Big nah! I walk on sharp stones, bushland and difficult terrain. I need warm, waterproof, thick soled boots to withstand it. Cumbersome, but keeps me safe.
One of the things I first noticed wearing barefooters was how mentally straining it became, having to notice the ground I was treading took me out of my loofty mindset and sort of grounded me, my hikes became almost meditative as I suddenly had to read the ground infront of me. Loved it!
Yes, I had that initially, but loved it. Now, my feet are so accustomed and I do it without even noticing or thinking about it, and my feet can tolerate most surfaces now just fine, including things like gravel. As i step on sharp edges of rocks and such in real time my brain adjusts foot pressure and shifts weight to avoid injury. it's amazing. Been doing this for 7 years now. I refuse to wear non-barefoot shoes now, except in very specific cases that typically are only a few hours over a few days each year.
When you wear barefoot shoes you gain a new sense for your surroundings. You suddenly become aware of what surface you're walking on. And that is a beautiful feeling.
I found this too! My feet would be tingling from all the sensory feedback I was getting when I first started wearing them. This is no longer the case but I am so much more aware of the terrain and feel more connected to my surroundings as a result!
Yes! I Agree... except, I have some funky, junky arthritic joints in my toes (which are better, btw, since wearing minimalist shoes -- I can walk barefoot in my hard floors at home, as long as it's not all the time). So, I wear "minimalist shoes" with the zero drop/no heels, which are Altras, but they are the kind with some more padding on the sole than my Lems Primal shoes, for example, which I only use on soft woodland trails or in my home gym. I just got my Lems Boulder Boots and they are great, but I felt like I just needed a wee bit more padding. All the insoles I looked at are not wide enough, so I bought a used, thin wetsuit (not too stretchy of a model) and cut out some insoles and put them under the Lems insoles they provided with the Lems boots. However ---> I walked along a railroad track yesterday, and I loved feeling some sharp rocks and the edges of the railroad ties as well... It does feel good. Over an hour walking around on pavement yesterday, and in the evening, I had no foot pain. My feet felt a bit tired but energized! Amazing. I'm sure they'll feel even better on wooded trails!
Going barefoot (well, just making sandals out of insoles and shoelaces) literally saved my life. I was on a trail that I frequented in my town. i knew them so well that I had stopped paying attention. My first time out with the homemade sandals and that feeling of being aware kicked in after the first mile. A stone wall that I usually jumped over without thought had me looking before I landed, and luckily so. I noticed a minuscule amount of movement in the leaves.... It was just enough to have me suspicious and i twisted mid air.... my foot would have landed dead center on top of a yellow jacket ground hive entrance. I'm allergic and the aggressive swarm that would have instigated is something that makes my spine tingle to this day. And it was all because i decided to go barefoot on a whim.
It was pouring rain for a couple days and I really wanted to go for a barefoot walk with my pups. Normally, I'd probably wear a pair of FiveFingers, but all of mine have holes 🤣 and I knew they'd just get soaked with no easy way of drying them... And the walk was everything I had hoped for :) lots of wet Fall leafs on the ground... very little foot or car traffic... lots of rain rushing down the streets and flooded puddles to splash around in... lots of wet spongey grass and squishy soil... etc. There are such wide varieties of terrain and textures and temperatures, etc. A lot of people look at me like im crazy, but i look at them and feel so sorry for their feet 😞
I used to sell footwear and it was alarming how many folks came in to buy barefoot footwear for their hikes but had never used them before. The hype and marketing are dangerous and I found myself having to constantly remind folks to ease into their new footwear. Also worth noting that the book “how to fix your feet” is fantastic and I highly recommend it to anyone who hikes. It’s all about taking measures to reduce, prevent, and sometimes get rid of various foot injuries. I used to read it during my shift on slow days, and the knowledge I gained was invaluable in helping customers assess footwear problems and needs.
I am now watching my 9 month old son learning to walk. It is amazing to see how intuitively he uses all his muscles on his feet. So much to learn from him.
We live in a rural area and barefoot gravel running isn't even unusual so when my boy made his first steps in the summer and was runnin within a day I didn't insist on shoes unless we were in stores. When fall came around and I insisted on shoes he tripped, lost his balance or just fell constantly. He, at one time had 14 bruises across his head from falling. He started riding bike and climbing tree at 2, lost the training wheels at 3 and started skateboarding at the same time... He stopped falling on his face in shoes at 4 stopped falling in boots 2 winters later. It's actually why I'm at this video. I was a sprinter before he was born, he'll be turning 6 this summer and want him to start running with me. I'm torn between finding him running shoes and letting him run barefoot considering he doesn't have the calluses I do. So many times the easy comfortable thing is the long term damaging way to do things. I'm trying tonfigure out if I'm getting him ready for a world of hurt if he starts barefoot running so early
9 months is too young for him to be walking totally on his own just yet. if hes just pushing himself along while sitting in a walker, thats fine. ive seen kids develop bow legs that are not correctable for a lifetime just bc parents wanted their kids to walk before other kids the same age etc...
I started wearing barefoot in my late 50’s. The transformation has been amazing. I did take it slower early on but after 6 years plus I now struggle to feel anything but uncomfortable in normal shoes. Due to osteoporosis injuries wearing normal shoes was painful after about a mile walking. With barefoot shoes I have no pain, my balance is significantly better, and feel more stable in all movements. I would add, due health issues, I am not super fit or any sort of athlete, just a normal guy …
You writing so well of your own experience of barefoot shoes. I have a one pair of barefoot shoes, they are little bit narrow around heel. I have a plan buy new pair of shoes. I struggle back, nape, hip pains. I am almost 57 y.
Thanks for your well written response. Obviously I would need to consult my doctor but do you know if I would be able to wear them while suffering from arthritis? I wear orthotics to help but assume I wouldn’t wear them in barefoot shoes
@@evan6901 the question is can you walk barefoot around your home without pain, that might be the first test. If you can barefoot shoes are worth a try. Vivobarefoot used to do a good return policy so you could try them and see if they work for you
I was running half marathons in conventional footwear. When I switched to minimal footwear (luna sandals), I treated it like I was starting running all over again from a beginner. It's a totally different experience. This is a good video.
Ran My half marathon in my merells and it wrecked my knees (temporaryily at least). Mind you I had been running in them for about 2 years and did well. But running over 20km at once is really a diff deal compared to your casual evening run of 10 km. Still they are my fav shoe and I'll never go back to regular running as I don't have any shin splints anymore.
@@projektbrot 20km is kinda casual for me. It is the speed that wrecks the feet. Take it slow (like 2 hours) and it should be fine. Just need to take the time.
@@paulgoogol2652 I agree, I've had to run several miles barefoot (native Mexican heritage) and the pace is important, maybe speed comes with the experience.
One thing I love about zero-drop is you actually have a greater push off of your toes since the heel starts from a lower position. It’s basically opening up untapped power in your calves.
One of my favorite benefits of transitioning to minimalist shoes is that blisters are a thing of the past. When the shoe easily flexes with your foot, blisters don't happen.
Rubbing alcohol (surgical spirit) is well named. Rubbed, or dabbed on with cotton wool, for 10 - 14 days, on any area of skin likely to suffer wear and tear, toughens it up, temporarily. New footwear is a doddle, after that, the beauty being natural calluses form, pain free, underneath, as the unaffected areas are returning to their normal texture in an equally short time. Been using the stuff for almost six decades now and the best part is it can be found on the shelves of the vast majority of chemist's and it's dirt cheap, costing only pennies. Hands and shoulders also remain immune to hardwood splinters, thorns,, blisters, cuts etc. Shoe shops should stock it, as par for the course, to my mind. Military branches, too, as it saves them failing recruits for being crippled up and unable to complete their bft courses, plus it also prevents trenchfoot.
yeah I haven't noticed any blisters/issues when I swapped to my barefoot shoes, I couldn't walk much to begin with due to pain and easilly getting blisters, but these I can even use without socks and haven't had any issues with blisters at all.
I wore barefoot for years and developed plantar fasciitis. Podiatrist convinced me to go back to fully cushioned shoes. After a year of crippling pain I stumbled onto the actual cause: magnesium deficiency. Supplemented mg and cured the PF. I'm now happily back in barefoot shoes and doing great at 56!!
@@user-sg8kq7ii3y Very likely, he probably supplemented mg but at the same time his foot restored, now cured of PF until the next time - unlikely magnesium deficiency had anything to do with it.
My feet are stronger, my posture better, and balance has greatly improved in the almost 3 years since converting to barefoot shoes. I suffered far more injuries in traditional shoes from rolling my ankles.
My husband is a limb salvage, needless to say we see a lot of the Podiatrist and Ortho; we've talked about this with his team, they see injuries all the time from rolling ankles in lifted sneakers. There are pros to cushioned shoes, but lots of cons too.
@Misterlaxx d Yes! The one time I did roll my ankle, I was hiking in the woods and took a spill. Not only was I able to get up and keep walking, I didn't have to cut my hike short from pain or swelling. I will preach barefoot shoes to anyone who will listen (and a few who want me to shut up).
Ankle pains and arch problems were common for me while growing up with regular shoes. All of those went away since going barefoot, but perhaps barefoot shoes will be a nice compromise. Stay blessed everyone. 😊🌎✨
I'm a competitive runner and have been doing some of my miles barefoot for quite awhile now. Really like this video. It's something that people often miss but is crucial. If you don't train your flexibility and strength before fully moving to barefoot you WILL get injured.
@@jurgschupbach3059 you can protect yourself from many external influences with practices such as the light pillar you can cultivate in disciplines like Hatha Yoga.
Husband and I made the barefoot shoe switch a little over a year ago. I was working on my feet all day and coming home in agony. Shoes and insoles that offered “support” did nothing to ease the pain. I can happily assure you now that my feet are happier and healthier on my barefoot journey than ever before.
Thanks for sharing! I’m on my feet for 8+ hours a day and my callouses and bunion are only getting worse. I’m too afraid to make the leap to barefoot shoes at work…but I may as well give it a try!
I'm 62 and have been wearing a zero drop, minimalist shoe for about a year. Previous to this change, I rolled my ankles fairly regularly and fell every few months. Since the change, I have done neither. Not once. I did not understand how much even minimal arch "support" shifted my weight subtly to the outside. Or how much the side-to-side flexibility in these shoes allows me to "catch myself". Love this change and never going back!
I have always enjoyed stepping directionally on every rock. I tell my friends I get a foot massage every time I hike and they think I’m nuts. They always say “I have no strength so I need support.” And that sums up all the problems in the world.
PS I ordered those same shoes and they were wide enough (so hard to find) but they were too tight in the middle of the foot!!! My feet were asleep within ten minutes of wearing! They were the right length so I didn’t see a solution in sizing up. I am just at a loss for good shoes. I’ve been needing a replacement for seven years. My husband bought xeros but I’m wary of the quality. Anyone have suggestions!?
Fear often leads us to avoidance instead of acceptance. I get that. What i don’t get is how this fear-driven behavior tricles into professional advice.
@@patriciaschlessman5476 Did you try Altra shoes (e.g., Altra Escalante Racers or Escalante 3)? Many Altra models have wide versions and most models can be worn with or without the removable insole.
I started my transition to barefoot about 10 years ago, and I experienced, almost immediately, less pain in knees and low back. I also went for a 2-mile jog which was way too far for barefoot beginner, and my calf muscles were swollen for at least two weeks, and it was like I turned on a whole new set of muscles. If you’re young, you will love it (unless you don’t want big muscles in calves?), and if you are 30+, you will regret it and wish you went slower! Either way, the transition is inevitable if you want overall wellness and less pain with an active adult lifestyle. The other significant change is that my feet became significantly wider in certain areas. Not just the most obvious needing more room in toe box for comfort, but the muscles on the bottoms of my feet were activated and subsequently a few mm bigger…and the major downside was that I could no longer wear some of my old favorite boots or dress shoes. I basically found barefoot in every style and never looked back…almost never. I still see a pair of Nike’s or other pop shoes occasionally that make me wish they would fit comfortably, and I still try on a pair every once in a while just to check. Going up a size makes it tolerable, but if you are going to be on your feet or walking a lot, it only takes me an hour or two to feel pain from normal, narrow, raised heel shoes and beg for barefoot. There are more and more brands making nice looking barefoot shoes that can accommodate most situations (boots, oxford’s, classic sneakers, etc.). I strongly recommend looking into the following: Lems (great for beginners and transition, wide toe box and zero drop, but with some cushion), Vivobarefoot, Merrel Vapor Glove, and a newer favorite that is ridiculously affordable, Whitin (amazon brand usually between $35-50!). And I also love Camper specifically Peu Cami style only, and I remove the padded insole with heel elevated and replace with a “barefoot” sole (which is also made by Whitin and purchased on Amazon). That is one of my favorites for style and comfort. So in summary, like most things, slow and steady wins, and I highly recommend a mindful approach to foot health, to include the exercises and stretches in this video. I wore toe spacers almost every night for a year and now I just wear them occasionally in my feet are sore. Its amazing how you can literally reshape your feet with patient, mindful care including strengthening and massaging into place. You have 26 bones in each foot and over 100 muscles and ligaments that determine the shape and setting of those bones. You can reshape your foot and likely avoid surgery and more injuries and general pain particularly if you look at it like you are preparing your body for your next decade. You may experience some relief earlier on, but unless you are still growing or very young adult, this will take time, and its so worth it!
Thanks for sharing! I also transitioned to barefoot shoes about 10 years ago. After doing my research I took it slow and made the transition over a year, but I have not had a single injury since. When running in my 20s I was plagued by plantar fasciitis, shin splints, and hip fractures and was nervous about not being able to run as I got older. I'm closing in on 40 now and am confident I have many year of running ahead of me! It has gotten a little harder to find barefoot shoes as it is not as trendy, but I can't imagine going back now.
@@uli3119 I've been wearing high quality toe spacers (correct toes) for 3 years now and they work wonders for me. I wear almost 24/7..at night, in slippers at home, and out in very wide toe box shoes (softstar primals). My knee pain that plagued me in my 20s has disappeared and my stability is amazing with them in. (Long history of foot injury before) Unfortunately, it takes as many years to undo crappy shoe damage as it takes to malform, so think of these as more of an ongoing aid, not a cure. They were 110% worth it for me. My feet are the happiest they've ever been.
As an orthopedic shoemaker for over 10 years now, this video is so awesome to see. Very well and professionally explained. I think everybody can learn a lot from this. I mean EVERYBODY. Together with my boss we two produce about 1000 pairs of medically prescribed orthopedic insoles every year by hand, plus around 150 pairs of individually designed orthopedic shoes.. I can tell you, that almost everybody has some kind of deformation regarding their feet, knees, hips and so on. Everything is connected from bottom to top in the human body. A lot of customers have the expectation that an orthopedic insole will heal or lets say bring their feet back into their natural shape without being actively trained. In fact, the opposit is happening, and I suggest them always not to wear these insoles always and in every shoe. Sure there are some special cases where the body health does not support and/or allow active training anymore or over a period of time. For thoes people are such special shoes and insoles really a help and a piece of life quality. But as long as it is possible for one, it will pay out in the long term. Train your feet well and they will carry you as far as you want them to. It IS a path as said in the video. Change does not come overnight, but it will come. Be patient with yourself. Thanks a lot to the ceator of this video for this insight into barefoot shoes. I am already excited trying a pair of these out in the near future.
I run practically daily, and I feel like I need insoles because my arch falls down to the ground because it needs more support due to the amount of force I layout
@@carlsmith9864 it’s worth seeing someone, as well as working on some strengthening exercises. Foot issues are genetic on my husband’s side, and we’ve got 4 generations of orthotics, including my minor children who are working on prevention.
@@carlsmith9864 In 2019 I visited an orthopedic congress where one of Austrias leading othopedic doctors, Dr. Franz Landauer, exactly referred to this problem. It's roots are found in our evolution. The trasition from walking on all 4 extremities to walking upright. On the inner side of your feet there is the so called "deltoid ligament" (just google it up and you will know what I mean ;). It connects and stabilizes your lower legs and feet. As it was originally made for walking on all 4 this part of the human body can often be underdeveloped. I would say betweet 60 to 70 % of my customers have some form of your described problem. In your case I would suggest you when running to wear some sort of longitudinal arch support. Maybe a little bit more than the already existing free space between floor and longitudinal arch when you are standing barefoot on a flat surface. Not too much at one time, your feet need a little time to get used to new position while wearing insoles. The same goes for the transverse vault. A bit of support and also some kind of cushenign for the metatarsal area. Especially when running long distances, the transverse vault support should not be too strong. Expect insoles, training of outer side of upper legs and gluteus also can help like I hope this comment will help. 🙏🦶
Please share the city of your orthopedic business. I desperately need help. I am veteran and former long distance runner with collapsed arches and it feels like that tendon holding the bottom of my foot is shredded. Funny enough, the VA in the US tells me it’s all in my head…. I’ll pay anything for some relief
On injury likelihood: I've found that the support granted by traditional shoes gives the feeling that you can push harder than your body really can, while wearing barefoot shoes or sandals lets you more accurately feel your body's limits. It's anecdotal, but I've had way more ankle injuries when hiking in non-barefoot trailrunners.. and combine that with the downtime caused by those injuries, and personally I'm able to hike far far longer in barefoot shoes before injuring myself than if I'm wearing shoes with thick soles and arch support.
I’ve had more injuries on my Onewheel from wearing shoes than I ever had riding barefoot. The worst thing that happens barefoot is my feet get sweaty and slippery. Or I step on a rock or something sharp after bailing/falling.
