To many like walk barefoot. You can take off your tight shoes and give your feet a rest. It is especially pleasant to walk on sea pebbles or grass in the country with bare feet. And some try to walk barefoot even in the city. The benefit of this is dubious – you can catch fungus or get hurt. And this is where barefoot shoes come to the rescue. It simulates walking barefoot, but protects your feet from dirt, broken glass and infections. We figured out who these shoes would be suitable for, together with orthopedic doctor Amina Aliyeva.
What are barefoot shoes
“Barefoot” (or “minimalist”) is a shoe that is barely felt on the foot. These can be sneakers, running shoes, and even classic “office” shoes. Main feature – flexible and a flat sole without a hint of a heel. That is, the toe and heel in such shoes are always on one level. Thanks to this, you feel as if you are walking barefoot – you feel every pebble and hole on the road. These shoes also have a wide toe that is not narrowed at the end. Sometimes barefoot shoes are even “five-fingered” – like a glove, only for the foot. According to the manufacturers, this helps to “distribute weight evenly across the entire foot,” “better balance,” and “develop dexterity.”
What should shoes be like?
The foot is the foundation of the body. Much depends on its anatomy and biomechanics – from gait to the sensation of the body in space. The foot is quite complex. It has two arches and three support points:
Ideally, shoes should correspond to all anatomical nuances – be light, comfortable, shock-absorbing, with a flexible sole and a heel just above the forefoot. Barefoot shoes fall outside of these criteria.
What are the pros and cons of barefoot shoes?
Adherents of barefoot shoes praise them for their convenience. They even give up their loved ones for her sake. ConverseAdidas and Vans. From a medical point of view, barefoot shoes also have advantages: they are quite light and have a wide forefoot. It’s great for people with wide feet and deformed valgus first finger (this is when the thumb deviates outward and a lump appears on the joint). In ordinary shoes with such deformation it is uncomfortable and tight.
Critics of barefoot shoes consider them unaesthetic and ridicule them in every possible way. Called “clown” or compare with “hooves” and “underwater flippers”. Orthopedists believe that due to the thin and flat soles in barefoot shoes, the step phase is disrupted (alternation pushing off and moving the leg). And the muscles and tendons of the foot get tired quickly.
By the way, “five-fingered” sneakers and sneakers usually get hit especially hard – they literally dedicate mocking tiktoks. And in vain – such shoes are suitable for people with deformed “hammer” toes, corns and calluses in general. They are often uncomfortable in regular shoes, but barefoot shoes can “unload” the toes.
Who Shouldn’t Wear Barefoot Shoes
According to According to American physical therapist Michael Tang, barefoot shoes may not be suitable for people with Achilles tendon problems. In such shoes, the leg bends more (because there is no heel), and the load on the tendon is higher. It is better not to wear barefoot shoes for people with diabetic feet, ischemic neuropathies and obliterating atherosclerosis. With these diseases, blood supply is disrupted and the load on soft tissue increases. This means you can’t do without a shock-absorbing sole. There are other contraindications.
Plantar fasciitis
Barefoot shoes can provoke and aggravate plantar fasciitis (it is also called a “heel spur”). The spur itself is just a growth on the bone. It is not he who hurts, but the plantar fascia – the connective structure that fastened to the heel. And the less this fascia comes into contact with the ground, the higher the risk that it will become inflamed. This is how pain occurs.
Flat feet
It has two forms: mobile (benign) and rigid. With the latter, your legs hurt and get tired quickly. People with rigid flat feet need the most comfortable shoes with good shock-absorbing soles. Therefore, barefoot is definitely not suitable.
Excess weight
Overweight people need to choose shoes especially carefully. They usually have weak ligaments and an abnormal gait. The anatomy is also disrupted – the longitudinal arch of the foot (the one that runs along the inner edge) is reduced. This is fraught with Achilles tendinopathy – unpleasant condition, in which the tendon becomes very sensitive and hurts. When such tendinopathy is treated, the person is fitted with special shoes that take pressure off the heel. Barefoot in this case is again not an option.
How to wear barefoot shoes if you really want to
There are no long-term studies on how barefoot shoes affect feet and joints. About it said orthopedist Vener Valiev in his video. Therefore, it is better to start gradually and listen to your feelings. For example, you can first wear such shoes at home as replacement ones. And then try to walk in it on smooth asphalt. If you feel uncomfortable, add a custom orthotic. It is made to order for a specific foot. It supports the arch of the foot well, additionally shocks and relieves it. If the insole doesn’t help, then it’s still not your type of shoe.