufacturers and sports footwear now offer so-called minimalist footwear.
MINIMALIST SHOES
Minimalist footwear differs from conventional footwear in that it has plenty of room for the toes, the toe is rounded wide enough, it has a very thin sole without arch support and the heel is not raised. Basically a very simple foot wrap. However, it has also become a big trend recently and a lot of brands making these shoes offer the shoes at a fairly high price. This is noticeable in children whose feet grow very fast. Another visible trend is the so-called Five Fingers, i.e. reinforced toe gloves or extreme barefoot sandals (no sole, just a strap between the toe and the ankle). I personally choose shoes for myself and my children according to the above criteria and you might be surprised, even cheap canvas shoes meet these criteria. Then in the summer time we try to go barefoot as much as possible.
HOW NABOSO?
For most people in the Western world with feet that are spoiled by shoes on the one hand and weak and deformed on the other, it is not advisable to start the barefoot season with a full 24 hours a day. The foot and its delicate skin, arch, ankles, tendons, muscles and joints need to be given enough time to accept the change. The transition should be gradual and respectful. It is definitely a good idea to start barefoot walking in nature, in the garden, walking on pebbles, a clay path, a stony path, leaves, mud, moss... Try to feel the different surfaces while being aware of the sensations barefoot walking evokes in you. Sooner or later, your mind will become present and will no longer drift off into the past or the future. For for a person walking barefoot, there is nothing but the present. It is a kind of conscious meditation in motion.
Benefits of barefoot walking and running:
- Stimulation of the foot, strengthening of its muscles, strengthening of the arch
- Stimulation of blood and lymphatic circulation in the lower limbs
- Detoxification of the organism
- Natural massage of reflex zones on the foot and thus stimulation of all organs
- Improvement of the condition of joints throughout the body
- Changing your walking and running style to a more body-friendly one
- A more conscious and less hurried approach to life
- Significantly fewer running injuries (ironically, most running injuries are caused by shoes)
- The foot is clean and no bacteria or mould can cling to a dry foot for a long time. The problem only occurs when we put it in the shoe.
- You will feel better and get rid of depression J Our immune system reacts by secreting serotonin into the brain after contact with the soil bacterium Mycobacterium vaccae.
Bonus for barefooters - GROUNDING
Currently, over 20 medical studies have been done worldwide on the topic of GROUNDING or EARTHING, which can be translated as EARTHING or connecting to planet Earth. It has been scientifically proven that human DNA is powered by charge. The human body, simplistically, functions like a pre-charged battery. When there is enough energy, all processes, especially immune ones, run fast, white blood cells destroy germs, etc. When there is a lack of energy, everything slows down and there is room for inflammation, even chronic inflammation, manifested in so-called "diseases of civilisation" such as joint inflammation, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, Crohn's disease and many others. It has been observed that grounding, i.e. standing barefoot on the ground, recharges the body energetically and stimulates the immune system. It's like plugging yourself into a charger for a while, everything gets moving. The advice from scientists and doctors who deal with this topic is: "Go barefoot. Inflammation doesn't stand a chance in an organism that moves barefoot on the earth's surface." To live a healthy life we need the ground under our feet and the sun above our heads.
I consider myself to be a barefoot hiker, I even managed to hike up Sněžka completely barefoot. However, I alternate barefoot walking with minimalist footwear. My husband is a barefoot walker and runner on average 9 months of the year. From April to November, he doesn't wear anything on his feet. Bos attends business meetings, conducts seminars, goes to the bank, and for work. We kind of push social trends together... Of course, feet need to be taken care of.
Some tips for the barefoot hiker:
- Cut your nails
- Correctly and deliberately tread, do not shuffle your feet
- Watch the terrain
- Use pumice often
When you are barefoot, the world around you changes. You yourself change. You slow down, you become aware of yourself, every step, the surface under your feet, you are connected with your feet to the Earth and your head to the Sun, you become a bridge between heaven and earth. And it's very uplifting to meet another barefoot person out there. You know immediately that you are close, that you are connected... It's a beautiful feeling, try it.
This article was published with the kind permission of of the magazine Sphere
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