I was always playing outside barefoot as a kid, and I think the change to bare feet doesn't cause problems in itself, as you mentioned. They only highlight how weak your feet are so what feels like a problem is actually a symptom of a larger issue, much in the same way as people commonly experiencing bodily issues or discomfort from changing their unhealthy diets. Barefoot has always been better, and if the ground was in better condition in the cities (idiots breaking glass and dropping garbage everywhere), I'd be barefoot most of the time, but I'll have to settle for sandals and minimalist shoes for now.
I don't know about outdoor pursuits but my hips were twisted and basically entire skeletal structure was asymmetrical my entire life, until I started wearing barefoot shoes. Now I'm taller and all my muscle groups are engaged in every movement and it feels absolutely amazing! About 3 years of wearing nothing but barefoots, but they don't have to have thin soles so you feel all the stones when walking, it's the zero drop is the most important feature, for me anyway it was, as a typical heeled shoe pushed in my lower back, pushing out my butt and distributing the load badly.
I agree about zero drop, but also width to splay toes is very important. Most barefoot advocates are young and they still have a lot of nice juicy adipose tissue on the bottoms of their feet. But being older (I started with barefoot shoes way back when the toe shoes were a new thing), I am finding that the really thin soles don’t do it for me anymore, especially when I am primarily on concrete and pavement.
@@oOo-Della yeah my hips and thus my spine were slightly twisted to the left. Now everything is straightening out I am literally standing taller than I was. People have even said it to me! I’m nearly 40, bit late for a growth spurt! I just hope this kind of development at my age isn’t dangerous or something, like cell mutations or some sh!t 🤷
I've been amazed how roll-proof my ankles have become over a few years of trail running and hiking in (mostly) Merrell Trail Gloves. 21 mile hikes these last two weeks, both with a hard roll that were complete non-issues. Stronger, more supple supporting muscles, and not having the extra lever arm of a tall sole wrenching your foot over when it happens helps too. As for getting beat up by the ground ...learn to land better, and don't step blindly.
Try a pair of Danner Tactical 8in boots when hiking. Best boots ive ever owned. Not barefoot style, but bullet proof, great ankle support, and pretty light.
I grew up playing soccer and stuck with it through college. The universally preferred boot (we called out shoes boots) was the Addidas Copa. It was basically a cleated flat plastic sole with a thin and supple leather upper. The toe box was a bit cramped compared to barefoot shoes but many it checked the other boxes- flat, no arch, etc. It was extremely uncommon to see any type of foot, ankle or knee injury from running and we ran a lot. The injuries I did see were almost universally from collisions and even these were fairly rare. With hindsight I think the type of running we did along with the type of shoe helped develop all those little muscles that are important to barefoot running. Later in life when I transitioned to running it never felt natural or right until I finally bumped into barefoot shoes and bought a pair of merrils. The conventional running shoes felt like high heels. Since then I've done most of my running in barefoot shoes or minimalist sandals. I also take my ball out with me sometimes. Running with a ball makes you think about where your bode is and trains you to keep centered over your feed. I have no scientific evidence but I expect it is another soccer related thing that also translate well to current thinking on barefoot shoes and running form.
Another huge problem with regular shoes is most people do not wear the correct size, with running shoes you absolutely want extra space in your toes for proper movement, but a lot of people refuse to wear the size they should because they've bought the same exact size for years and they get stuck on a number. I work at a running shoe store and I'd say the vast majority of people have pain/problems either related to not wearing the correct shoe size, or they are using the wrong type of shoe for the activity they're doing.
my issue is that bigger shoe size almost always just mean a *longer* shoe. if one size is too slim, youre better off disregarding that entire brand because the longer you need the shoe to be, the slimmer it will feel because the sole is the exact same width.
When I get new running shoes I always ask for a resize. It might be annoying, but I’ve never had to return a pair and my shoe size has fluctuated over the years.
I'm 63 and have gained so much valuable info from Chase Mountains since I've started hiking. I've used his exercises to not only recover from leg injuries, but I'm sure to prevent them as well. Thanks so much!
Probably the best of all the overviews of the barefoot/minimalist that I have come across. From my personal experience as someone in their late sixties who has been using this type of footware for the last 18 months in a lot of different environments, I would strongly recommend listening to all the suggestions made. After years of abuse to my feet with "normal" shoes, it has only been in the last few months that I have finally realized the many benefits of this type of footware.
I never had “real” shoes and really loved my barefoot foot ware when that became a mainstream thing. I was somewhere in my late 30’s when I decided to get some hiking boots that were built like armor. Thick sole, arches, up past the ankles, water proof. Oh man, they are heavenly, going from 3 decades of thin soles to suddenly not feeling every pebble underfoot and even getting to trudge through puddles. I’m having the exact opposite experience as you guys.
I have the problem that I want to find wide toes shoes but I don't really want soft soil... I don't understand why those are connected. I have experience in walking without shoes, if I want something like this, I would walk actually bare foot. I think I will resoil wide toes shoes .
Okay, maybe you're someone I need to talk to. I have maybe one pair of shoes that is well built, and probably three pairs of cheap, honestly worthless shoes, that I know I can't spend a TON of time in them because I will TRASH my feet. I wore cheapo shoes working fast food AND moving house at the same time, and was afraid I needed SURGERY, my feet hurt so bad. I went to a store for shoes for people who WORK, bought my first pair of Danskos, and was so so so happy. So I have A pair of very supportive shoes I pull out when I'm doing something like the state fair, throw on cheap stuff for daily going out - but I live barefoot. I literally only wear shoes if I have to go somewhere. And I just realized, watching this video, that while cheapo shoes wreck my feet if I do serious time in them - being ACTUALLY BAREFOOT isn't a problem. Whyyyyy?
@@Cec9e13 I made the mistake of purchasing these steel toed work sneakers and walked on cement with them for a year and the wreck my feet. So I splurged on a pair of dansco sandals and kicks and oh my god they are heaven and since using them I've been able to be barefoot more. I wanna try some of these exercises he's recommending though cause I know I have bad hips, knees and feet.
Great points. The key take away for me and I hope for most people as well is that barefoot shoes are not a magic pill. They're a pretty important part of the solution but there's a lot more that goes into foot care. There's a holistic responsibility people need to accept. I'm loving the transition myself. Can't imagine going back to traditional sport footwear again.
It gets better. it takes time to bring your feet, calves, etc up to strength. I'm 7yrs into exclusively wearing barefoot shoes and I'll never go back. But the first weeks to months of transition were the hardest. But over time it just keeps getting better until eventually you wont even have any issues at all.
It definitely depends on how bad your feet are when you start. I started changing to barefoot shoes around 2015, and now changing to full barefoot sidewalk and trail runs/walks for the last two years. I still feel like a noob.
Same, I’m on about 6 months and I definitely think it’ll take years for me to make significant progress. Not surprising, I wore garbage shoes throughout my entire physical development. It is what it is.
i switched to barefoot shoes after a period of time where i just didnt wear shoes if they weren't required. i think the full barefoot everywhere helped the shoe be much more easy. starting in grass then moving to sidewalks and other surfaces wasnt a bad transition and your body sets the pace
Started wearing barefoot shoes in 2016 at age 47. It took me about two years to become fully adapted. I went all in too getting some dressier barefoot shoes for work. I think if I had been switching back and forth between traditional shoes for work and barefoot shoes for other activities that it would have taken even longer.
The toe glove advice is great, I'm a rock climber and our sport requires us to cram our feet into the tightest rubber shoes possible, it's exactly what you will see loads of people doing after taking their climbing shoes off as it allows the toes to separate with instantly noticeable results
I'm 52 and was getting super clumsy. I was literally stumbling over things every day and falling completely at least once a week. I realised my balance was shot and also I was walking incorrectly. The very first thing I noticed after starting to work on my balance was that this stopped completely. My boyfriend was actually the first to notice as he always used to hold on to me to save me every time I tripped LOL. I feel increased balance IS the number one benefit of barefoot shoes. Falls kill so many elderly people, not usually the fall itself but the repercussions of it. I think going barefoot is the single most effective thing you can do to provide the stability and sensory feedback to protect against falls in later years. A good investment! Thanks for the video. I'm not a hiker but I am subscribing now. I'm just a normal person benefiting from your stretches and brilliant advise on fixing mobility problems. Thanks!!!!
It seems counterintuitive to have better balance when barefoot. Because when I do balancing poses in yoga it's much easier with my shoes on. Could be just me. Any thoughts on this? I would greatly appreciate any feedback.
I ran around barefoot a lot but when I switched to my first five fingers I still had bad foot technique and kept stubbing and bruising my feet for two weeks. Using minimal foot wear not only fixed my walking technique but rewired my brain to be very aware of what's on the ground.
Excellent video. Started having foot problems in my late 40s. Ten years later it was to the point I couldn't walk without pain. Had my second go around with Bare Foot shoes, but I also added toe spacers which has been a game changer for healing my big toe joints. As for creating the arch, I noticed the horse stance form classical martial arts is great for developing that. I will definitely try your tips!
So grateful for the recent focus on feet, I have a lifelong struggle with my feet. My feet are my limiting factor for multi-day hikes. Recently have started yoga for feet and toes and it has helped more than anything else and Chase’s approach is very similar but goes even further. Such value in this channel❤️
Read Deskbound: Standing Up to a Sitting World by Kelly Starrett (and his other books) for much more in depth knowledge about the topics explained in this video.
All these exercises makes barefoot shoes look really complicated when it really isn't. For me it just took common sense to make the switch. I bought a pair of barefoot shoes and started using them in my everyday life. Walking to work, using them at the gym etc. You will feel that you get tired in both feet and legs when you start using them and as long as you listen to these signals and maybe pause for a few days you should be good. As with every other thing when it comes to your body nothing should be used with force and it will take time to change an old habit.
I'm so grateful that I was raised in a home that promoted being barefoot as much as possible. I grew up running in the woods barefoot, and running around on rocks at the bay by my house. We also had a really long gravel driveway til I was 12, and my brothers and I used to race each other on the gravel driveway, especially when they were really hot in the summer. That, and I was home schooled, so, I spent most of my day shoe free, unless we went to the store, or somewhere else that required shoes. I also have long toes, which drs think probably came from being barefoot most of my development years, as I'm not tall. To illustrate how long my toes were, by 10 or 11, I was able to throw a baseball with one foot 20 feet or more. I also spent a good amount of time in my early 20s not wearing shoes in public, but also keeping flip flops in my back pocket, for when I needed to go in stores. My friends thought I was weird, but I've always just done my own thing, vs giving in to peer pressure. Working mostly from home has allowed me to keep this up. So, for me, non-barefoot shoes make my feet start to hurt anywhere from - 20 mins - an hour after putting them on. And I always used to buy standard shoes in wide versions, and half a size too big, to decrease how much shoes would hurt me.
Just bought my first pair of zero drops I can say enough good about them. The feel from the first second of wear was noticeably more comfortable. My stability immediately became far superior to all others I've worn. I have to believe these would be an necessity to elderly people for increase stability which would prevent alot of hip injuries.
Hip, lower back and knee. My stepmother suffered terribly in the last few years of her life and had to have two or three operations on her knees. She'd been wearing restrictive women's shoes all her life and her toes were horribly bent out of shape and nearly atrophied. Once you start using the toes as intended, to actually push you forward when walking, you realise how weak they've become and how ordinary footwear completely takes them out of action.
The worst part about buying minimalist shoes is finding a way to get rid of all your old shoes. I got a pair of Xero shoes about a month ago and absolutely hate wearing any other shoe now.
I've been a full time barefoot person for about 7 years. When the temperature gets below 40F I wear a thin moccasin or other minimalist shoes. There's nothing like hiking barefoot when you finally fully transition which takes a few years. I started out with flat feet and going barefoot totally transformed my feet to the point where I no longer need anything unless it's hazardous or freezing cold. My feet and my toes are well muscled and my calves are huge. I just can't wear normal footwear because my feet are a lot thicker and wider now. I have to go up a size and buy the widest shoe available. And I have to take the insole out just to get my foot in a conventual or a minimalist shoe unless it's a moccasin. I've walked on glass, metal, jagged rocks, tree roots, etc. The human foot can do it all once the transition is complete. And they don't get cold anymore. I can sit in a tree stand for hours with just a shoe and a thin pair of socks when others need 2000 grams of insulation in their boots.
Almost all barefoot shoes need to be made wider, don't they? I realise I have wider feet than most, but, as you say, a lot of people's feet widen as a result of going barefoot. Companies like Vivo don't take account of that at all. I never wear Vivo now, only Softstar, Lems and Freets, and only their widest models. None of them is perfect, but Softstar's Sawyers are wonderfully wide, Lems Boulder Boots are good for the cold, though I wish their soles were thinner, and Freets Connect 2s have the most comfortable, flexible sole ever, and they're nearly wide enough. Where do you get your moccasins?
@@JohnMoseley I've been wearing the Softstar mocs when ever I have to wear something and I have a pair of Lems for the rare circumstances when I need them. In order to wear the Lems shoes that I have, I still have to remove the insole, wear a very thin sock or nothing at all, and go up a size. And unless it's freezing cold my feet are miserable inside of them. I have a pair of Xero sandals but they don't feel very nature strapped to my foot so I keep them for special purposes. I've only had to return one pair of Softstar mocs because they were too narrow, and it was their lightest model. Even with their wide sizes I have to go up a size so that they fit. For me it's not just the width it's the thickness of my foot. I went from flat feet to have a foot as thick as some people's shoes. I go barefoot when ever it's above 40F and the ground isn't frozen or salted. My biggest problem is that I can't get enough time on trails and just outdoors in general to fully build my soles up. This year I did a little better than previous years. And since the Covid hysteria started no one in retail or anywhere else has asked me to leave. I think we've finally reached a point where face diapers and lockdowns have finally taken people's minds off of their foot phobias so that they no longer enforce unwritten and outdated rules such as, "No shoes, no shirt, no service". The poor hippies of the 60's and 70's never had a fair change of acceptance with rules like that. And I've also found that Covid hysteria has given some people a renewed appreciation for personal freedom that they previously frowned upon. I actually get compliments every so often now when I'm shopping and most of the compliments are from the store employees. The barefoot sandals also seem to help the situation. It's like a bridge to freedom that conditions the potential oppressors. I'll have to check out Freets, thanks for mentioning it. And you are totally right about the width issue. I called Softstar about that some years ago and I'm not sure if felt that they needed to do anything about it. And they wouldn't go custom for me on the version that I had to return in regard to the width. I think some of us have a wide foot that is just waiting to expand the moment nature takes it course. And even if it was every full time barefoot person there still isn't enough of us yet to change the market selection. Even in minimalist shoes and sandals your feet will not totally widen until you are no longer wearing anything and the bones in your foot are required by the uneven terrain to separate and reach their full natural state.
@@franzmarley There really does need to be something for that. Even a wool felt lined rubber boot with no raised heal or arch would be great but where do you find them? And most of the hiking shoes aren't waterproof either based on the last time I shopped for a pair.
@@haujeancontactee Regarding your other response here, Freet also do various hiking boots, but I can't vouch for any of them as I haven't tried them. The Connect 2s, a sneaker, are the only ones I can say for sure I like, but at least one of their boots has the same sole. Connect 2 and their ultra-minimalist Talus 3 might work for your feet as they're fairly roomy. Sizing info on the site is pretty good, but fyi I went up a size in Connect 2 and that was right for me, but the same size in Talus 3 was too big and I sent those back.
I started wearing barefoot shoes nearly 6 months ago It definitely has been a learning curve My feet are stronger and now my ankles are finally adapting to them I also use toe spreaders plus mobility work to help
Thanks for all these suggestions and for taking the time to present them! I’m in my early 60s and have always walked a lot, fast. My mom had such high arches that her tracks at the pool had almost nothing between the toe and heel, and I luckily inherited those too. Up until my late teens, I basically did not wear shoes at all from May till September, and once school started, I would take my shoes off as soon as school was out, because I had spread toes and shoes were torture devices. :-) Then I moved to a larger city and going barefoot all the time wasn’t an option, so I gradually got a custom to shoes all the time. About 7 years ago I started running and was enjoying it immensely, but my knees did not adjust as fast as my cardiovascular system. I had a lot of stiffness and pain, and that in “good,” well-fitted running shoes. I had to stop running; even short runs aggravated it. I got a pair of barefoot shoes (Xero Prio All-Day) and outside of a little oddness the first day, I adapted to them very quickly. I immediately noticed a positive change in my posture. However I could also tell that I was gaining strength in my feet and calves. So I didn’t try to start running too quickly. I started with very short distances, just trying to find the right foot strike. I knew to avoid heel striking, but it was fairly ingrained, and I found myself doing it anyway at first. Thankfully I did not do it for very long, so although I paid for it the next day, I didn’t hurt myself. :-) I tried to move it forward and really pay attention to how things felt, and afterwards my calves were really tight and lightly sore. When I decided to try a longer distance, I did find something that felt better, but I also noticed that I was still struggling with old habits, and ended up pulling a muscle in one calf. Not badly and I didn’t try and keep running on it so it cleared up rather quickly. I’m still taking it easy and doing calf and hamstring strengthening exercises as well, and not doing really long runs yet. It’s a work in progress. But I can say that knee pain has been almost nonexistent, and mostly when I think too much and tighten up. I recently watched a video where the vlogger made the point that before switching to “barefoot shoes,” it’s actually better to try running completely barefoot, because although barefoot shoes let you feel a lot more, it’s nothing compared to actual bare feet on the ground. When I was a kid, I never had to think about the right way to run barefoot. I just did it. It’s pretty bizarre that we have to relearn that. I’ve seen women go through similar processes after wearing high heels shoes for years and trying to get back to flats. Now I don’t ever want to wear shoes with raised heels at all anymore; recently I had to because I was dressed up for a wedding, and it felt way too strange. The things we put ourselves through for fashion!
