@@bogeyatbest2213 Five miles is a lot for a first run in barefoot shoes. I would start out with very low milage and work up gradually. My first barefoot run was literally two minutes-to the end of the street and back. Also, you have to be mindful of how your body is feeling at all times. There's no cushion, so it's up to you to maintain form and not overdo it. Err on the side of not enough, because you can always go out for another run later, but you can't undo damage once you've done it. I'd take a few days off. Maybe just do some light walking until your foot feels better. Remember, barefoot is like learning to run all over again, so take it slow and you'll be ok! (:
Hi, love your videos but I do have something to say about one section of your this video. When you said your arches still hurt after a day at your job and stopped when you wore your primus lites, it reminded me of my experience. I was walking around in school all day and my arches were burning, until one day, they suddenly didn’t. I hadn’t changed my shoes or anything. This obviously isn’t dismissing your verdict but I think your arches were burning because they weren’t used to being used that much, just like after a workout but this is all the time. After a while of being used they gain enough strength to be used without pain.
@@primal8525 Yea, getting stronger is def part of it, but the main reason they were hurting was that my feet were constantly unstable and "sinking" into the foam of cushion shoes. When I switched to barefoot shoes they were on a 100% stable platform (the floor) and hence didn't need to work hard at all. The effect was instant and when I tried going back to cushion shoes the pain returned, so at least in my case that was the answer. Lucky you for having it disappear all on its own. (:
I’m a doctor and have absolutely switched to the advice I just found you giving. In my new opinion I feel some people probably can’t use these type shoes. But they should be trying. Not everyone can run, but they shouldn’t be using a wheelchair, they should be trying. Oscar Wilde quote is absolutely true. My diet has completely changed as well. My midlife crisis has helped me feel the best ever.
"They should be trying." Love this perspective! It's easy to get locked into "do this, don't do that" mentality, but health is more complicated than that. Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith, and see what happens for yourself, instead of waiting for someone else to give you the answers. Glad you've found some that are working for you!
Hey, I just want to let you know that "they shouldn't be using a wheelchair, they should be trying" is incredibly ableist. Wheelchairs aren't for people who are lazy (like you seem to be insinuating), they're for people for whom walking is difficult or impossible due to illness, injury, or disability. Wheelchairs and other mobility aids help people become more mobile and independent. It's deeply concerning and disheartening that you're a healthcare professional spreading such harmful rhetoric. I sincerely hope you don't tell your disabled patients (or any patients, for that matter) that they're "not trying hard enough." Please consider consuming some content made by disabled people, and listen to disabled people when it comes to disability related issues.
@@courtlynlouise u see though, sometimes people in wheelchairs really arent trying. SOME of those people in wheelchairs ARE lazy. for SOME, walking is difficult because they never do it !!!! but if those people just TRIED, just took literal baby steps, walking would become easier and they wouldnt need a wheelchair
courtlyn louise ofc, a lot of ppl have a real disability and when the only choice is stay at home or use a wheelchair you should def use the wheelchair. But it is important to keep moving and to not be controlled by fear. So if you can walk, and the wheelchair is there as a safetynet, don’t be afraid to let your loved one push an empty chair, or push it yourself, or put it in a corner of the store. It will be there when you need it. If you have to sit, sit. And do a little sitting dance.
Thanks, Andrew! I'm tired of youtube physical therapists (Bob and Brad) telling me I need cushion, arch support, and FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, YOU MUST WEAR SHOES ALL THE TIME in order for your fasciitis to heal. In actuality, I walk around barefoot just fine, but as soon as I throw shoes on the pain instantly resumes. Anyways, just wanted to say thank you for being willing to contradict the mainstream doctrine. Keep up the good work, mate.
Ha, oh god. Bob and Brad. I went through a phase where my joint pain was so bad, I was watching anything, and I got that stupid jingle stuck in my head. My rule of thumb for TH-cam is never listen to people whose video descriptions are full of Amazon affiliate links or who run constant giveaways. They're just in it for the money. Glad you enjoyed the video, though. Will happily continue contradicting the mainstream! (:
I literally cured my PF the same way. I did Petra Fisher and Katie Bowman to help along the way. When doctors and laypeople say “good, supportive shoes,” they mean shoes that have features and qualities that restrict movement. We have 26 bones and 33 joints in each foot. If our feet performed better and got injured less the more immobile they were, we would have evolved to have hooves.
