Is it safe to train barefoot?

Your shoes screw up your feet. Not just your pointy high heels, although those are probably the worst. These grandfathers, cozy sneaks that you wear to run errands or exercise – those intended and marketed for physical activity – actually bother your feet.

Experts believe that padded shoes negatively affect the balance, stability, and strength of the foot, as the foam layer between your feet and the ground dulls the message between your feet and your brain. Wearing padded shoes can also become a kind of crutch, making your feet very sensitive and weakening your ankles.

However, before you take your shoes off for good, know that going barefoot isn’t really the best answer (at least not for everyone). Living a shoe-free lifestyle can make your feet stronger, but it is not without its risks.

For those who aspire to walk barefoot, knowing the pros and cons before starting is essential to avoiding injury.

Above: What feet and toes are supposed to look like, according to Vivobarefoot, a minimalist shoe brand.

Why should you spend more time barefoot

Spending time barefoot is good for your feet.

“Walking barefoot allows the feet to extend more naturally and also forces the muscles and joints to work harder,” says Dr. Paul Langer, Twin Cities Orthopedics podiatrist. “which is beneficial for keeping feet strong, toes aligned, and joints movable.”

In fact, some research shows that people can gain foot strength just by wearing minimalist shoes, without doing foot exercises.

We move differently in shoes with cushioning than we do with bare feet or with minimal cushioning and support, he says. People tend to take longer strides, which affects the way the limbs absorb shock from the feet, ankles, knees and hips.

Some studies show that foot morphology is different in cultures that walk barefoot compared to cultures that wear shoes, says Dr. Langer. He quotes Benno Nigg, a Swiss podiatrist pioneer, who called the shoes “filters” because they filter the sensory input signal from the feet to the brain.

While Dr Langer says he hasn’t seen any studies proving long-term changes in proprioception due to shoes, “certainly the more stuff between the bottom of the foot and the ground, the less there is. ‘sensory input, which impairs proprioception. “

In other words, going barefoot sends stronger messages to your brain and might improve balance and agility over time.

And if you stay barefoot long enough, your feet will build up calluses for natural protection, which is apparently as good as shoes.

Is It Safe To Exercise Barefoot?

Yes, but it’s not without risk, says Dr Langer. Some common risks of barefoot training include:

• Crush, scratch, or cut your toes or feet
• Walk on something sharp
• Get into something gross (and potentially get a bacterial or fungal infection)
• Drop weight or other equipment on your toes

Additionally, if you are just starting out, you face risks like instability and difficulty balancing. Since your feet are used to the support and stability provided by padded shoes, you have a higher risk of falling or twisting your ankle thanks to your new bare feet.

Whether it is safe to exercise barefoot also depends on the type of exercise you are doing and where you are doing it. If you live in a big city, for example, the nearby streets can be dirty and prevent you from walking or running barefoot. Heading to a sandy beach is another story. Likewise, working out barefoot in a gym is disgusting (and generally frowned upon), but doing a barbell workout in your home gym is fine.

If you want to train barefoot but feel hesitant for any of these reasons, you can try minimal shoes to begin with.

Shoes that don’t have cushioning or support like Vibram FiveFingers, Vivobarefoot, or Inov8 BareXF210 are about as close to bare feet as possible, says Dr. Langer. “They allow the toes to line up more naturally and don’t add any midsole, which means they don’t have foam padding or stability devices,” he explains.

How to Start Exercising Barefoot

Dr Langer cautions against immediately switching from cozy shoes to barefoot workouts. If you want to start barefoot training, start small. Take a walk around your house and your garden barefoot to experience the sensations of walking on different surfaces at your feet. Walk carefully and watch for objects that could injure your callused feet.

Yoga and weight training are good next steps. These types of exercises eliminate the risk of dropping objects on your toes since no objects are involved. They also give you the opportunity to “get to know” your feet and how they support you, says Dr. Langer.

Finally, you can practice taking longer walks outdoors, barefoot (in a safe and clean area) or with minimalist shoes. Lifting weights barefoot is generally safe as long as you are careful not to hamper your feet with the weights. Ballistic workouts such as CrossFit workouts pose a greater risk.

Potential Risks of the Barefoot Lifestyle

While the argument for going barefoot is clear, this lifestyle is not without its risks. “Aside from the obvious – walking on sharp objects – the biggest risks are to transition from conventional shoes too quickly and not allow an adaptation,” says Dr. Langer.

This concept applies to any change in activity, he emphasizes, not just barefoot. “Just as you shouldn’t go from being sedentary to running five days a week, you also shouldn’t go from cushioned and supportive shoes to barefoot or minimalist. [shoes]“Instead, you should gradually adjust to the scenario and allow your body to comfortably adjust to the new stress or new loads.

Trying to forgo the crucial adjustment period can lead to severe pain in the arches, heels, ankles, calves, knees, and even hips. At worst, you might actually make your gait worse by trying to transition too quickly.

Benefits of padded shoes

It would be remiss not to recognize the benefits of cushioning and support for those who need it. For people with an existing injury or those prone to foot pain, adequate cushioning is necessary.

Dr Langer says he makes sure his patients have fully recovered from injury before they start walking barefoot or minimalist, and he always insists that if barefoot or minimalist shoes cause pain , there may be a limit to how much a person should wear them or whether they are a good option at all.

“Some of my patients like to walk barefoot but have found that [a certain] “As with any shoe, comfort is very important and people shouldn’t force themselves to wear something or go barefoot if it is constantly causing pain.”

Plus, cushioning improves comfort and can delay the onset of fatigue in your muscles, “so it’s not like cushioning has no value,” says Dr. Langer. Just keep in mind that cushioning has both benefits and costs.

Dr. Langer once again quotes Benno Nigg: “There’s probably an ideal amount of padding for each of us. We just don’t have a way to measure what that might be.”

The information in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended for health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have about a medical condition or health goals.