I quit high heels 8 years ago. It was kind of a rebellion at the time, and I don't own heels now though I'm starting to think maybe I'd like to wear a small heel for occasions. My kid is 9 and doesn't wear shoes. She runs across rocks with barnicles and nothing happens, she is nimble like a cat. We live in a hot country, and the culture is to take shoes off when entering a house. And luckily for her school they also take off their shoes at the door. So the only times she has to wear shoes is for walking on the road from A to B but she'd not even do that if she had the choice. I love that she can run across any ground without wincing. Happy to have come across all this info on bare-foot shoes; there will be time when she'll have to wear shoes, maybe for university if she goes for that, and I can help her choose shoes that will maintain what she has gained in childhood.
I couldn't agree more with all of the points you made! I started my transition to barefoot shoes a little over three years ago, first with zero-drop shoes (Altra) and over the following year with minimalist shoes (Lems). Now I find "traditional" shoes suuper awkward and clunky, and my feet feel sore if I have to wear them for any length of time, whereas they are happiest when as close to barefoot as possible. Thank you for doing your part to help shed some light on barefoot shoes and reminding those who are interested in going barefoot that it does take some work- but that it is also totally worth it. Cheers!
I switched to barefoot style trainers for my running and gym activities. Initially I made a big mistake by running at speed on the treadmill and over-extending my stride...managed to cause a stress fracture, not fun. Realized that once I had healed it was worth persevering, cannot imagine ever running in anything else. Love the tips in this video, especially the ball/broom handle rolling.
As someone who grew up running around in the woods and up and down the stream on rocks in knock-off converse, this is fascinating! When I started getting into sports as a kid, and into more supportive shoes, I didn’t like them because I couldn’t feel the ground! I love my highly padded ASICS for gym stuff, but anything climbing anything, I want my converse to feel the rocks. I’m watching this to work on my feet, because my joints are slippy and my ankles are YIKES, so I’m trying strengthen my feet.
I always wore Converse or Vans, they deformed my feet and caused bunions (not enough toe space).. Xero shoes are fantastic for hiking, rock hopping and feeling the Earth. I hope kids realize style is not worth deforming your body.
Right, I've been doing everything from retail to mountains in vans since I was a teenager with little to no problem. Arch support always struck me as a scam haha
I've worn quality boots (Redwing, Chippawa, and even $600 Nick's custom) with a logger heal for twenty years and they destroyed my feet. Switched to wide Converse and vans a few months back and already I can see/feel my feet improving.
It is much less likely to sprain an ankle with a thin sole shoe, especially a zero drop sole. The fulcrum point just doesn't have nearly as much leverage on the ankle. Wearing something with a 30mm heel stack, especially a low-top, is risky for ankle sprain. I'll take foot soreness over a twisted ankle any day.
And the foot soreness is just your feet getting even stronger! ☺️ Sometimes I'll go for a long barefoot hike and end up really punishing my feet... I get nervous that my feet will be sore the next morning because i remember that's how it used to be years ago lol But when I wake up the next day, its actually the rest of my body that is sore LOL and it's my feet and lower legs that are yearning for another jaunt
Yes! I had issues with my ankles, and while transitioning between my regular old, heavy, stiff, heeled hiking boots and my lightweight, zero-drop, minimalist sole, I could really tell how the thick stiff shoe forced my ankles to adjust to the terrain, rather than my feet. I love my various Xero shoes 😁
If it is a high calve boot, then a thicker sole is not a problem, because it is rigidly connected to the leg. Certain conditions necessitate this, we won't be in very cold, snowy backcountry with anything that is really minimalist. If somone works in conditions with sharp objects, cut risks, and drop hazards, well, they're probably going to need steel toe high calve boots.
Something I find to be overlooked very often when it comes to the heel drop and overall sole thickness, is that the more you have under the heel the more unstable you're making your ankles, and the worse twisting an ankle will be. It's pretty simple physics really, the longer the lever to your ankle, this being your heel plus shoe height, the harder the torque exerted on the ankle. I originally switched from running shoes to kung fu shoes as I'd twisted my ankle, badly enough to have blood pooling in my foot, twice in the span of two months. I've had nothing since while wearing thin shoes, but I sure feel my ankles going into funny positions when I put thick heeled shoes on and walk around on the rocky beach near my place.
This is probably the best video I've seen on this subject. I wear wide, zero-drops (Vivo/Altra) all day and still my big toes lean in somewhat. I never even thought about the socks!!
Started wearing barefoot/minimal when Covid started, now I can’t go back. I really enjoy barefoot sandals (I own Shammas) but shoes such as Vivo are great for colder months or events up to business casual
As someone with Autism who has struggled for years to find clothes that not only fit, but don't feel wrong, Barefoot shoes are a godsend. I ran around the woods barefoot as a kid, now I can get the same feeling anywhere I walk. One downside : they are the opposite of waterproof
Started walking mainly barefoot and barefoot shoes around 1,5 years ago..changed my life. No more pain. My foot already looks much better. Muscles are relaxed. Knees and hips..everything is better. I cannot believe how I tortured my feet for years.
The explanation of the "Short Foot" at 5:40 reminds me a lot of what is taught in traditional kungfu (not modern) about drawing the force from the ground, rooting the fingers and feeling the torque in order to deliver a powerful hit. I think all of this is part instinct, part ancient knowledge, that we just forgot about along the way...
I’m a contemporary dancer (being barefoot while dancing) and one week after starting to wear barefoot shoes, I went light hiking (climbing up a hill for one hour) - my right achilles didn’t like it at all and started hurting. Nothing more serious because I took care after that and still wore standard shoes interchangeably with barefoot shoes - but after one month I still feel my heels sometimes after a longer walk - a sign to give the body a gentle transition. Thanks for all the exercises - will use them for sure!
I've had foot/ankle issues my entire life - had corrective shoes when I started walking and later was told to wear a boot with a heal - I was twisting ankles and tearing ligaments since I was a kid. BS'd my way into the Marine Corps and somehow survived all the training (Parris Island for boot camp and Camp Pendelton for infantry school) but in the end was released because of my ankle issues. Later tore ligaments and had my ankles scoped then had a ligament reconstruction.... I stumbled upon the barefoot movement several years ago and it has changed my life. I've done several videos on how to modify vintage style "sneakers" (because I'm not a fan of the aesthetics of modern barefoot shoes) and have found that the Pro-Keds seem to offer the widest toebox (Vans, Chuck Taylors, and PF Flyers are all to restricting in the toebox) - I could type another few paragraphs on my personal experience with all this but just wanted to say your video is well done - I do quite a lot of what you show here. The point I make to people is that there are 27 bones in your foot, we were designed to walk barefoot, as the foot articulates over uneven surfaces messages are sent to the brain which results in your body doing what it needs to do to maneuver over the uneven terrain all without having to think about it - Keep up the good work
Switched to zero drops after noticing I'd never sprained an ankle in my OCR shoes, will never go back. I love the sensation of terrain through my thin shoes compared to the numbness of my old hoof-like hikers. I really appreciate your advice on foot mobility for hikers. So much advice is for road runners.
“Hoof-like hikers” is the funniest, best, and most accurate description I’ve heard yet for traditional shoes. Thanks for the chuckle and for putting words to the difference between barefoot and traditional shoes.
Found this when I am in the process of transitioning to minimalist shoes. I spend alot of time barefoot and I cannot thank you enough for this video. Gold, I tell you. 🙏🏾🔥💪🏾
As somebody who just about NEVER wore shoes growing up, even into grocery stores and most public places as I got older. Walking south florida nature trails barefoot, coming across barefoot shoes was a blessing. My daily shoes since highschool were vans... now I have a pair of xero shoes and sandals and my back/foot pain is alleviated and I can feel grounded while I'm wearing shoes.
@@sketchur They were wearing shoes ever since the creation about 6000 years ago the nthe flood happened about 4000 wiped out all shoes except for those pertaining to the 8 on noahs ark then they repopulated the earth with shoes edit: oh yea and all the shoes inside hollow earth pertaining to the civilizations living in it which the KJV Bible is specific about having not wipedclean because it says "on the face of the earth" that all living things died, except for Noah and his family. The chinese flood myth got the amount of people on the boat right, true story
I've been in barefoot shows for 7 years now and will never go back. my brain has learned to adjust in real time to stepping on sharp or pointy objects, such that my foot adjusts pressure and which part of my foot i step with in rapid real time. it's awesome. I don't even worry about things like legos and sharp rocks anymore. My brain will compensate and adjust in real time.
I transitioned in 2013, started three months after my second ACL surgery. Reason was first time I went running in my ASICS Kayano during the recovery (prescribed by the Doctor) I had acute pain in the knee. I researched the topic and started transitioning. One problem I had was mild Achilles issue that I recovered from in a couple of months. Achilles must stretch and get longer and I found out was doing the calf stretching exercise wrongly. Since then I very rarely get injured and do very heavy training. Takeaway is that one must transition carefully, but after that, you are much better off. Thanks to barefoot running (I use Vivos or Merrell Glove) one can do much more at much less risk. I feel I do not wear my joints, very important after 2 ACL’s and in my late forty’s. As an example, I am able to rest for weeks (e.g. COVID-19 related) and then do four half marathons straight, day after day, as I just did this week. Such strain is possible because with barefoot running one controls better the actual load, one perceived better how the body reacts. I can only recommend barefoot/minimalist running, especially if you want to reduce or even eliminate injuries and you want to keep healthy for much longer. Just take care with the transition.
I wear barefoot shoes all summer. At the end of the summer the soles of my feet are leathery. Not calloused - they just have thicker skin. Also: The muscles in my foot are much stronger. I already wore broad shoes - always have - so that was not an issue. I sometimes have to look down when I've left my home to ensure I haven't forgot to put on shoes.
I've actually had similar issues and started to step on pointed stones while hiking (not all the time, but when i felt it could be beneficial, maybe for 30mins per day or so). So i was able to do a similar treatment WHILE hiking, while wearing barefoot shoes :) I've started to make a little game out of it and tried to catch different triggerpoints below my feet, stepping on that stones, while hiking. Quite fun :) It was not necessary to do an additional treatment with triggerballs or similar if i was playing this game daily, while hiking. But as with everything, there is a too less and a too much. So on some days it was better to do it more and on some not at all. I really just tried to listen to my body and act accordingly.
About the danger of injuries on a hike: I've tried hiking down hill with five fingers to reduce stress on my knees. But especially with these you really have to stay focused on where you put your feet as they offer the unique opportunity to hurt or even break each one of your toes individually... Which then happened as I lost concentration. Didn't break anything but bruised my outer right toes quite heavily. Be mindful of what you wear under which circumstances and maybe take a backup option with more protection at first when you're in difficult terrain.
Great video and nicely explained. I always shake my head when people tell me that they "tried out" barefoot shoes. This isn't something that you can just try out. It took me a year to slowly make the change. It was more of a lifestyle change then anything else.
Dude. This video was just suggested to me, and I'm so glad I watched it! I've been becoming increasingly suspicious of the common trends in the industries that produce gear for physical activities, and how they seem to be at least linked to long term problems in the body, rather than being beneficial. I really want to start bringing my body back to a more holistic state, and I think your channel is going to help me do that. Thank you so much!
I’m so happy I found barefoot shoes early in life! I’m 24 and I refuse to be in pain like everyone else in my family. My toes are permanently curved from shoes, anything with cushion (Hoka I’m looking at you) hurts my ankles horribly. Barefoot shoes make my feet sore like a workout, not painful like other shoes! I’ve had calcium deposits in my feet for years so I know feet pain. Barefoot shoes are worth it. Just take it slow!
Went barefoot about 10 years ago (2012) as it became mainstream. It felt crazy like "nobody should be doing this" - but in a week it felt good. My heel pain went away. In a month my long-term plantar fasciitis (sp??) went away (suffered for 10 years). I could now walk and jog further than I had in 20 years. It felt like the years were melting away. The big challenge was to A) run a 5K in them and B) play singles tennis for a match or 2 hours. I sometimes switch back to traditional running or tennis or hiking shoes for the variety but keep up with the minimal. NB and Merrill. Today, in 2022, they seem to have fallen out of favor. NB doesn't seem to make their Minimus line anymore and Merrell seems to be dropping out as well. I've gone and bought shoes based on the 1960s designs like ASCIS MeXICO 66s. Those are fairly thin.
Another good excersice for the feet and knees is backwards walking, I do it on the treadmill. I've been wearing vivobarefoot for nearly 5yrs. I tried on my ice hockey skates this year and can't believe it, they no longer fit due to width of my feet
I switched immediately after realizing I was destroying my knees by not running on the balls of my feet. Yeah it hurt my calves to have to grow some muscle quickly but I'm 100% sold that minimalist shoes are the more ideal way to live a healthy lifestyle.
I used to have so much knee pain that I couldn't run for shit (smashed them in rugby and motorcycle crashes, and probably from running with too much of a heel strike). I changed to new New Balance Minimus Zeroes, and eventually got back to a state that I could run. It hammered the calves at first, but once I built the strength up, I was able to run again. Definitely an education in how the body should work!
Switched from traditional shoes when I was about your age. Im turning 50 now. They gave me another decade of trail running I would not have had otherwise. That finally ended due to other body parts - mostly due to Rugby wear and tear. But I can still walk and hike forever, and I think that is due to the switch. I always get people asking me about rolling my ankle and saying they won’t do it because they need ankle support. And I always try to tell em- I have terrible ankles, I’ve had surgery on both because I injured them so much in sports over the years, but you are so less likely to roll an ankle with a minimal shoe because your foot is flat on the ground, not a half inch or more above it. I use the extreme example of women in heels- how they’re wobbly and always prone to easily twisting an ankle. Take away the shoe that causes physics to make your ankle want to roll, take away the need for ankle support. We literally created a problem that then required a fix and now people believe they require the fix even if there is no problem to require the fix in the first place. Just get rid of the problem. Definitely agree with your vid tho, you have to transition slowly. Took me probably 3 years in total. If not you can really hurt yourself. I mean it would basically be the same as having your arm casted for years, taking it off and then trying to go do 50 lb curls. You’re gonna injure yourself. I highly recommend reading Born to Run and Barefoot Ken Bob’s books. Only other thing I would say from my experience for people that have given it a go but are having issues even after a year or two is that there are also what I call near-barefoot shoes. Those with a 2-5 mm drop. These might work for that person. While I can wear barefoot shoes with 0 mm drop walking as much as I want, for running due to a congenitally short achilles, I had to have some lift in the heel. I found that a 4 mm drop was my optimum spot. Luckily Merrell makes some trail runners in this range, so I bought about 6 pairs of them. Because you don’t have to replace barefoot or near-barefoot shoes like you do traditional shoes because there simply is no cushioning to wear out and start making you run uneven- literally I wear mine until the sole just has nothing left- I still have two pair in my closet brand new. So for some perhaps backing off from 0 drop might be a solution, especially to transition to a 0 drop later. For some it may take longer if they have more damage, or like me might find that there are some times they need some drop. Finally I will say that while I have switched all my footwear now to minimalist, I do still wear mountaineering boots when actually mountaineering and using crampons. That environment for me still requires a brick around my foot. Just wish I had more time in life right now to do more of it. Anyway, just the thoughts of a guy whose been at it now for about 13 years or so. Cheers 🤙
I've run 3 half marathons in minimal shoes, including one in 5 fingers. Life took me away from fitness, which I am in the process of restoring. "Popular thinking" got into my head, even though I knew the TRUTH. I'm 56 and overweight with loss of flexibility..."I better get a 4mm drop with cushion". I THOUGHT I was comfortable. Then while camping and wearing an old holey pair of minimal shoes, something happened and I needed to take off running...OH MY!!!! I felt the ground and my feet felt like they had just been sprung from prison!! I'm hoping to do one more half marathon next Fall, so I am in the process of finding my new barefoot running shoes. It's just so damn exciting! I have one more 5k lined up this Summer and I will do it in my old holey shoes if I have to!
Day to day, I always try to wear as little restrictive footwear as possible and allow my feet to spread. Last 18 months it's been all flip flops and barefoot in the uk. For outdoor activities though, it depends on the terrain. My advise is get the best footwear you can afford when you are about to punish your feet. Thankfully I have hand feet and touchwood they stay that way.
0 drop/ barefoot shoes (like Vivobarefoot) completely stopped my back pain while running. I do wear Vivo barefoot shoes sometimes, mostly in casual situations, sometimes to work. I work primarily on concrete floors, so my feet get pretty sore in true barefoot shoes. I do wear altras or barefoot sandals almost all of the time. Lifting weights, body weight exercises I do barefoot because my gym encourages it, and I trail run in altras. Talk about life changing.
Huge thanks for this video mate. As a remedial therapis of 17 years, you cover so many critical points in the value of feet care and functionality. I couldnt tell you how many every day short term and long term problems ive seen due to these issues
I've been running barefoot for several years but my walking and hiking shoes have been traditional shoes. This year I fully transitioned to use only barefoot shoes and last summer I did my first barefoot hike, 5 days in the fells north from the arctic circle with Vivo Primus Trail FG running shoes. I'd say it was otherwise ok near the rivers and lowlands but the rocks on the fells were a bit harsh to the feet. Just mind your step and you'll be fine.
I am considering getting barefoot shoes and this isn’t completely related but I was so surprised how my feet have changed since I started doing yoga as it engages and stretches my feet so much more than other exercise which requires footwear
Im a martial artist but I have foot issues. This is helpful. I do a lot of barefoot exercise so I feel you're on the right path. Thanks for the help and information.