Horses , especially endurance horses do better barefoot, rather than with the traditional metal horse shoe, BUT do even better with a hoof boot, that is often very padded! I have ridden for years on barefoot endurance horses. They suffer extreme bruising, corns, navicular disease. Slap a pair of thick, rubber padded hoof boots on, and they fly! These horses rarely complete 100 mile endurance races completely barefoot without becoming lame. Hoof protection is a needed. Even pasture puff horses that are barefoot, or in the wild get massive abscesses, bruising from rocks. I myself, am a 50 year old chick that now needs my maximalist Saucony triumph or Glycerin 19 Brooks, after running all my life in thin , Huaraches sandals . these padded trainers are now keeping me competing in marathons. Miss my barefoot running, but just need some support now as l hit half a century.
I fixed my knee pain running half marathons switching to a toe strike. Supportive shoes work like a back brace. They'll stop you from getting hurt today, but the long term is a dependence and almost inevitable injury.
I used to have back pain and tension headaches daily for years and years. Ever since I transitioned to barefoot shoes AND corrected my flat feet, AND corrected my duck foot gait, my headaches and pain have disappeared. My posture is perfect and I can walk and stand all day without any fatigue. I can run for miles and I’m not even a runner. I feel like a new person. Your feet are your foundation folks. If it’s not balanced, it cascades through the rest of your body.
Barefoot shoes are great i only started wearing a true barefoot shoe a month ago and transitional shoes for 5 months but my feet are stronger (they always used to hurt and any walking barefoot could easily rip my skin it was that soft) i was duck footed heel striking when i run and had constant knee/ ankle pain i lost weight gained muscle went on a diet transitioned to barefoot shoes my leg pains gone im far stronger and happier my gait has completely changed and my bunions and duck feet are almost gone
"I'm not even a runner" As a matter of fact, you ARE a runner and have always been one. We as humans have evolved to be the best distance runners in the world. It's just that because of modern society making us sit down all day and wearing these cushioned pointy shoes, we forget how to do that as we age.
Great story! I think moving to barefoot life style (not only running) it`s a one way ticket. When you feel real power in you feet, when you realize truly potential of it, you don`t want to have this bunch of marshmallow on you feet :) I am on this way right now :)
"when you feel real power in your feet." I love that. It's funny because a lot of people are receptive to the idea of barefoot running and zero-drop, but some people get defensive about needing cushion and drop. It's like, wait...why would you argue against your own natural abilities, ha?
I cured my PF by taking 3 directions from the "EXPERTS": 1) insoles for immediate relief 2) anti-inflammatories to facilitate healing of tendon tears 3) foot n toe stretches My PF has never come back👍👍👍
That's great! Yea, insoles can be very helpful short-term to give your feet a break while they recover. It's when people wear them for months/years that they cause issues.
I really love your videos. I have had knee pain for over 8 years (i am 18) and none of the 10 doctors i went to knew why. Your videos came in my recommended and i started running and walking barefoot a month ago. I have not had any issues with my knees so i really hope this will stay this way. Thanks for your videos :))
Hey Hessel, that's great to hear! It's tough being a doctor these days-they're so overloaded with patients, they just don't have time to do a deep dive into your problems or diverge from the "script." Glad you found something that's working for you! (:
Please start massaging your quadriceps and find the knots of tension in the muscles. These knots called trigger points refer pain to the knee. I wish I could attach some pics to show you the pain patterns for the particular muscles. I am a specialist in myofascial pain and dysfunction working on athletes so your condition is very common and is totally solvable .
I just started practicing the forefoot technique and got rid of my "specially made" inserts to fix my patellar tendonitis. Doctors told me the problem was overuse but I simply can not agree 15 kilometers a week running at age 26 shall be considered "overuse". Will try and see if strengthening the muscles and tendons in the feet is the answer. I hope it is :). P.S. love the videos, keep them coming!