I'm two years into the barefoot journey. Honestly at the start I hated how they felt and my feet would be constantly sore. Now after two years my feet have adapted and I'm never felt better.
Good to hear it. I'm about five mo's into minimalist shoes and it is a great journey to make. I go into my local shoe store and I just find it horrible now. I got rid of about eight pairs of shoes that were all squeezing my toes and had heels on them. Good riddance! I can't stand those kinds of shoes anymore.
yes, the first few weeks to months can be painful, but it is just your body learning to use muscles in ways it's not used to. I'm 7yrs into wearing exclusively barefoot shoes in all weather and climates (including winters near the Canadian border) and I will never go back.
@@SoloRenegade Hello. Can you please tell me what kind of minimalist footwear you wear in the winter. I just got a pair of Lems Boulder Boots. Love 'em, but they dont' have so much tread on the bottom for snowy days, so I have some icers to attach, and when the snow gets high, I will use a pair of Neo's overboots that I just bought recently (some Neo's don't have much tread but the ones I got have real deep, big treads made for snow).
@@mumpygumboo8554 I wear a pair of synthetic socks, under a pair of smart wool socks, in New Balance Minimus V2. I have other similar types of shoes as well to the New Balance ones, such as from Xero shoes and other companies. I'll wear normal insulated boots if I am going to be snowmobiling or out on a frozen lake all day, but I also have a pair of military boot style minimalist boots still in good condition that I wear 2 layers of socks with otherwise. But normal day to day in winter is my typical shoes with 2 layers of socks. I also wear smart wool insulating layers too. if you keep you core and extremities warm, and adjust your entire body to cooler temps as it cools off in fall, it's easy. by keeping your legs warm, your blood will stay warmer closer to your feet, and keep your feet warmer as well. Then insulating your feet as well. I keep my house at 64F day and night, 58F when at work during winter. I just dress warmer in winter. In summer, i adapt to the heat and don't cool my house below ~78-80F, and some days I let it get as hot as 88F before considering using AC. I use the power of my body to great effect. Nature has given us the tools, if we just learn how to use them.
@@SoloRenegade Have you looked into Neos Overboots? I had a pair for years, and used them but they were too slippy slidey in the winter. Then, I found out they started making them with real super good grip soles on them. You need a light boot under them since they strap on over the ankle, so a simple shoe won't do. Anyway, when I used Neos in the past, they kept my feet unbelievably dry and warm. They have no heel on them, either. Just flat soles and super wide toe boxes. Just the way we like 'em. I've heard people in cold climates love 'em too.
I’m new to this subject compelled by bunions starting to develop and desperate for an answer. I’m only 34, I stopped long distance running due to that. I got my first pair of barefoot shoes 2 weeks ago. This video is fantastically helpful, thank you so much!! Subscribed!!
I've noticed all the shoe brands in the last 3 years switched to an inward pigeon-toeing last shape, and I can't find a decent pair without bunion pressure. I don't even keep them, it's a "thanks, hate it, back to the returns."
Check out toe spreaders as well. It will help reform your muscles into a proper foot shape. Also massage between your toes with your fingers to loosen everything up.
@@ColoradoStreaming thanks! My update is I’m using toe spacers and metatarsal pads. I use xero shoes and altra shoes as a transition. I’m happy with my journey so far. I’m doing stretches and exercises for feet and ankles…not everyday but something is better than nothing!
I started wearing zero drop shoes years ago and running miles. As I recall it seemed like a difficult transition but now I don't even think about the difficulties of wearing zero drop most of the time. I also wear flip flops that are very flexible as well.
I'm in my early 40's and I've been using barefoot shoes for a decade now, I've had success with Vibram Five Fingers, Merrell Barefoot and the New Balance Minumus which I still do use to this day whenever I go out, hit the gym, go for a road run or on the trails, and even on my backpacking trips. I'm glad I made the transition.
I have all my life preferred walking barefoot, I always do in our house as well. When I switched to barefoot shoes I had a period of I think 2 months when it hurt. I noticed I was too focused on how to walk "correctly" that I basically forgot how to walk and didn't let myself found my footing naturally :D When I stopped thinking too much about it, it instantly got better :) I also notice now, 3 years later, that my legs are waayyy more trained!
I've been wearing Xeros Prios for nearly 3 years on an everyday basis, and then recently did a 2 week backpacking trip in Xero TerraFlexes. I loved them for the flexibility, weight, and connection to the trail under me. Something you just don't get with hard soled shoes or boots. I will never go back to constrictive shoes!
Wow, you got that long out of the Prios? I had to glue mine back together after about 6 months when the sole began to fully separate from the body of the shoe. I still use them from time to time but bought a pair of Freet Pace shoes which I prefer.
I'm glad this guy brings up hiking in barefoot shoes being painful. There are many other channels only talking about the benefits of barefoot shoes when there are clearly drawbacks as well. Sometimes you need a sturdy boot with a good arch.
We need a company to make a hybrid type hiking boot with zero drop, wide toe box and decent flexibility but still have some protection for longer hikes. I have they Irish Setter Elk Trackers and they are actually not too bad as far as having toe room and not a lot of heel.
I walk 10 miles a day every day at work. I switch cold Turkey to barefoot shoes and I didn’t have any pain. Presumably cause I’m not running and pounding on my feet, but I actually feel my feet have expanded and gotten stronger and wider. I have naturally very very wide feet so these are the only shoes I’ve had that actually fit me right.
I've never really worn shoes. 55 years. Hurt a nerve in my forefoot and tried to fix it with the help of Podiatry. Worst thing that ever happened to me. 12 months of crippling pain seeing 20 plus professional medical specialists. Finally gave up on anyone being able to help. I'm now 12 months free of shoes and my injury is still painful but walking around barefoot is far better than any other option. Footwear of any type is extremely detrimental to me.
Buying my first pair of barefoot shoes next week (still researching the best ones for this newbie). 57 with a bunion and flat feet - ready for the transition!
I would be interested to hear which you decided to go with. I'm 60 with collapsed arches and a growth that's been misdiagnosed as a Taylor's bunion. I'm just starting to look into barefoot shoes but everything I read says they will help.
@@63off I caught a sale on Xero Prio All Day leather - $65 - half price! I have been wearing ONLY these (with the exception of low dress shoes for church, until I am able to get some dressier barefoot shoes and boots) since I got them around the beginning of November. I used to get such horrible pain when I was running errands/shopping for long periods on my feet, and in large stores with concrete (i.e. Costco). I would come home and just sit with my feet up because I was in pain. I have been virtually pain free since about 3 weeks into wearing them - no joke. I take 6 group classes/week at the Y. Strength training, Barre, Toning, etc. This past Monday I took my usual two back to back classes, then immediately after, went walking around shopping at two stores - NO pain….
! am 77 years old. When I was 64, I bought some new, expensive sneakers with extensive cushioning and was convinced by the salesman to add an insert to this for yet more cushioning. I would jog several miles a day. In a matter of days, my right knee was so sore I could hardly walk from my car from the parking lot to my desk (Large company, almost 1/4 mile from where I parked to the desk.) I wore the sneakers and inserts to work because I ran on a treadmill in the company gym (this was in Michigan in the winter). On a whim, I pulled the insert out and was able to walk back to my car and put some oxfords on that were in it. No problems walking the rest of the day. By sheer coincidence, the company cafeteria had a large screen TV with continual news. They showed a blurb of "The Harvard Running Professor" who talked about barefoot running. He said that landing on your heel jars your knees and hips. By contrast, barefoot running forces you to land with most of the pressure on your forefoot. This greatly reduces the shock. What he said made sense and i thought I would give it a try. It took me a year to build up the strength to go through a regular workout again. No more sneakers again, period. Calf muscle strength is the problem. I have done barefoot running since then with no knee problems. Last fall, while it was still warm, I ran a flying start one hundred meters in 19.5 seconds on an asphalt road in front of my house. (Not bad for 77 years old, but I have to work at it.) Sprinting on asphalt is about as great a shock on your feet as you can give them. I do need to wrap adhesive tape around the forefoot when I do a sprint workout (which is important for exercising super fast twitch muscles, which give lots of hormonal benefits). I am absolutely convinced of the value of bare foot running. I have exclusively used running sandals from Xero shoes this entire time. They are much cheaper than sneakers and seem to last forever compared to regular sneakers.
We moved to Spain a few years ago and started spending all summer literally barefooted around the house all day and night with all it's tiled floors in doors and out. What we noticed is that over time we became much more naturally lighter footed to the point where accidentally stepping on a stone no longer hurts. So here's the thing...because we walk lighter footed now we also have less stress on our knees and hips which all stopped aching too.
Sounds like great advice. Up until 30, I was wearing shoes or work boots almost every waking hour. After 30, and now till 37, as soon as I'm home, no shoes. I even use my climbing wall barefoot. Even do some barefoot parkour (which typically results in bleeding). Really glad to have this advice to help me even more.
I started to quit shoes about 2 years ago, immediately got 7 blisters walking a couple miles on sand/gravel, and have always loved the comfort and mobility it adds. I can easily spread my toes so that none of them touch, something no shoe-wearer I know is capable of doing.
I went barefoot almost 2 years ago and this was an extremely beneficial transition for me, mostly for running because walking in them is a pain in the ass. I compensate my everyday tightness of shoes and lack of flatness by running in barefoot shoes and walking a lot of time bare feet around home. Running in the mountains was especially funny since stepping on a stingy rock or anything that would be painful as hell. That's why at some point my mind adapted to fast pace scanning of the ground in front of me and became much more responsive to surroundings as I was suddenly able to pick rocks to jump at with like Jedi laser speed. I was literally running like 10-12 km/h on rough terrain literally picking each rock to step on and landing on the center of it to avoid instability and falling over, and the funniest is that I was very motivated by the pain that I would experience upon making a mistake. However, for walking/trekking - horrible choice bro you'll kill yourself, wear salomons or merell trekking shoes 😂
try this without shoes at all. You will see its getting better and better. I never had big injuries, but you got to learn to watch your step. And that is the natural way of walking or running.
I've tried barefoot shoes on and off for a few years now. Given them a good run. Had professional fitters help me out from multiple shops. At the end of the day, even following all the advice, what to expect, how to walk in them, they still make my feet hurt and increase my fatigue throughout the day. It's the same experience from everyone I know who's tried them too.
I had the same thing for a long time when I switched to barefoot shoes. It takes a long time for your feet to develop the muscle strength and flexibility in your tendons to support you as you walk. Regular shoes are like casts, so your feet are much weaker (mine for sure were!). My general rule as my feet were strengthening was to stop if it hurt during the walking/hiking/etc, but if it hurt after from the general muscle fatigue, then that was ok - just massage and stretching did the trick. It meant that for a while my hikes were much shorter, and the next day my feet were sore! But after a while that got much better! I found that swimming was a good form of exercise during my shoe transition, and my feet got stronger and more mobile the more I walked on uneven ground. Hang in there. Switching to barefoot full time was the best thing I ever did!
I'm actually barefoot most the time I'm not in work, was looking into buying these to wear when I'm required to like shops/pubs. Hate having my feet covered
I keep getting ads for those online since I posted pics of my Vibram Five Fingers. Both seem to be in a similar price range, where Vivo is quite a bit more costly, so I might have to check those out. I'm in Canada, and having separate toes keeps you cooler, which a bad thing in winter, so I've been wanting to try others.
I always loved walking barefoot and own Vibrams. #1 thing to learn is being aware of where you place your feet, especially when walking or running on trails. Being mindful of my foot placements forces me to concentrate and puts me in the zone.
Barefoot shoes have helped me so much. Im 25 and hated wearing shoes as a kid so my foot never grew into the shoe shape most people do. This made shoes very painful as I got older because they always squeeze my foot! Finding barefoot shoes was a life changer because I finally found a shoe that fit!
I found it interesting to hear your take on arches. Having had very high arches from poor posture it has been a goal of mine to lower my arches. I have been successful at this goal using a combination of running with barefoot shoes and rolling a ball under my foot to stretch the muscles of my feet. This process has increased the muscle mass of my feet and is lowering my arches as I methodically work in rolling off of my big toes and part of my gait. Until I saw your video I thought this was the way to go. I am sure you have seen barefooters with both well-defined arches as you have and much lower arches. Can you share how you came to the conclusion that high, well-developed arches were the way to go? Much thanks. Great video.
My guess is that high arches are mainly a problem when the muscles are weak; the foot 'collapses' and is harder to use/control. With strong muscles the arch acts as a shock absorber.
I also have high arches and I’m concerned how that will influence my transition to minimal footwear. I just checked my sneakers and the wear pattern is pretty much normal, but I definitely have visually high feet, and I’ve always gotten uncomfortable quickly in flat soles like converse and rubber sandals. But I figure that as long as walking around literally barefooted feels ok, barefoot shoes should be okay.
I used to roll my ankles frequently and I noticed my arches and ankles starting to "fall" in my mid 30s. Started getting constant heel bruises. Switched to Lems and xeros, haven't rolled my ankle once since and feet are stronger than ever. It did take a few years. I can't wear a shoe with arch support now, absolutely terrible cramps.
Hi John, in here doing research due to getting completely fed up with my calfs seriously cramping up during any sort of jog or run, which can last for days. Does this sound similar to what you suffered? I have high arches and poor ankle mobility.
As a South African, we grew up practically barefoot. Did everything and played all sports barefoot. When I discovered vibram 5 fingers I tried them, and now use them almost exclusively. I've owned over 10 pairs. My feet were primed however, a personal friend who had never gone barefoot bought a pair, wore them a whole day and ended up severely injuring his feet with months of recovery. You must gradually adapt.
![Top 5 Barefoot Shoes LIES! [Plantar Fasciitis, Bunions & Flat Feet]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3elMryUe4a4/mqdefault.jpg)
![Top 5 Barefoot Shoes LIES! [Plantar Fasciitis, Bunions & Flat Feet]](/img/tr.png)
![My Guide to Barefoot Hiking Shoes [Time to Switch?]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/02Ahz-Bc5Us/mqdefault.jpg)
Are you barefooting or nah?
I'm a barefoot sandal man
Just bought my first pair of Altras this morning. Will put them to the test next week.
@@jamesosborne2021 Sandal gang represent :) Luna Leadville Pacers for me. So light I can't fathom wearing anything heavier than them ever again.
Big nah! I walk on sharp stones, bushland and difficult terrain. I need warm, waterproof, thick soled boots to withstand it. Cumbersome, but keeps me safe.
Merrell semi-barefoot… wide toe box with a little mid foot support… i wear them everywhere
One of the things I first noticed wearing barefooters was how mentally straining it became, having to notice the ground I was treading took me out of my loofty mindset and sort of grounded me, my hikes became almost meditative as I suddenly had to read the ground infront of me. Loved it!
Yes, I had that initially, but loved it. Now, my feet are so accustomed and I do it without even noticing or thinking about it, and my feet can tolerate most surfaces now just fine, including things like gravel. As i step on sharp edges of rocks and such in real time my brain adjusts foot pressure and shifts weight to avoid injury. it's amazing. Been doing this for 7 years now. I refuse to wear non-barefoot shoes now, except in very specific cases that typically are only a few hours over a few days each year.
Dead on!
Totally agree
I used to hike wearing flip flops for that reason. Maybe some day I'll take the plunge and buy barefoot shoes.
For some reason I read this in the voice of Beau Miles lmao
When you wear barefoot shoes you gain a new sense for your surroundings. You suddenly become aware of what surface you're walking on. And that is a beautiful feeling.
I found this too! My feet would be tingling from all the sensory feedback I was getting when I first started wearing them. This is no longer the case but I am so much more aware of the terrain and feel more connected to my surroundings as a result!
Yes! I Agree... except, I have some funky, junky arthritic joints in my toes (which are better, btw, since wearing minimalist shoes -- I can walk barefoot in my hard floors at home, as long as it's not all the time). So, I wear "minimalist shoes" with the zero drop/no heels, which are Altras, but they are the kind with some more padding on the sole than my Lems Primal shoes, for example, which I only use on soft woodland trails or in my home gym.
I just got my Lems Boulder Boots and they are great, but I felt like I just needed a wee bit more padding. All the insoles I looked at are not wide enough, so I bought a used, thin wetsuit (not too stretchy of a model) and cut out some insoles and put them under the Lems insoles they provided with the Lems boots. However ---> I walked along a railroad track yesterday, and I loved feeling some sharp rocks and the edges of the railroad ties as well... It does feel good.
Over an hour walking around on pavement yesterday, and in the evening, I had no foot pain. My feet felt a bit tired but energized! Amazing. I'm sure they'll feel even better on wooded trails!
Going barefoot (well, just making sandals out of insoles and shoelaces) literally saved my life. I was on a trail that I frequented in my town. i knew them so well that I had stopped paying attention. My first time out with the homemade sandals and that feeling of being aware kicked in after the first mile. A stone wall that I usually jumped over without thought had me looking before I landed, and luckily so. I noticed a minuscule amount of movement in the leaves.... It was just enough to have me suspicious and i twisted mid air.... my foot would have landed dead center on top of a yellow jacket ground hive entrance. I'm allergic and the aggressive swarm that would have instigated is something that makes my spine tingle to this day.
And it was all because i decided to go barefoot on a whim.
It was pouring rain for a couple days and I really wanted to go for a barefoot walk with my pups. Normally, I'd probably wear a pair of FiveFingers, but all of mine have holes 🤣 and I knew they'd just get soaked with no easy way of drying them... And the walk was everything I had hoped for :) lots of wet Fall leafs on the ground... very little foot or car traffic... lots of rain rushing down the streets and flooded puddles to splash around in... lots of wet spongey grass and squishy soil... etc. There are such wide varieties of terrain and textures and temperatures, etc. A lot of people look at me like im crazy, but i look at them and feel so sorry for their feet 😞
Until you step on a Lego 🤣
I used to sell footwear and it was alarming how many folks came in to buy barefoot footwear for their hikes but had never used them before. The hype and marketing are dangerous and I found myself having to constantly remind folks to ease into their new footwear.
Also worth noting that the book “how to fix your feet” is fantastic and I highly recommend it to anyone who hikes. It’s all about taking measures to reduce, prevent, and sometimes get rid of various foot injuries. I used to read it during my shift on slow days, and the knowledge I gained was invaluable in helping customers assess footwear problems and needs.
I can’t find this book. Who is it by please?
@@amyalexahub the book is called fixing your feet by John Vonhof. I misremembered the title when I made the original comment
Petra Fisher also has an online course, how to fix your feet. Look her up and you will find lots of excellent information.
thanks for clarifying your point to a point where I know what your point is with enough clarity to see it and know what you mean
@@PuppetMasterdaath144 you’re welcome.
I am now watching my 9 month old son learning to walk. It is amazing to see how intuitively he uses all his muscles on his feet. So much to learn from him.
Agreed
look up Goata
🙏 blessings to your family
We live in a rural area and barefoot gravel running isn't even unusual so when my boy made his first steps in the summer and was runnin within a day I didn't insist on shoes unless we were in stores.
When fall came around and I insisted on shoes he tripped, lost his balance or just fell constantly. He, at one time had 14 bruises across his head from falling. He started riding bike and climbing tree at 2, lost the training wheels at 3 and started skateboarding at the same time... He stopped falling on his face in shoes at 4 stopped falling in boots 2 winters later.
It's actually why I'm at this video. I was a sprinter before he was born, he'll be turning 6 this summer and want him to start running with me. I'm torn between finding him running shoes and letting him run barefoot considering he doesn't have the calluses I do.
So many times the easy comfortable thing is the long term damaging way to do things. I'm trying tonfigure out if I'm getting him ready for a world of hurt if he starts barefoot running so early
9 months is too young for him to be walking totally on his own just yet. if hes just pushing himself along while sitting in a walker, thats fine. ive seen kids develop bow legs that are not correctable for a lifetime just bc parents wanted their kids to walk before other kids the same age etc...
I started wearing barefoot in my late 50’s. The transformation has been amazing. I did take it slower early on but after 6 years plus I now struggle to feel anything but uncomfortable in normal shoes. Due to osteoporosis injuries wearing normal shoes was painful after about a mile walking. With barefoot shoes I have no pain, my balance is significantly better, and feel more stable in all movements. I would add, due health issues, I am not super fit or any sort of athlete, just a normal guy …
You writing so well of your own experience of barefoot shoes. I have a one pair of barefoot shoes, they are little bit narrow around heel. I have a plan buy new pair of shoes. I struggle back, nape, hip pains. I am almost 57 y.
Hi Phil , my english is not very good , can you please tell me why he said on his video "barefoot shoes creat problem" ?
Thanks for your well written response. Obviously I would need to consult my doctor but do you know if I would be able to wear them while suffering from arthritis? I wear orthotics to help but assume I wouldn’t wear them in barefoot shoes
@@evan6901 the question is can you walk barefoot around your home without pain, that might be the first test. If you can barefoot shoes are worth a try. Vivobarefoot used to do a good return policy so you could try them and see if they work for you
@@klaasklaas5849 he meant they creat good problems. He was being provocative to get more “clicks”
I was running half marathons in conventional footwear. When I switched to minimal footwear (luna sandals), I treated it like I was starting running all over again from a beginner. It's a totally different experience. This is a good video.
Ran My half marathon in my merells and it wrecked my knees (temporaryily at least). Mind you I had been running in them for about 2 years and did well. But running over 20km at once is really a diff deal compared to your casual evening run of 10 km. Still they are my fav shoe and I'll never go back to regular running as I don't have any shin splints anymore.
@@projektbrot 20km is kinda casual for me. It is the speed that wrecks the feet. Take it slow (like 2 hours) and it should be fine. Just need to take the time.
@@paulgoogol2652 I agree, I've had to run several miles barefoot (native Mexican heritage) and the pace is important, maybe speed comes with the experience.
One thing I love about zero-drop is you actually have a greater push off of your toes since the heel starts from a lower position. It’s basically opening up untapped power in your calves.
You get it!
So are these "barefoot" shoes just wider sand shoes?
I agree, especially if you load mobility through that full range
@@janeblogs324 what are sand shoes?
@@aurtisanminer2827 Desert shoe's
One of my favorite benefits of transitioning to minimalist shoes is that blisters are a thing of the past. When the shoe easily flexes with your foot, blisters don't happen.
and/or your feet just get a bit tougher too.
Rubbing alcohol (surgical spirit) is well named.
Rubbed, or dabbed on with cotton wool, for 10 - 14 days, on any area of skin likely to suffer wear and tear, toughens it up, temporarily.
New footwear is a doddle, after that, the beauty being natural calluses form, pain free, underneath, as the unaffected areas are returning to their normal texture in an equally short time.
Been using the stuff for almost six decades now and the best part is it can be found on the shelves of the vast majority of chemist's and it's dirt cheap, costing only pennies.
Hands and shoulders also remain immune to hardwood splinters, thorns,, blisters, cuts etc.
Shoe shops should stock it, as par for the course, to my mind.
Military branches, too, as it saves them failing recruits for being crippled up and unable to complete their bft courses, plus it also prevents trenchfoot.
2 pairs of socks works well too
yeah I haven't noticed any blisters/issues when I swapped to my barefoot shoes, I couldn't walk much to begin with due to pain and easilly getting blisters, but these I can even use without socks and haven't had any issues with blisters at all.
Even if you play basketball?
I wore barefoot for years and developed plantar fasciitis. Podiatrist convinced me to go back to fully cushioned shoes. After a year of crippling pain I stumbled onto the actual cause: magnesium deficiency. Supplemented mg and cured the PF.
I'm now happily back in barefoot shoes and doing great at 56!!
Oh my goodness! I just started taking this! No one told me to.. it was just an inner feeling. Thank you for sharing!
This is encouraging!
Placebo
@@user-sg8kq7ii3y Very likely, he probably supplemented mg but at the same time his foot restored, now cured of PF until the next time - unlikely magnesium deficiency had anything to do with it.
@@user-sg8kq7ii3y I mean, if it works...
My feet are stronger, my posture better, and balance has greatly improved in the almost 3 years since converting to barefoot shoes. I suffered far more injuries in traditional shoes from rolling my ankles.
My husband is a limb salvage, needless to say we see a lot of the Podiatrist and Ortho; we've talked about this with his team, they see injuries all the time from rolling ankles in lifted sneakers. There are pros to cushioned shoes, but lots of cons too.
@Misterlaxx d Yes! The one time I did roll my ankle, I was hiking in the woods and took a spill. Not only was I able to get up and keep walking, I didn't have to cut my hike short from pain or swelling. I will preach barefoot shoes to anyone who will listen (and a few who want me to shut up).
@@jessicawillson9452 Shut Up!
Ankle pains and arch problems were common for me while growing up with regular shoes. All of those went away since going barefoot, but perhaps barefoot shoes will be a nice compromise. Stay blessed everyone. 😊🌎✨
@Misterlaxx d Sometimes the most simple things work the best! 😇🌎✨
I'm a competitive runner and have been doing some of my miles barefoot for quite awhile now. Really like this video. It's something that people often miss but is crucial. If you don't train your flexibility and strength before fully moving to barefoot you WILL get injured.
Yeah, it’s a not matter of if but when… even if you make it to 90 without an injury, it’s coming for ya hahh
Shin Splints done by electronic warfare devices very common practice in france.......Carcassonne
HONESTY
There is a transitioning period
@@jurgschupbach3059 you can protect yourself from many external influences with practices such as the light pillar you can cultivate in disciplines like Hatha Yoga.
@@manbiteslife3110 hey
Husband and I made the barefoot shoe switch a little over a year ago. I was working on my feet all day and coming home in agony. Shoes and insoles that offered “support” did nothing to ease the pain. I can happily assure you now that my feet are happier and healthier on my barefoot journey than ever before.
Thank you for sharing your story:)
Thanks for sharing! I’m on my feet for 8+ hours a day and my callouses and bunion are only getting worse. I’m too afraid to make the leap to barefoot shoes at work…but I may as well give it a try!
do you still wear barefoot shoes? just wondering
I'm 62 and have been wearing a zero drop, minimalist shoe for about a year. Previous to this change, I rolled my ankles fairly regularly and fell every few months. Since the change, I have done neither. Not once. I did not understand how much even minimal arch "support" shifted my weight subtly to the outside. Or how much the side-to-side flexibility in these shoes allows me to "catch myself". Love this change and never going back!
Same. I’m always rolling my right ankle. Look at that. Thanks for sharing. Noted.
Wow that might be a solution for me to. Thank you.
I have always enjoyed stepping directionally on every rock. I tell my friends I get a foot massage every time I hike and they think I’m nuts. They always say “I have no strength so I need support.” And that sums up all the problems in the world.
PS I ordered those same shoes and they were wide enough (so hard to find) but they were too tight in the middle of the foot!!! My feet were asleep within ten minutes of wearing! They were the right length so I didn’t see a solution in sizing up. I am just at a loss for good shoes. I’ve been needing a replacement for seven years. My husband bought xeros but I’m wary of the quality. Anyone have suggestions!?
@@patriciaschlessman5476 the best shoes? you were born with them.
Fear often leads us to avoidance instead of acceptance. I get that.
What i don’t get is how this fear-driven behavior tricles into professional advice.
@@AlbertKarhuFilms you’re right, but real bare feet are not socially accepted in all situations at the moment.
@@patriciaschlessman5476 Did you try Altra shoes (e.g., Altra Escalante Racers or Escalante 3)? Many Altra models have wide versions and most models can be worn with or without the removable insole.
I started my transition to barefoot about 10 years ago, and I experienced, almost immediately, less pain in knees and low back. I also went for a 2-mile jog which was way too far for barefoot beginner, and my calf muscles were swollen for at least two weeks, and it was like I turned on a whole new set of muscles. If you’re young, you will love it (unless you don’t want big muscles in calves?), and if you are 30+, you will regret it and wish you went slower! Either way, the transition is inevitable if you want overall wellness and less pain with an active adult lifestyle. The other significant change is that my feet became significantly wider in certain areas. Not just the most obvious needing more room in toe box for comfort, but the muscles on the bottoms of my feet were activated and subsequently a few mm bigger…and the major downside was that I could no longer wear some of my old favorite boots or dress shoes. I basically found barefoot in every style and never looked back…almost never. I still see a pair of Nike’s or other pop shoes occasionally that make me wish they would fit comfortably, and I still try on a pair every once in a while just to check. Going up a size makes it tolerable, but if you are going to be on your feet or walking a lot, it only takes me an hour or two to feel pain from normal, narrow, raised heel shoes and beg for barefoot. There are more and more brands making nice looking barefoot shoes that can accommodate most situations (boots, oxford’s, classic sneakers, etc.). I strongly recommend looking into the following: Lems (great for beginners and transition, wide toe box and zero drop, but with some cushion), Vivobarefoot, Merrel Vapor Glove, and a newer favorite that is ridiculously affordable, Whitin (amazon brand usually between $35-50!). And I also love Camper specifically Peu Cami style only, and I remove the padded insole with heel elevated and replace with a “barefoot” sole (which is also made by Whitin and purchased on Amazon). That is one of my favorites for style and comfort. So in summary, like most things, slow and steady wins, and I highly recommend a mindful approach to foot health, to include the exercises and stretches in this video. I wore toe spacers almost every night for a year and now I just wear them occasionally in my feet are sore. Its amazing how you can literally reshape your feet with patient, mindful care including strengthening and massaging into place. You have 26 bones in each foot and over 100 muscles and ligaments that determine the shape and setting of those bones. You can reshape your foot and likely avoid surgery and more injuries and general pain particularly if you look at it like you are preparing your body for your next decade. You may experience some relief earlier on, but unless you are still growing or very young adult, this will take time, and its so worth it!
Thanks for sharing! I also transitioned to barefoot shoes about 10 years ago. After doing my research I took it slow and made the transition over a year, but I have not had a single injury since. When running in my 20s I was plagued by plantar fasciitis, shin splints, and hip fractures and was nervous about not being able to run as I got older. I'm closing in on 40 now and am confident I have many year of running ahead of me! It has gotten a little harder to find barefoot shoes as it is not as trendy, but I can't imagine going back now.
Do the toe seperators really work? I bought some because my toes are literally like triangle shaped due to how close together they are.
Will I be able to find winter boots that I can tolerate once I'm accustomed to barefoot shoes?
Write a book.
@@uli3119 I've been wearing high quality toe spacers (correct toes) for 3 years now and they work wonders for me. I wear almost 24/7..at night, in slippers at home, and out in very wide toe box shoes (softstar primals). My knee pain that plagued me in my 20s has disappeared and my stability is amazing with them in. (Long history of foot injury before) Unfortunately, it takes as many years to undo crappy shoe damage as it takes to malform, so think of these as more of an ongoing aid, not a cure. They were 110% worth it for me. My feet are the happiest they've ever been.
As an orthopedic shoemaker for over 10 years now, this video is so awesome to see. Very well and professionally explained. I think everybody can learn a lot from this. I mean EVERYBODY. Together with my boss we two produce about 1000 pairs of medically prescribed orthopedic insoles every year by hand, plus around 150 pairs of individually designed orthopedic shoes.. I can tell you, that almost everybody has some kind of deformation regarding their feet, knees, hips and so on. Everything is connected from bottom to top in the human body. A lot of customers have the expectation that an orthopedic insole will heal or lets say bring their feet back into their natural shape without being actively trained. In fact, the opposit is happening, and I suggest them always not to wear these insoles always and in every shoe. Sure there are some special cases where the body health does not support and/or allow active training anymore or over a period of time. For thoes people are such special shoes and insoles really a help and a piece of life quality. But as long as it is possible for one, it will pay out in the long term. Train your feet well and they will carry you as far as you want them to. It IS a path as said in the video. Change does not come overnight, but it will come. Be patient with yourself.
Thanks a lot to the ceator of this video for this insight into barefoot shoes. I am already excited trying a pair of these out in the near future.
I run practically daily, and I feel like I need insoles because my arch falls down to the ground because it needs more support due to the amount of force I layout
@@carlsmith9864 it’s worth seeing someone, as well as working on some strengthening exercises. Foot issues are genetic on my husband’s side, and we’ve got 4 generations of orthotics, including my minor children who are working on prevention.
@@VirginiaGeorge that’s the thing: I’ve seen like 4-5 sports doctors and orthopedic doctors
@@carlsmith9864 In 2019 I visited an orthopedic congress where one of Austrias leading othopedic doctors, Dr. Franz Landauer, exactly referred to this problem. It's roots are found in our evolution. The trasition from walking on all 4 extremities to walking upright. On the inner side of your feet there is the so called "deltoid ligament" (just google it up and you will know what I mean ;). It connects and stabilizes your lower legs and feet. As it was originally made for walking on all 4 this part of the human body can often be underdeveloped. I would say betweet 60 to 70 % of my customers have some form of your described problem.
In your case I would suggest you when running to wear some sort of longitudinal arch support. Maybe a little bit more than the already existing free space between floor and longitudinal arch when you are standing barefoot on a flat surface. Not too much at one time, your feet need a little time to get used to new position while wearing insoles. The same goes for the transverse vault. A bit of support and also some kind of cushenign for the metatarsal area. Especially when running long distances, the transverse vault support should not be too strong. Expect insoles, training of outer side of upper legs and gluteus also can help like I hope this comment will help. 🙏🦶
Please share the city of your orthopedic business. I desperately need help. I am veteran and former long distance runner with collapsed arches and it feels like that tendon holding the bottom of my foot is shredded. Funny enough, the VA in the US tells me it’s all in my head…. I’ll pay anything for some relief
On injury likelihood: I've found that the support granted by traditional shoes gives the feeling that you can push harder than your body really can, while wearing barefoot shoes or sandals lets you more accurately feel your body's limits. It's anecdotal, but I've had way more ankle injuries when hiking in non-barefoot trailrunners.. and combine that with the downtime caused by those injuries, and personally I'm able to hike far far longer in barefoot shoes before injuring myself than if I'm wearing shoes with thick soles and arch support.
same, barefoot shoes have change my life for the better.
If you were getting injured that much then you got other issues going on
My feet will never be the same.
Yeah I can put down more miles on a run in normal running shoes. I dont like running long durations though.
I’ve had more injuries on my
Onewheel from wearing shoes than I ever had riding barefoot.
The worst thing that happens barefoot is my feet get sweaty and slippery. Or I step on a rock or something sharp after bailing/falling.
I was always playing outside barefoot as a kid, and I think the change to bare feet doesn't cause problems in itself, as you mentioned. They only highlight how weak your feet are so what feels like a problem is actually a symptom of a larger issue, much in the same way as people commonly experiencing bodily issues or discomfort from changing their unhealthy diets.
Barefoot has always been better, and if the ground was in better condition in the cities (idiots breaking glass and dropping garbage everywhere), I'd be barefoot most of the time, but I'll have to settle for sandals and minimalist shoes for now.