Yea...ironically, most podiatrists and specialty doctors are not runners. They mean well, but don't really know what they're talking about. You will see huge gains in strength and agility without the inserts. It will take a while, but if you're patient and rest when you need it, you won't ever have to worry about "overuse" again. You got this! (:
I, too, have transitioned to vivobare foot shoes. Really love them, but really love your videos! They are so informative and really helped me make my decision to leave the cushioned shoes and run injury free!
@@AndrewFolts I ended up getting the GeoRacers, which I really love. I also got the Primus Trail II, as I mainly do trail running, but I like the GeoRacers more, so I wear them for running and the Primus Trails as an everyday shoe. I also got the Primus Lite II on the revivo site, for a great discount, as I need a waterproof shoe as well. Super happy with my switch to barefoot running! I look forward to your videos and found them so helpful when making the switch.
@@jennyf7464 Sweet! Yea, the upper on the Geo's looks really comfy. Been wanting to try Revivo, too, but my Primus Lite's are at 3,000 miles and still feeling like new, so it could be a year or two before I need another pair of shoes. Which is a bittersweet problem to have, ha!
Thank you for this. I was recently diagnosed with PF. I went to the doctor and everything I was being told went against my intuition. Some of the advice felt right (like icing with a frozen water bottle). But, all the advice about inserts and footwear didn't. I've been a Florida barefoot girl for 51 years and never had any issues with my feet at all. The PF happened after a 4 month recoup from a badly sprained ankle. I've realized my gait has changed from that injury and my healthy foot had to do most of the work for so many months that it got worn down. Anywhoooo..... Your video resonates with me and feels spot on. I'm going to give your advice a try. Thank you. 🙂
Ahh, what a great story! Props to you for listening to your intuition and figuring out the root cause. A lot of health problems can be sorted out with simple observation, so it's a powerful tool to have. Hope your feet keep feeling better!
I went through the same kind of journey with planter facilities. I was looking for the most cushioned shoes and was wearing inserts for years. It was painful for me to just be bearfoot, but I was in constant pain anyway. I finally decided to stop listening to the Dr. And went bearfoot. It's been about 6 months, and I am pain-free. I hope more people give it a chance. It really changed my life from living in pain to being free! Keep up the amazing work you do! And I enjoy your reviews as well. Thanks!❤
Isn't it so amazing when you can fix such a big problem for free, naturally? Huge props to you for taking your health into your own hands (or feet in this case, ha). Keep up the great work!
Such a hopeful tale & once again, the animations were the cherry on top! I really appreciate the memo that bare doesn't always mean insufficient or empty. Bare necessities of what's meaningful to you can be just as fruitful! Glad for you that you never gave up on the issue & wish you a lifetime of injury-free miles!
I sincerely hope that these shoes will alleviate my discomfort as well. A few months ago, I began wearing Birkenstock shoes, and I must say, my back feels considerably better. Currently, I am experimenting with barefoot shoes to determine if they provide relief for my plantar fasciitis. I have grown weary of frequenting the doctor's office.
Oh my god, the endless stretching before doing anything... I am so glad you addressed this fallacy! It was always so counter-intuitive to me, felt like an unnecessary delay and took away my natural urge to just go; made doing anything feel like a chore to be endured. I spend a lot of time walking barefoot in my backyard these days, PF and the pain it causes are leaving quickly now, hopefully never to return. Yes to being barefoot whenever possible, and wearing only barefoot shoes otherwise. Great content, thank you!
It's amazing how good you can feel when you stop doing what you're "supposed" to and just do what comes to you naturally. Sounds like your feet are roaming free! (:
🙌 This is exactly what I discovered from a doctor on TH-cam recently. It's the complete opposite of all the other information out there and what I've been doing for years to deal with foot and leg pain, and now plantar fasciitis. I'm starting this journey soon and thank you again. ❤️
Really love your videos and approach to life. I’ve just started wearing barefoot shoes and the knee pain I’ve been feeling for years has disappeared. I’m getting some discomfort in my feet and ankle but I think it’s probably doing too much too soon, so I guess I need to pace myself a bit and get some strength into my feet. I started running (well trying to) last year before a diagnosis of diabetes and kidney cancer interrupted my progress. Started with little jog/walks on 1st January and I’m determined that this is the year I’ll become a runner! Thanks again for the videos.