I don't know about outdoor pursuits but my hips were twisted and basically entire skeletal structure was asymmetrical my entire life, until I started wearing barefoot shoes. Now I'm taller and all my muscle groups are engaged in every movement and it feels absolutely amazing! About 3 years of wearing nothing but barefoots, but they don't have to have thin soles so you feel all the stones when walking, it's the zero drop is the most important feature, for me anyway it was, as a typical heeled shoe pushed in my lower back, pushing out my butt and distributing the load badly.
I agree about zero drop, but also width to splay toes is very important. Most barefoot advocates are young and they still have a lot of nice juicy adipose tissue on the bottoms of their feet. But being older (I started with barefoot shoes way back when the toe shoes were a new thing), I am finding that the really thin soles don’t do it for me anymore, especially when I am primarily on concrete and pavement.
Taller!?
Now you have my attention lol
@@oOo-Della yeah my hips and thus my spine were slightly twisted to the left. Now everything is straightening out I am literally standing taller than I was. People have even said it to me! I’m nearly 40, bit late for a growth spurt! I just hope this kind of development at my age isn’t dangerous or something, like cell mutations or some sh!t 🤷
@@balbibou thank you, that makes me feel better 🙏
I've been amazed how roll-proof my ankles have become over a few years of trail running and hiking in (mostly) Merrell Trail Gloves. 21 mile hikes these last two weeks, both with a hard roll that were complete non-issues. Stronger, more supple supporting muscles, and not having the extra lever arm of a tall sole wrenching your foot over when it happens helps too.
As for getting beat up by the ground ...learn to land better, and don't step blindly.
I have two different Merrell Trail Gloves, one has a thicker soul that the other. I love them, they are my absolute favorite!
Merril Trail Gloves!! Love them.
Try a pair of Danner Tactical 8in boots when hiking. Best boots ive ever owned. Not barefoot style, but bullet proof, great ankle support, and pretty light.
Hi , my english is not very good , can you please tell me why he said on his video "barefoot shoes creat problem" ?
I grew up playing soccer and stuck with it through college. The universally preferred boot (we called out shoes boots) was the Addidas Copa. It was basically a cleated flat plastic sole with a thin and supple leather upper. The toe box was a bit cramped compared to barefoot shoes but many it checked the other boxes- flat, no arch, etc. It was extremely uncommon to see any type of foot, ankle or knee injury from running and we ran a lot. The injuries I did see were almost universally from collisions and even these were fairly rare. With hindsight I think the type of running we did along with the type of shoe helped develop all those little muscles that are important to barefoot running. Later in life when I transitioned to running it never felt natural or right until I finally bumped into barefoot shoes and bought a pair of merrils. The conventional running shoes felt like high heels. Since then I've done most of my running in barefoot shoes or minimalist sandals. I also take my ball out with me sometimes. Running with a ball makes you think about where your bode is and trains you to keep centered over your feed. I have no scientific evidence but I expect it is another soccer related thing that also translate well to current thinking on barefoot shoes and running form.
Another huge problem with regular shoes is most people do not wear the correct size, with running shoes you absolutely want extra space in your toes for proper movement, but a lot of people refuse to wear the size they should because they've bought the same exact size for years and they get stuck on a number. I work at a running shoe store and I'd say the vast majority of people have pain/problems either related to not wearing the correct shoe size, or they are using the wrong type of shoe for the activity they're doing.
my issue is that bigger shoe size almost always just mean a *longer* shoe. if one size is too slim, youre better off disregarding that entire brand because the longer you need the shoe to be, the slimmer it will feel because the sole is the exact same width.
When I get new running shoes I always ask for a resize. It might be annoying, but I’ve never had to return a pair and my shoe size has fluctuated over the years.
@@felesnocis perfect! You're my favorite type of customer haha, wayyyyy too many people just get stuck on the number and don't ever focus on the fit.
I'm 63 and have gained so much valuable info from Chase Mountains since I've started hiking. I've used his exercises to not only recover from leg injuries, but I'm sure to prevent them as well. Thanks so much!
Probably the best of all the overviews of the barefoot/minimalist that I have come across. From my personal experience as someone in their late sixties who has been using this type of footware for the last 18 months in a lot of different environments, I would strongly recommend listening to all the suggestions made. After years of abuse to my feet with "normal" shoes, it has only been in the last few months that I have finally realized the many benefits of this type of footware.
I never had “real” shoes and really loved my barefoot foot ware when that became a mainstream thing. I was somewhere in my late 30’s when I decided to get some hiking boots that were built like armor. Thick sole, arches, up past the ankles, water proof. Oh man, they are heavenly, going from 3 decades of thin soles to suddenly not feeling every pebble underfoot and even getting to trudge through puddles. I’m having the exact opposite experience as you guys.
Barefoot is pretty hyped tbh
I have the problem that I want to find wide toes shoes but I don't really want soft soil... I don't understand why those are connected. I have experience in walking without shoes, if I want something like this, I would walk actually bare foot. I think I will resoil wide toes shoes .
Okay, maybe you're someone I need to talk to. I have maybe one pair of shoes that is well built, and probably three pairs of cheap, honestly worthless shoes, that I know I can't spend a TON of time in them because I will TRASH my feet. I wore cheapo shoes working fast food AND moving house at the same time, and was afraid I needed SURGERY, my feet hurt so bad. I went to a store for shoes for people who WORK, bought my first pair of Danskos, and was so so so happy. So I have A pair of very supportive shoes I pull out when I'm doing something like the state fair, throw on cheap stuff for daily going out - but I live barefoot. I literally only wear shoes if I have to go somewhere.
And I just realized, watching this video, that while cheapo shoes wreck my feet if I do serious time in them - being ACTUALLY BAREFOOT isn't a problem.
Whyyyyy?
@@Cec9e13 I made the mistake of purchasing these steel toed work sneakers and walked on cement with them for a year and the wreck my feet. So I splurged on a pair of dansco sandals and kicks and oh my god they are heaven and since using them I've been able to be barefoot more.
I wanna try some of these exercises he's recommending though cause I know I have bad hips, knees and feet.
@@miscellaniac3367 guys in sandals are so cringe.
Great points. The key take away for me and I hope for most people as well is that barefoot shoes are not a magic pill. They're a pretty important part of the solution but there's a lot more that goes into foot care. There's a holistic responsibility people need to accept. I'm loving the transition myself. Can't imagine going back to traditional sport footwear again.
1 year on barefoot shoes and I still think I'm miles away from being adapted. Nonetheless I feel my feet are way more robust now, it's a great feeling
It gets better. it takes time to bring your feet, calves, etc up to strength. I'm 7yrs into exclusively wearing barefoot shoes and I'll never go back. But the first weeks to months of transition were the hardest. But over time it just keeps getting better until eventually you wont even have any issues at all.
It definitely depends on how bad your feet are when you start. I started changing to barefoot shoes around 2015, and now changing to full barefoot sidewalk and trail runs/walks for the last two years. I still feel like a noob.
Same, I’m on about 6 months and I definitely think it’ll take years for me to make significant progress. Not surprising, I wore garbage shoes throughout my entire physical development. It is what it is.
i switched to barefoot shoes after a period of time where i just didnt wear shoes if they weren't required. i think the full barefoot everywhere helped the shoe be much more easy. starting in grass then moving to sidewalks and other surfaces wasnt a bad transition and your body sets the pace
Started wearing barefoot shoes in 2016 at age 47. It took me about two years to become fully adapted. I went all in too getting some dressier barefoot shoes for work. I think if I had been switching back and forth between traditional shoes for work and barefoot shoes for other activities that it would have taken even longer.
The toe glove advice is great, I'm a rock climber and our sport requires us to cram our feet into the tightest rubber shoes possible, it's exactly what you will see loads of people doing after taking their climbing shoes off as it allows the toes to separate with instantly noticeable results
I'm 52 and was getting super clumsy. I was literally stumbling over things every day and falling completely at least once a week. I realised my balance was shot and also I was walking incorrectly. The very first thing I noticed after starting to work on my balance was that this stopped completely. My boyfriend was actually the first to notice as he always used to hold on to me to save me every time I tripped LOL. I feel increased balance IS the number one benefit of barefoot shoes. Falls kill so many elderly people, not usually the fall itself but the repercussions of it. I think going barefoot is the single most effective thing you can do to provide the stability and sensory feedback to protect against falls in later years. A good investment! Thanks for the video. I'm not a hiker but I am subscribing now. I'm just a normal person benefiting from your stretches and brilliant advise on fixing mobility problems. Thanks!!!!
It seems counterintuitive to have better balance when barefoot. Because when I do balancing poses in yoga it's much easier with my shoes on. Could be just me. Any thoughts on this? I would greatly appreciate any feedback.
I ran around barefoot a lot but when I switched to my first five fingers I still had bad foot technique and kept stubbing and bruising my feet for two weeks. Using minimal foot wear not only fixed my walking technique but rewired my brain to be very aware of what's on the ground.
Excellent video. Started having foot problems in my late 40s. Ten years later it was to the point I couldn't walk without pain. Had my second go around with Bare Foot shoes, but I also added toe spacers which has been a game changer for healing my big toe joints. As for creating the arch, I noticed the horse stance form classical martial arts is great for developing that. I will definitely try your tips!
So grateful for the recent focus on feet, I have a lifelong struggle with my feet. My feet are my limiting factor for multi-day hikes. Recently have started yoga for feet and toes and it has helped more than anything else and Chase’s approach is very similar but goes even further. Such value in this channel❤️
Can you link your foot yoga program?
Read Deskbound: Standing Up to a Sitting World by Kelly Starrett (and his other books) for much more in depth knowledge about the topics explained in this video.
@@a.e.3323 solid recommendation. How to become a supple Leopard changed everything
My toe yoga was a special workshop at my Iyengar yoga studio and private lessons, sorry, no link.
All these exercises makes barefoot shoes look really complicated when it really isn't. For me it just took common sense to make the switch.
I bought a pair of barefoot shoes and started using them in my everyday life. Walking to work, using them at the gym etc. You will feel that you get tired in both feet and legs when you start using them and as long as you listen to these signals and maybe pause for a few days you should be good. As with every other thing when it comes to your body nothing should be used with force and it will take time to change an old habit.
I'm so grateful that I was raised in a home that promoted being barefoot as much as possible. I grew up running in the woods barefoot, and running around on rocks at the bay by my house. We also had a really long gravel driveway til I was 12, and my brothers and I used to race each other on the gravel driveway, especially when they were really hot in the summer. That, and I was home schooled, so, I spent most of my day shoe free, unless we went to the store, or somewhere else that required shoes. I also have long toes, which drs think probably came from being barefoot most of my development years, as I'm not tall. To illustrate how long my toes were, by 10 or 11, I was able to throw a baseball with one foot 20 feet or more.
I also spent a good amount of time in my early 20s not wearing shoes in public, but also keeping flip flops in my back pocket, for when I needed to go in stores. My friends thought I was weird, but I've always just done my own thing, vs giving in to peer pressure. Working mostly from home has allowed me to keep this up.
So, for me, non-barefoot shoes make my feet start to hurt anywhere from - 20 mins - an hour after putting them on. And I always used to buy standard shoes in wide versions, and half a size too big, to decrease how much shoes would hurt me.
Just bought my first pair of zero drops I can say enough good about them. The feel from the first second of wear was noticeably more comfortable. My stability immediately became far superior to all others I've worn. I have to believe these would be an necessity to elderly people for increase stability which would prevent alot of hip injuries.
*can't say enough good things 😊
Just noticed that oops lol
Thank you :-)
Hip, lower back and knee. My stepmother suffered terribly in the last few years of her life and had to have two or three operations on her knees. She'd been wearing restrictive women's shoes all her life and her toes were horribly bent out of shape and nearly atrophied. Once you start using the toes as intended, to actually push you forward when walking, you realise how weak they've become and how ordinary footwear completely takes them out of action.
The worst part about buying minimalist shoes is finding a way to get rid of all your old shoes. I got a pair of Xero shoes about a month ago and absolutely hate wearing any other shoe now.
I've been a full time barefoot person for about 7 years. When the temperature gets below 40F I wear a thin moccasin or other minimalist shoes. There's nothing like hiking barefoot when you finally fully transition which takes a few years. I started out with flat feet and going barefoot totally transformed my feet to the point where I no longer need anything unless it's hazardous or freezing cold. My feet and my toes are well muscled and my calves are huge. I just can't wear normal footwear because my feet are a lot thicker and wider now. I have to go up a size and buy the widest shoe available. And I have to take the insole out just to get my foot in a conventual or a minimalist shoe unless it's a moccasin. I've walked on glass, metal, jagged rocks, tree roots, etc. The human foot can do it all once the transition is complete. And they don't get cold anymore. I can sit in a tree stand for hours with just a shoe and a thin pair of socks when others need 2000 grams of insulation in their boots.
This resonates with me. I'm still trying to find a middle ground between warmth and grip during winter tho (-15+ c and below)
Almost all barefoot shoes need to be made wider, don't they? I realise I have wider feet than most, but, as you say, a lot of people's feet widen as a result of going barefoot. Companies like Vivo don't take account of that at all.
I never wear Vivo now, only Softstar, Lems and Freets, and only their widest models. None of them is perfect, but Softstar's Sawyers are wonderfully wide, Lems Boulder Boots are good for the cold, though I wish their soles were thinner, and Freets Connect 2s have the most comfortable, flexible sole ever, and they're nearly wide enough.
Where do you get your moccasins?
@@JohnMoseley I've been wearing the Softstar mocs when ever I have to wear something and I have a pair of Lems for the rare circumstances when I need them. In order to wear the Lems shoes that I have, I still have to remove the insole, wear a very thin sock or nothing at all, and go up a size. And unless it's freezing cold my feet are miserable inside of them. I have a pair of Xero sandals but they don't feel very nature strapped to my foot so I keep them for special purposes. I've only had to return one pair of Softstar mocs because they were too narrow, and it was their lightest model. Even with their wide sizes I have to go up a size so that they fit. For me it's not just the width it's the thickness of my foot. I went from flat feet to have a foot as thick as some people's shoes. I go barefoot when ever it's above 40F and the ground isn't frozen or salted. My biggest problem is that I can't get enough time on trails and just outdoors in general to fully build my soles up. This year I did a little better than previous years.
And since the Covid hysteria started no one in retail or anywhere else has asked me to leave. I think we've finally reached a point where face diapers and lockdowns have finally taken people's minds off of their foot phobias so that they no longer enforce unwritten and outdated rules such as, "No shoes, no shirt, no service". The poor hippies of the 60's and 70's never had a fair change of acceptance with rules like that. And I've also found that Covid hysteria has given some people a renewed appreciation for personal freedom that they previously frowned upon. I actually get compliments every so often now when I'm shopping and most of the compliments are from the store employees. The barefoot sandals also seem to help the situation. It's like a bridge to freedom that conditions the potential oppressors.
I'll have to check out Freets, thanks for mentioning it. And you are totally right about the width issue. I called Softstar about that some years ago and I'm not sure if felt that they needed to do anything about it. And they wouldn't go custom for me on the version that I had to return in regard to the width. I think some of us have a wide foot that is just waiting to expand the moment nature takes it course. And even if it was every full time barefoot person there still isn't enough of us yet to change the market selection. Even in minimalist shoes and sandals your feet will not totally widen until you are no longer wearing anything and the bones in your foot are required by the uneven terrain to separate and reach their full natural state.
@@franzmarley There really does need to be something for that. Even a wool felt lined rubber boot with no raised heal or arch would be great but where do you find them? And most of the hiking shoes aren't waterproof either based on the last time I shopped for a pair.
@@haujeancontactee Regarding your other response here, Freet also do various hiking boots, but I can't vouch for any of them as I haven't tried them. The Connect 2s, a sneaker, are the only ones I can say for sure I like, but at least one of their boots has the same sole. Connect 2 and their ultra-minimalist Talus 3 might work for your feet as they're fairly roomy. Sizing info on the site is pretty good, but fyi I went up a size in Connect 2 and that was right for me, but the same size in Talus 3 was too big and I sent those back.
I started wearing barefoot shoes nearly 6 months ago
It definitely has been a learning curve
My feet are stronger and now my ankles are finally adapting to them
I also use toe spreaders plus mobility work to help
Do you use correct toes? What shoes do you suggest? I have a bunion and even though I have wide new balance shoes it hurts
Thanks for all these suggestions and for taking the time to present them!
I’m in my early 60s and have always walked a lot, fast. My mom had such high arches that her tracks at the pool had almost nothing between the toe and heel, and I luckily inherited those too. Up until my late teens, I basically did not wear shoes at all from May till September, and once school started, I would take my shoes off as soon as school was out, because I had spread toes and shoes were torture devices. :-) Then I moved to a larger city and going barefoot all the time wasn’t an option, so I gradually got a custom to shoes all the time. About 7 years ago I started running and was enjoying it immensely, but my knees did not adjust as fast as my cardiovascular system. I had a lot of stiffness and pain, and that in “good,” well-fitted running shoes. I had to stop running; even short runs aggravated it.
I got a pair of barefoot shoes (Xero Prio All-Day) and outside of a little oddness the first day, I adapted to them very quickly. I immediately noticed a positive change in my posture. However I could also tell that I was gaining strength in my feet and calves. So I didn’t try to start running too quickly. I started with very short distances, just trying to find the right foot strike. I knew to avoid heel striking, but it was fairly ingrained, and I found myself doing it anyway at first. Thankfully I did not do it for very long, so although I paid for it the next day, I didn’t hurt myself. :-) I tried to move it forward and really pay attention to how things felt, and afterwards my calves were really tight and lightly sore. When I decided to try a longer distance, I did find something that felt better, but I also noticed that I was still struggling with old habits, and ended up pulling a muscle in one calf. Not badly and I didn’t try and keep running on it so it cleared up rather quickly. I’m still taking it easy and doing calf and hamstring strengthening exercises as well, and not doing really long runs yet. It’s a work in progress. But I can say that knee pain has been almost nonexistent, and mostly when I think too much and tighten up.