Heck yea! For the ankle/feet pain, I'd say, yes, take it slow, but you can also try shortening your stride a bit and making sure your heels touch the ground gently when you move through your stride. Some people try to run more on their toes, and it actually increases the strain on their joints/muscles. Keep at it, and you'll go far! (:
I had to make a lifestyle change about four months ago and once my diet was reset, I started running. Since then, I’ve lost 30 pounds over 90 days. Then, two weeks ago, my left foot started experiencing cramping pains in the underside of my foot between the ball and the transverse head (the flesh behind the middle toe), and I can’t seem to shake it. So I took inspiration from one of your minimalist shoe transition videos and tried switching to Xero Shoes when I’m not running, and I can’t explain it, but foot feels better doing that than my other casual shoes. I’m hoping this will become a fix in the long term because my daily runs (and now mental health) are affected and I want to continue losing a little more weight and staying fit/active for my family. Keep pumping out the good content!
Hey congrats on the weight and getting back to running! One possibility is the forefoot sinking into the the soft foam of a cushion shoe, which caused it to work a lot harder than usual to maintain stability. Another possibility is the opposite-wearing shoes that are too stiff, which can weaken the forefoot through lack of use and cause cramping. Either way, glad you're having success with the Xero's. Keep up the good work! (:
I have had crippling plantar fasciitis for about 9 years now I've been seeing a chiropractor who specialises in the graston technique and today was my 5th visit....he told me I needed to get rid of my insoles and my hokas because they were encouraging me to over supinate. He recommended altra Torins so I went straight to a local small running business and the lady there analysed my feet as soon as I walked in lol. As soon as I put the shoes on I was amazed to see my feel go into a more natural position. He told me there would be a painful adjustment period and I'm definitely experiencing that but at the same time I love how I can feel the ground better than in my sky high hokas and my toes have so much room!
That's great! Yea, the Torin's were my favorite toebox of all time. Just be mindful of when the foam starts to break down, because they'll become mushy, and that will actually make plantar fasciitis worse. For me it happened around 300 miles. If you want to explore further, the company Lem's makes some great zero-drop shoes with a small amount of cushion, and they're more durable over time. My Mom's in her seventies and loves them. She had plantar fasciitis issues as well, but was able to slowly transition all the way down to barefoot shoes, so it's 100% possible to recover. (:
I suffer from severe plantar fasciitis. I’ve tried everything, and it is what it is at this point. I absolutely agree with what you’re saying. Fantastic advice. But it is important for everyone to remember that we aren’t all the same. What works for one person may not work for another. These types of shoes don’t work for me, it exacerbates the problem significantly. I keep some around and go back to them occasionally to see if I can make it work. Maybe one day, but not right now.
Often if PF persists it can be due to the body not having enough magnesium, which is responsible for muscle/tendon flexibility and relaxation. Give some Soloray magnesium glycinate a try, just start with one 350mg capsule and work up to 3-4x per day. Obviously, consult your doctor if needed. Made a huge difference for me both with PF and when I had a very painful tight back.
Great video. Thank you. I just recently got a pair of Vivobarefoot Primus knit FG shoes after a lifetime of wearing heavily cushioned and structured shoes and other uncomfortable dress shoes (I'm 51). I am able to walk around in these Vivobarefoot shoes all day and even go for runs on hard pavement for 3-4 miles most days, and after about a month of adjusting my running style to avoid heel striking and getting used to the lack of cushioning, I am doing great and enjoying so much the sensation of being able to feel the ground through my feet.
Heck yea! I've had my eye on a pair of Knit's for a while, but my Lite's just refuse to die-it's been almost 4,000 miles. So glad you're having fun with your Vivo's. Cheers to many more miles!