I recently watched a video where the vlogger made the point that before switching to “barefoot shoes,” it’s actually better to try running completely barefoot, because although barefoot shoes let you feel a lot more, it’s nothing compared to actual bare feet on the ground. When I was a kid, I never had to think about the right way to run barefoot. I just did it. It’s pretty bizarre that we have to relearn that.
I’ve seen women go through similar processes after wearing high heels shoes for years and trying to get back to flats. Now I don’t ever want to wear shoes with raised heels at all anymore; recently I had to because I was dressed up for a wedding, and it felt way too strange. The things we put ourselves through for fashion!
I too have really high arches, like your mom. I'm really encouraged by all I'm learning now.
I quit high heels 8 years ago. It was kind of a rebellion at the time, and I don't own heels now though I'm starting to think maybe I'd like to wear a small heel for occasions. My kid is 9 and doesn't wear shoes. She runs across rocks with barnicles and nothing happens, she is nimble like a cat. We live in a hot country, and the culture is to take shoes off when entering a house. And luckily for her school they also take off their shoes at the door. So the only times she has to wear shoes is for walking on the road from A to B but she'd not even do that if she had the choice. I love that she can run across any ground without wincing. Happy to have come across all this info on bare-foot shoes; there will be time when she'll have to wear shoes, maybe for university if she goes for that, and I can help her choose shoes that will maintain what she has gained in childhood.
I couldn't agree more with all of the points you made! I started my transition to barefoot shoes a little over three years ago, first with zero-drop shoes (Altra) and over the following year with minimalist shoes (Lems). Now I find "traditional" shoes suuper awkward and clunky, and my feet feel sore if I have to wear them for any length of time, whereas they are happiest when as close to barefoot as possible.
Thank you for doing your part to help shed some light on barefoot shoes and reminding those who are interested in going barefoot that it does take some work- but that it is also totally worth it. Cheers!
I switched to barefoot style trainers for my running and gym activities. Initially I made a big mistake by running at speed on the treadmill and over-extending my stride...managed to cause a stress fracture, not fun. Realized that once I had healed it was worth persevering, cannot imagine ever running in anything else. Love the tips in this video, especially the ball/broom handle rolling.
As someone who grew up running around in the woods and up and down the stream on rocks in knock-off converse, this is fascinating! When I started getting into sports as a kid, and into more supportive shoes, I didn’t like them because I couldn’t feel the ground! I love my highly padded ASICS for gym stuff, but anything climbing anything, I want my converse to feel the rocks. I’m watching this to work on my feet, because my joints are slippy and my ankles are YIKES, so I’m trying strengthen my feet.
I always wore Converse or Vans, they deformed my feet and caused bunions (not enough toe space).. Xero shoes are fantastic for hiking, rock hopping and feeling the Earth. I hope kids realize style is not worth deforming your body.
Right, I've been doing everything from retail to mountains in vans since I was a teenager with little to no problem. Arch support always struck me as a scam haha
I've worn quality boots (Redwing, Chippawa, and even $600 Nick's custom) with a logger heal for twenty years and they destroyed my feet. Switched to wide Converse and vans a few months back and already I can see/feel my feet improving.
It is much less likely to sprain an ankle with a thin sole shoe, especially a zero drop sole. The fulcrum point just doesn't have nearly as much leverage on the ankle.
Wearing something with a 30mm heel stack, especially a low-top, is risky for ankle sprain.
I'll take foot soreness over a twisted ankle any day.
He gets it
And the foot soreness is just your feet getting even stronger! ☺️ Sometimes I'll go for a long barefoot hike and end up really punishing my feet... I get nervous that my feet will be sore the next morning because i remember that's how it used to be years ago lol But when I wake up the next day, its actually the rest of my body that is sore LOL and it's my feet and lower legs that are yearning for another jaunt
From my experience, this is correct. I wish I realized this much earlier.
Yes! I had issues with my ankles, and while transitioning between my regular old, heavy, stiff, heeled hiking boots and my lightweight, zero-drop, minimalist sole, I could really tell how the thick stiff shoe forced my ankles to adjust to the terrain, rather than my feet. I love my various Xero shoes 😁
If it is a high calve boot, then a thicker sole is not a problem, because it is rigidly connected to the leg.
Certain conditions necessitate this, we won't be in very cold, snowy backcountry with anything that is really minimalist.
If somone works in conditions with sharp objects, cut risks, and drop hazards, well, they're probably going to need steel toe high calve boots.
Something I find to be overlooked very often when it comes to the heel drop and overall sole thickness, is that the more you have under the heel the more unstable you're making your ankles, and the worse twisting an ankle will be. It's pretty simple physics really, the longer the lever to your ankle, this being your heel plus shoe height, the harder the torque exerted on the ankle.
I originally switched from running shoes to kung fu shoes as I'd twisted my ankle, badly enough to have blood pooling in my foot, twice in the span of two months. I've had nothing since while wearing thin shoes, but I sure feel my ankles going into funny positions when I put thick heeled shoes on and walk around on the rocky beach near my place.
This is probably the best video I've seen on this subject. I wear wide, zero-drops (Vivo/Altra) all day and still my big toes lean in somewhat. I never even thought about the socks!!
Started wearing barefoot/minimal when Covid started, now I can’t go back. I really enjoy barefoot sandals (I own Shammas) but shoes such as Vivo are great for colder months or events up to business casual
Shammas are good.
ZAQQ even makes barefoot shoes that match expensive suits.
As someone with Autism who has struggled for years to find clothes that not only fit, but don't feel wrong, Barefoot shoes are a godsend.
I ran around the woods barefoot as a kid, now I can get the same feeling anywhere I walk.
One downside : they are the opposite of waterproof
Started walking mainly barefoot and barefoot shoes around 1,5 years ago..changed my life. No more pain. My foot already looks much better. Muscles are relaxed. Knees and hips..everything is better. I cannot believe how I tortured my feet for years.
The explanation of the "Short Foot" at 5:40 reminds me a lot of what is taught in traditional kungfu (not modern) about drawing the force from the ground, rooting the fingers and feeling the torque in order to deliver a powerful hit.
I think all of this is part instinct, part ancient knowledge, that we just forgot about along the way...
it's also pretty much how you should do Mountain pose in yoga, which looks like just standing
⚛️
I’m a contemporary dancer (being barefoot while dancing) and one week after starting to wear barefoot shoes, I went light hiking (climbing up a hill for one hour) - my right achilles didn’t like it at all and started hurting. Nothing more serious because I took care after that and still wore standard shoes interchangeably with barefoot shoes - but after one month I still feel my heels sometimes after a longer walk - a sign to give the body a gentle transition. Thanks for all the exercises - will use them for sure!
I've had foot/ankle issues my entire life - had corrective shoes when I started walking and later was told to wear a boot with a heal - I was twisting ankles and tearing ligaments since I was a kid. BS'd my way into the Marine Corps and somehow survived all the training (Parris Island for boot camp and Camp Pendelton for infantry school) but in the end was released because of my ankle issues. Later tore ligaments and had my ankles scoped then had a ligament reconstruction.... I stumbled upon the barefoot movement several years ago and it has changed my life. I've done several videos on how to modify vintage style "sneakers" (because I'm not a fan of the aesthetics of modern barefoot shoes) and have found that the Pro-Keds seem to offer the widest toebox (Vans, Chuck Taylors, and PF Flyers are all to restricting in the toebox) - I could type another few paragraphs on my personal experience with all this but just wanted to say your video is well done - I do quite a lot of what you show here. The point I make to people is that there are 27 bones in your foot, we were designed to walk barefoot, as the foot articulates over uneven surfaces messages are sent to the brain which results in your body doing what it needs to do to maneuver over the uneven terrain all without having to think about it - Keep up the good work
Switched to zero drops after noticing I'd never sprained an ankle in my OCR shoes, will never go back. I love the sensation of terrain through my thin shoes compared to the numbness of my old hoof-like hikers.
I really appreciate your advice on foot mobility for hikers. So much advice is for road runners.
“Hoof-like hikers” is the funniest, best, and most accurate description I’ve heard yet for traditional shoes. Thanks for the chuckle and for putting words to the difference between barefoot and traditional shoes.
Found this when I am in the process of transitioning to minimalist shoes. I spend alot of time barefoot and I cannot thank you enough for this video. Gold, I tell you. 🙏🏾🔥💪🏾
As somebody who just about NEVER wore shoes growing up, even into grocery stores and most public places as I got older. Walking south florida nature trails barefoot, coming across barefoot shoes was a blessing.
My daily shoes since highschool were vans... now I have a pair of xero shoes and sandals and my back/foot pain is alleviated and I can feel grounded while I'm wearing shoes.
It's crazy our ancestors would run through rocky mountains, forest, deserts, and snow all barefoot. And we can't even walk over a lego.
Your ancestors sound pretty crazy. Mine all wore shoes (after Adam and Eve), but I do enjoy a good pair of minimalist shoes. They’re all I run in.
@@jonnyrocket8138 Agreed; humanity has been wearing shoes for a long, long time... Millenia?
@@sketchur They were wearing shoes ever since the creation about 6000 years ago the nthe flood happened about 4000 wiped out all shoes except for those pertaining to the 8 on noahs ark then they repopulated the earth with shoes edit: oh yea and all the shoes inside hollow earth pertaining to the civilizations living in it which the KJV Bible is specific about having not wipedclean because it says "on the face of the earth" that all living things died, except for Noah and his family. The chinese flood myth got the amount of people on the boat right, true story
I've been in barefoot shows for 7 years now and will never go back. my brain has learned to adjust in real time to stepping on sharp or pointy objects, such that my foot adjusts pressure and which part of my foot i step with in rapid real time. it's awesome. I don't even worry about things like legos and sharp rocks anymore. My brain will compensate and adjust in real time.
@@Dulc3B00kbyBrant0n the human species is way older than 6000 years
It's been nothing but awesome for me. My whole posture got so much better and no more lower back pain. Even running became effortless.
I transitioned in 2013, started three months after my second ACL surgery. Reason was first time I went running in my ASICS Kayano during the recovery (prescribed by the Doctor) I had acute pain in the knee.
I researched the topic and started transitioning. One problem I had was mild Achilles issue that I recovered from in a couple of months. Achilles must stretch and get longer and I found out was doing the calf stretching exercise wrongly.
Since then I very rarely get injured and do very heavy training.
Takeaway is that one must transition carefully, but after that, you are much better off. Thanks to barefoot running (I use Vivos or Merrell Glove) one can do much more at much less risk. I feel I do not wear my joints, very important after 2 ACL’s and in my late forty’s.
As an example, I am able to rest for weeks (e.g. COVID-19 related) and then do four half marathons straight, day after day, as I just did this week. Such strain is possible because with barefoot running one controls better the actual load, one perceived better how the body reacts.
I can only recommend barefoot/minimalist running, especially if you want to reduce or even eliminate injuries and you want to keep healthy for much longer. Just take care with the transition.
That’s a good point. It certainly helps to be interested in your body. Well done on the transition, thanks for sharing!
You mentioned finding out you were stretching your calves incorrectly. How did you find out?
I wear barefoot shoes all summer. At the end of the summer the soles of my feet are leathery. Not calloused - they just have thicker skin. Also: The muscles in my foot are much stronger. I already wore broad shoes - always have - so that was not an issue.
I sometimes have to look down when I've left my home to ensure I haven't forgot to put on shoes.
you might have nerve damage if you have to look down to see if you have shoes on
@@Desockme Or brain damage
This is literally one of the best videos I've come across, it leaves me with 0 questions and it's so well constructed and organized
Cheers man! I appreciate the comment
It took me a couple years to adapt to minimalist shoes full time. Thank you for sharing your experience to help others in their transition!
I've actually had similar issues and started to step on pointed stones while hiking (not all the time, but when i felt it could be beneficial, maybe for 30mins per day or so). So i was able to do a similar treatment WHILE hiking, while wearing barefoot shoes :) I've started to make a little game out of it and tried to catch different triggerpoints below my feet, stepping on that stones, while hiking. Quite fun :) It was not necessary to do an additional treatment with triggerballs or similar if i was playing this game daily, while hiking. But as with everything, there is a too less and a too much. So on some days it was better to do it more and on some not at all. I really just tried to listen to my body and act accordingly.
Thanks for this tip! Gamifying something that could otherwise be boring is awesome.
I hike with my xero hiking boots, they’re pretty good. More rugged than the shoes.
About the danger of injuries on a hike: I've tried hiking down hill with five fingers to reduce stress on my knees. But especially with these you really have to stay focused on where you put your feet as they offer the unique opportunity to hurt or even break each one of your toes individually... Which then happened as I lost concentration. Didn't break anything but bruised my outer right toes quite heavily.
Be mindful of what you wear under which circumstances and maybe take a backup option with more protection at first when you're in difficult terrain.
Great video and nicely explained. I always shake my head when people tell me that they "tried out" barefoot shoes. This isn't something that you can just try out. It took me a year to slowly make the change. It was more of a lifestyle change then anything else.
Dude. This video was just suggested to me, and I'm so glad I watched it! I've been becoming increasingly suspicious of the common trends in the industries that produce gear for physical activities, and how they seem to be at least linked to long term problems in the body, rather than being beneficial. I really want to start bringing my body back to a more holistic state, and I think your channel is going to help me do that. Thank you so much!
I’m so happy I found barefoot shoes early in life! I’m 24 and I refuse to be in pain like everyone else in my family. My toes are permanently curved from shoes, anything with cushion (Hoka I’m looking at you) hurts my ankles horribly. Barefoot shoes make my feet sore like a workout, not painful like other shoes! I’ve had calcium deposits in my feet for years so I know feet pain. Barefoot shoes are worth it. Just take it slow!
Went barefoot about 10 years ago (2012) as it became mainstream. It felt crazy like "nobody should be doing this" - but in a week it felt good. My heel pain went away. In a month my long-term plantar fasciitis (sp??) went away (suffered for 10 years). I could now walk and jog further than I had in 20 years. It felt like the years were melting away. The big challenge was to A) run a 5K in them and B) play singles tennis for a match or 2 hours. I sometimes switch back to traditional running or tennis or hiking shoes for the variety but keep up with the minimal. NB and Merrill. Today, in 2022, they seem to have fallen out of favor. NB doesn't seem to make their Minimus line anymore and Merrell seems to be dropping out as well. I've gone and bought shoes based on the 1960s designs like ASCIS MeXICO 66s. Those are fairly thin.
I loved NM , but they dont make the minamilist shoe, any recommendations?
@@celiarobles7182 NM?
@@celiarobles7182 WHITIN Men's Cross-Trainer
@@ronj9448 oops. I mean New Balance (NB) .... typo
It's interesting why New balance stopped. I would think the movement is gaining traction. I guess I'm wrong
Another good excersice for the feet and knees is backwards walking, I do it on the treadmill. I've been wearing vivobarefoot for nearly 5yrs. I tried on my ice hockey skates this year and can't believe it, they no longer fit due to width of my feet
I switched immediately after realizing I was destroying my knees by not running on the balls of my feet. Yeah it hurt my calves to have to grow some muscle quickly but I'm 100% sold that minimalist shoes are the more ideal way to live a healthy lifestyle.
I used to have so much knee pain that I couldn't run for shit (smashed them in rugby and motorcycle crashes, and probably from running with too much of a heel strike). I changed to new New Balance Minimus Zeroes, and eventually got back to a state that I could run. It hammered the calves at first, but once I built the strength up, I was able to run again. Definitely an education in how the body should work!
Switched from traditional shoes when I was about your age. Im turning 50 now. They gave me another decade of trail running I would not have had otherwise. That finally ended due to other body parts - mostly due to Rugby wear and tear. But I can still walk and hike forever, and I think that is due to the switch. I always get people asking me about rolling my ankle and saying they won’t do it because they need ankle support. And I always try to tell em- I have terrible ankles, I’ve had surgery on both because I injured them so much in sports over the years, but you are so less likely to roll an ankle with a minimal shoe because your foot is flat on the ground, not a half inch or more above it. I use the extreme example of women in heels- how they’re wobbly and always prone to easily twisting an ankle. Take away the shoe that causes physics to make your ankle want to roll, take away the need for ankle support. We literally created a problem that then required a fix and now people believe they require the fix even if there is no problem to require the fix in the first place. Just get rid of the problem. Definitely agree with your vid tho, you have to transition slowly. Took me probably 3 years in total. If not you can really hurt yourself. I mean it would basically be the same as having your arm casted for years, taking it off and then trying to go do 50 lb curls. You’re gonna injure yourself. I highly recommend reading Born to Run and Barefoot Ken Bob’s books. Only other thing I would say from my experience for people that have given it a go but are having issues even after a year or two is that there are also what I call near-barefoot shoes. Those with a 2-5 mm drop. These might work for that person. While I can wear barefoot shoes with 0 mm drop walking as much as I want, for running due to a congenitally short achilles, I had to have some lift in the heel. I found that a 4 mm drop was my optimum spot. Luckily Merrell makes some trail runners in this range, so I bought about 6 pairs of them. Because you don’t have to replace barefoot or near-barefoot shoes like you do traditional shoes because there simply is no cushioning to wear out and start making you run uneven- literally I wear mine until the sole just has nothing left- I still have two pair in my closet brand new. So for some perhaps backing off from 0 drop might be a solution, especially to transition to a 0 drop later. For some it may take longer if they have more damage, or like me might find that there are some times they need some drop. Finally I will say that while I have switched all my footwear now to minimalist, I do still wear mountaineering boots when actually mountaineering and using crampons. That environment for me still requires a brick around my foot. Just wish I had more time in life right now to do more of it. Anyway, just the thoughts of a guy whose been at it now for about 13 years or so. Cheers 🤙
Very helpful! Thanks 😊
@@sharonferguson888 glad it helped. Best wishes in the switch. It really has been such a great thing for me.
I've run 3 half marathons in minimal shoes, including one in 5 fingers. Life took me away from fitness, which I am in the process of restoring. "Popular thinking" got into my head, even though I knew the TRUTH. I'm 56 and overweight with loss of flexibility..."I better get a 4mm drop with cushion". I THOUGHT I was comfortable. Then while camping and wearing an old holey pair of minimal shoes, something happened and I needed to take off running...OH MY!!!! I felt the ground and my feet felt like they had just been sprung from prison!! I'm hoping to do one more half marathon next Fall, so I am in the process of finding my new barefoot running shoes. It's just so damn exciting! I have one more 5k lined up this Summer and I will do it in my old holey shoes if I have to!
Day to day, I always try to wear as little restrictive footwear as possible and allow my feet to spread. Last 18 months it's been all flip flops and barefoot in the uk. For outdoor activities though, it depends on the terrain. My advise is get the best footwear you can afford when you are about to punish your feet. Thankfully I have hand feet and touchwood they stay that way.
0 drop/ barefoot shoes (like Vivobarefoot) completely stopped my back pain while running. I do wear Vivo barefoot shoes sometimes, mostly in casual situations, sometimes to work. I work primarily on concrete floors, so my feet get pretty sore in true barefoot shoes. I do wear altras or barefoot sandals almost all of the time. Lifting weights, body weight exercises I do barefoot because my gym encourages it, and I trail run in altras. Talk about life changing.
Huge thanks for this video mate. As a remedial therapis of 17 years, you cover so many critical points in the value of feet care and functionality. I couldnt tell you how many every day short term and long term problems ive seen due to these issues
I've been running barefoot for several years but my walking and hiking shoes have been traditional shoes. This year I fully transitioned to use only barefoot shoes and last summer I did my first barefoot hike, 5 days in the fells north from the arctic circle with Vivo Primus Trail FG running shoes. I'd say it was otherwise ok near the rivers and lowlands but the rocks on the fells were a bit harsh to the feet. Just mind your step and you'll be fine.
I am considering getting barefoot shoes and this isn’t completely related but I was so surprised how my feet have changed since I started doing yoga as it engages and stretches my feet so much more than other exercise which requires footwear
Im a martial artist but I have foot issues. This is helpful. I do a lot of barefoot exercise so I feel you're on the right path. Thanks for the help and information.
I'm two years into the barefoot journey. Honestly at the start I hated how they felt and my feet would be constantly sore. Now after two years my feet have adapted and I'm never felt better.
Good to hear it. I'm about five mo's into minimalist shoes and it is a great journey to make. I go into my local shoe store and I just find it horrible now. I got rid of about eight pairs of shoes that were all squeezing my toes and had heels on them. Good riddance! I can't stand those kinds of shoes anymore.
yes, the first few weeks to months can be painful, but it is just your body learning to use muscles in ways it's not used to. I'm 7yrs into wearing exclusively barefoot shoes in all weather and climates (including winters near the Canadian border) and I will never go back.
@@SoloRenegade Hello. Can you please tell me what kind of minimalist footwear you wear in the winter. I just got a pair of Lems Boulder Boots. Love 'em, but they dont' have so much tread on the bottom for snowy days, so I have some icers to attach, and when the snow gets high, I will use a pair of Neo's overboots that I just bought recently (some Neo's don't have much tread but the ones I got have real deep, big treads made for snow).
@@mumpygumboo8554 I wear a pair of synthetic socks, under a pair of smart wool socks, in New Balance Minimus V2. I have other similar types of shoes as well to the New Balance ones, such as from Xero shoes and other companies. I'll wear normal insulated boots if I am going to be snowmobiling or out on a frozen lake all day, but I also have a pair of military boot style minimalist boots still in good condition that I wear 2 layers of socks with otherwise. But normal day to day in winter is my typical shoes with 2 layers of socks. I also wear smart wool insulating layers too. if you keep you core and extremities warm, and adjust your entire body to cooler temps as it cools off in fall, it's easy. by keeping your legs warm, your blood will stay warmer closer to your feet, and keep your feet warmer as well. Then insulating your feet as well.
I keep my house at 64F day and night, 58F when at work during winter. I just dress warmer in winter. In summer, i adapt to the heat and don't cool my house below ~78-80F, and some days I let it get as hot as 88F before considering using AC. I use the power of my body to great effect. Nature has given us the tools, if we just learn how to use them.
@@SoloRenegade Have you looked into Neos Overboots? I had a pair for years, and used them but they were too slippy slidey in the winter. Then, I found out they started making them with real super good grip soles on them. You need a light boot under them since they strap on over the ankle, so a simple shoe won't do. Anyway, when I used Neos in the past, they kept my feet unbelievably dry and warm. They have no heel on them, either. Just flat soles and super wide toe boxes. Just the way we like 'em. I've heard people in cold climates love 'em too.
I’m new to this subject compelled by bunions starting to develop and desperate for an answer. I’m only 34, I stopped long distance running due to that. I got my first pair of barefoot shoes 2 weeks ago. This video is fantastically helpful, thank you so much!! Subscribed!!
I've noticed all the shoe brands in the last 3 years switched to an inward pigeon-toeing last shape, and I can't find a decent pair without bunion pressure. I don't even keep them, it's a "thanks, hate it, back to the returns."
Check out toe spreaders as well. It will help reform your muscles into a proper foot shape. Also massage between your toes with your fingers to loosen everything up.
@@ColoradoStreaming thanks! My update is I’m using toe spacers and metatarsal pads. I use xero shoes and altra shoes as a transition. I’m happy with my journey so far. I’m doing stretches and exercises for feet and ankles…not everyday but something is better than nothing!
minimalist shoes being sold for maximalist prices !!!!
Yeah the pricing sucks. But the market is so much smaller. You're really buying a niche item. And that costs extra.
Whereas the "junk food" shoes are cheap but expensive on foot health & mobility
I started wearing zero drop shoes years ago and running miles. As I recall it seemed like a difficult transition but now I don't even think about the difficulties of wearing zero drop most of the time. I also wear flip flops that are very flexible as well.
I'm in my early 40's and I've been using barefoot shoes for a decade now, I've had success with Vibram Five Fingers, Merrell Barefoot and the New Balance Minumus which I still do use to this day whenever I go out, hit the gym, go for a road run or on the trails, and even on my backpacking trips. I'm glad I made the transition.
Smashed it. Well done
miss my NB minimus so much, unfortunately they are out of production :'(
@@HCMORGI Honestly that is what worries me as well that is why I had my Minimus stitched to give it a little more life hehe
I miss the new balance minimus too 😫
I have all my life preferred walking barefoot, I always do in our house as well. When I switched to barefoot shoes I had a period of I think 2 months when it hurt. I noticed I was too focused on how to walk "correctly" that I basically forgot how to walk and didn't let myself found my footing naturally :D When I stopped thinking too much about it, it instantly got better :) I also notice now, 3 years later, that my legs are waayyy more trained!
I've been wearing Xeros Prios for nearly 3 years on an everyday basis, and then recently did a 2 week backpacking trip in Xero TerraFlexes. I loved them for the flexibility, weight, and connection to the trail under me. Something you just don't get with hard soled shoes or boots. I will never go back to constrictive shoes!
I wear xero hana on a daily basis. They're incredibly comfortable.
Agree! I love Xero Shoes: Jessie, HFS and 360!
Wow, you got that long out of the Prios? I had to glue mine back together after about 6 months when the sole began to fully separate from the body of the shoe. I still use them from time to time but bought a pair of Freet Pace shoes which I prefer.
Been wearing the Lems Primal 2's for about a year, love those shoes. Just gotta build up your foot strength/endurance
I wear both of those shoes too and love them. TerraFlex for hiking, Prios for at home and going to town.
I'm glad this guy brings up hiking in barefoot shoes being painful.
There are many other channels only talking about the benefits of barefoot shoes when there are clearly drawbacks as well.
Sometimes you need a sturdy boot with a good arch.
We need a company to make a hybrid type hiking boot with zero drop, wide toe box and decent flexibility but still have some protection for longer hikes. I have they Irish Setter Elk Trackers and they are actually not too bad as far as having toe room and not a lot of heel.
I walk 10 miles a day every day at work. I switch cold Turkey to barefoot shoes and I didn’t have any pain. Presumably cause I’m not running and pounding on my feet, but I actually feel my feet have expanded and gotten stronger and wider. I have naturally very very wide feet so these are the only shoes I’ve had that actually fit me right.
I've never really worn shoes. 55 years.
Hurt a nerve in my forefoot and tried to fix it with the help of Podiatry. Worst thing that ever happened to me. 12 months of crippling pain seeing 20 plus professional medical specialists. Finally gave up on anyone being able to help. I'm now 12 months free of shoes and my injury is still painful but walking around barefoot is far better than any other option. Footwear of any type is extremely detrimental to me.
yo. how the fuck did you get away with not wearing shoes for 55 years? home schooled and hermit livestyle?
Buying my first pair of barefoot shoes next week (still researching the best ones for this newbie). 57 with a bunion and flat feet - ready for the transition!
I would be interested to hear which you decided to go with. I'm 60 with collapsed arches and a growth that's been misdiagnosed as a Taylor's bunion. I'm just starting to look into barefoot shoes but everything I read says they will help.
@@63off I caught a sale on Xero Prio All Day leather - $65 - half price!
I have been wearing ONLY these (with the exception of low dress shoes for church, until I am able to get some dressier barefoot shoes and boots) since I got them around the beginning of November. I used to get such horrible pain when I was running errands/shopping for long periods on my feet, and in large stores with concrete (i.e. Costco). I would come home and just sit with my feet up because I was in pain.
I have been virtually pain free since about 3 weeks into wearing them - no joke. I take 6 group classes/week at the Y. Strength training, Barre, Toning, etc. This past Monday I took my usual two back to back classes, then immediately after, went walking around shopping at two stores - NO pain….
@@songbird857 Thank you, really appreciate this.
! am 77 years old. When I was 64, I bought some new, expensive sneakers with extensive cushioning and was convinced by the salesman to add an insert to this for yet more cushioning. I would jog several miles a day. In a matter of days, my right knee was so sore I could hardly walk from my car from the parking lot to my desk (Large company, almost 1/4 mile from where I parked to the desk.) I wore the sneakers and inserts to work because I ran on a treadmill in the company gym (this was in Michigan in the winter). On a whim, I pulled the insert out and was able to walk back to my car and put some oxfords on that were in it. No problems walking the rest of the day. By sheer coincidence, the company cafeteria had a large screen TV with continual news. They showed a blurb of "The Harvard Running Professor" who talked about barefoot running. He said that landing on your heel jars your knees and hips. By contrast, barefoot running forces you to land with most of the pressure on your forefoot. This greatly reduces the shock. What he said made sense and i thought I would give it a try. It took me a year to build up the strength to go through a regular workout again. No more sneakers again, period. Calf muscle strength is the problem. I have done barefoot running since then with no knee problems. Last fall, while it was still warm, I ran a flying start one hundred meters in 19.5 seconds on an asphalt road in front of my house. (Not bad for 77 years old, but I have to work at it.) Sprinting on asphalt is about as great a shock on your feet as you can give them. I do need to wrap adhesive tape around the forefoot when I do a sprint workout (which is important for exercising super fast twitch muscles, which give lots of hormonal benefits). I am absolutely convinced of the value of bare foot running. I have exclusively used running sandals from Xero shoes this entire time. They are much cheaper than sneakers and seem to last forever compared to regular sneakers.
We moved to Spain a few years ago and started spending all summer literally barefooted around the house all day and night with all it's tiled floors in doors and out.
What we noticed is that over time we became much more naturally lighter footed to the point where accidentally stepping on a stone no longer hurts.
So here's the thing...because we walk lighter footed now we also have less stress on our knees and hips which all stopped aching too.
Sounds like great advice. Up until 30, I was wearing shoes or work boots almost every waking hour. After 30, and now till 37, as soon as I'm home, no shoes. I even use my climbing wall barefoot. Even do some barefoot parkour (which typically results in bleeding). Really glad to have this advice to help me even more.
I started to quit shoes about 2 years ago, immediately got 7 blisters walking a couple miles on sand/gravel, and have always loved the comfort and mobility it adds. I can easily spread my toes so that none of them touch, something no shoe-wearer I know is capable of doing.
I went barefoot almost 2 years ago and this was an extremely beneficial transition for me, mostly for running because walking in them is a pain in the ass. I compensate my everyday tightness of shoes and lack of flatness by running in barefoot shoes and walking a lot of time bare feet around home. Running in the mountains was especially funny since stepping on a stingy rock or anything that would be painful as hell. That's why at some point my mind adapted to fast pace scanning of the ground in front of me and became much more responsive to surroundings as I was suddenly able to pick rocks to jump at with like Jedi laser speed. I was literally running like 10-12 km/h on rough terrain literally picking each rock to step on and landing on the center of it to avoid instability and falling over, and the funniest is that I was very motivated by the pain that I would experience upon making a mistake.
However, for walking/trekking - horrible choice bro you'll kill yourself, wear salomons or merell trekking shoes 😂
try this without shoes at all. You will see its getting better and better. I never had big injuries, but you got to learn to watch your step. And that is the natural way of walking or running.
I've tried barefoot shoes on and off for a few years now. Given them a good run. Had professional fitters help me out from multiple shops.
At the end of the day, even following all the advice, what to expect, how to walk in them, they still make my feet hurt and increase my fatigue throughout the day.
It's the same experience from everyone I know who's tried them too.
I had the same thing for a long time when I switched to barefoot shoes. It takes a long time for your feet to develop the muscle strength and flexibility in your tendons to support you as you walk. Regular shoes are like casts, so your feet are much weaker (mine for sure were!). My general rule as my feet were strengthening was to stop if it hurt during the walking/hiking/etc, but if it hurt after from the general muscle fatigue, then that was ok - just massage and stretching did the trick. It meant that for a while my hikes were much shorter, and the next day my feet were sore! But after a while that got much better! I found that swimming was a good form of exercise during my shoe transition, and my feet got stronger and more mobile the more I walked on uneven ground. Hang in there. Switching to barefoot full time was the best thing I ever did!
I'm actually barefoot most the time I'm not in work, was looking into buying these to wear when I'm required to like shops/pubs. Hate having my feet covered
Been wearing and enjoying Xero shoes for several years. Love them for hiking. I’m in my late 60’s.
I keep getting ads for those online since I posted pics of my Vibram Five Fingers. Both seem to be in a similar price range, where Vivo is quite a bit more costly, so I might have to check those out. I'm in Canada, and having separate toes keeps you cooler, which a bad thing in winter, so I've been wanting to try others.
@@joylox Xero Shoes has a winter boot out. I haven’t tried it yet as our winters in the PNW are fairly mild. You might check them out.
I always loved walking barefoot and own Vibrams. #1 thing to learn is being aware of where you place your feet, especially when walking or running on trails. Being mindful of my foot placements forces me to concentrate and puts me in the zone.
Barefoot shoes have helped me so much. Im 25 and hated wearing shoes as a kid so my foot never grew into the shoe shape most people do. This made shoes very painful as I got older because they always squeeze my foot! Finding barefoot shoes was a life changer because I finally found a shoe that fit!
I found it interesting to hear your take on arches. Having had very high arches from poor posture it has been a goal of mine to lower my arches. I have been successful at this goal using a combination of running with barefoot shoes and rolling a ball under my foot to stretch the muscles of my feet. This process has increased the muscle mass of my feet and is lowering my arches as I methodically work in rolling off of my big toes and part of my gait. Until I saw your video I thought this was the way to go. I am sure you have seen barefooters with both well-defined arches as you have and much lower arches. Can you share how you came to the conclusion that high, well-developed arches were the way to go? Much thanks. Great video.
My guess is that high arches are mainly a problem when the muscles are weak; the foot 'collapses' and is harder to use/control. With strong muscles the arch acts as a shock absorber.
I also have high arches and I’m concerned how that will influence my transition to minimal footwear. I just checked my sneakers and the wear pattern is pretty much normal, but I definitely have visually high feet, and I’ve always gotten uncomfortable quickly in flat soles like converse and rubber sandals. But I figure that as long as walking around literally barefooted feels ok, barefoot shoes should be okay.
I used to roll my ankles frequently and I noticed my arches and ankles starting to "fall" in my mid 30s. Started getting constant heel bruises. Switched to Lems and xeros, haven't rolled my ankle once since and feet are stronger than ever.
It did take a few years. I can't wear a shoe with arch support now, absolutely terrible cramps.
Hi John, in here doing research due to getting completely fed up with my calfs seriously cramping up during any sort of jog or run, which can last for days. Does this sound similar to what you suffered? I have high arches and poor ankle mobility.
Your door is now lower to ground. Less lever arm to roll/wrench your ankle compared to height of your foot in a hiking boot.
@@rossedgar3544 I would wager your calves are shortened from wearing a shoe with heel rise
As a South African, we grew up practically barefoot. Did everything and played all sports barefoot. When I discovered vibram 5 fingers I tried them, and now use them almost exclusively. I've owned over 10 pairs. My feet were primed however, a personal friend who had never gone barefoot bought a pair, wore them a whole day and ended up severely injuring his feet with months of recovery. You must gradually adapt.