Why, oh why didn't I watch this video 3 or 4 months ago? I have had VERY debilitating Plantar Fasciitis for over 4 months, had 3 visits to the physio and still no better. The physio advised gel heel pads and said that I needed to wear shoes with lots of cushioning... My GP also said that I would benefit from Plantar Orthotics with arch support, but good grief they hurt with every step. A week ago, out of desperation, I put on my Vibram Five Fingers, which I hadn't worn since last summer and they felt amazing, the pain was much less. On the strength of that I have bought barefoot shoes for work, I'm walking around barefoot and for the first time in months I feel like I am on the road to recovery! Hallelujah! 😂😂... still wish that I had watched this video much earlier!
That's great, Steve! It's unfortunate how confused doctors seem to be about cushion/support vs natural footwear, but I'm glad you got onto the road to healing! (:
I'm in med school, a runner, a gym lifter and have had a lot of injuries in my legs including plantar fascitis for years - even though I didn't know what it was until recently. While figuring out all my other injuries, I stumbled upon a really old youtube video of a New York orthopedic doctor who filmed patients running on the treadmill with and without shoes. You can easily see that running with cusioned shoes changes the way the patients are running - they try to roll over the heel while impacting the ground with a straight leg. Barefoot on the other hand, they land on the center or even front of the foot with a bent leg. It was mind opening to me. I started running concentrating on running like the barefoot patients and from that moment on, most of my problems went away. So maybe that's the actual problem, not the cusioning itself but the adapation in running technique.
Yea, you can definitely improve your stride while still wearing cushion shoes, especially with zero-drop ones. The other problem, though, is that with cushion your feet can't sense impact properly, so you're always going to be a little "clunky" unless you go with a 3-4mm thick shoe.
Good video. I only came across your channel after purchasing my first pair of Vivo’s. I’ve had them for exactly a week now and have already noticed an improvement with muscle activation. For over 15 years I’ve been riddled with injuries, I’ve seen so many physiotherapist, had many podiatrist appointments for shoe inserts and spent countless hours working on muscle strength. I liken it to having your seat too high on your bike, having hip pain, seeing a chiropractor who fixes the problem, but going back to having your seat too high. I did this too. This time my feet decided for me. I felt more pain using shoe inserts, so I took them out. Then I bought some ON Cloud 5 shoes which are good but my feet didn’t feel right in them. Going to need more time to adjust and strengthen my feet. It’s been a long expensive journey but I was close to giving up. Love your channel.
That's great, yo! Props on taking your health into your own hands (or feet). Vivo's significantly reduced my PF within the first day, and I'm so thankful for finding barefoot shoes.
The "train for happiness" is so true. I used to do powerlifting and it gave me joy. Then my daughter was born and had a 3 year absence from training which led to a dad bod. So I started training again but it just felt like a chore now and I even got myself injured because I wanted to do the same lifts as before. So I started researching calisthenics and prehab/rehab workouts and started doing them. Read the "Overcoming gravity" book and I know now what I have to do to reach my goals. Yet I chose to do a suboptimal routine that makes me happy. This in return makes me just "want to do the workouts". They feel like happy little sessions for me. I also like to build the workout around the recommended routine but modify it with exercises that suit me better like kettlebell swings and deadlifts to help me in my work when I stack boxes and some light jogging so that I can run after my 3 year old and play with her. All in all, just being happy while working out is really important if you are not training for competition, because it will make you want to do it and the exercise itself will be the goal. 😊
Started my barefoot journey about 2 months ago with a pair of Lems Boulder Boots (12.5mm stack height), coming from Red Wing boots. 1 month later and my right knee pain was gone! After some initial muscle pain and walking gait adjustment, I felt so good in general that I decided to start running. So, I bought a pair of $50 Merrell Vapor Gloves 4's (6.5mm thick) to get even closer to the ground. Haven't felt this good in a while, and I actually look forward to running now. The minimal shoe hype is real even if it's not as popular or profitable to sell.
I love hearing stories like this! It's funny because they should sound miraculous (and they are), but it's sort of par for the course with barefoot shoes, ha. Like...yup...another person cures their chronic ailments with barefoot shoes. Know what you mean about "looking forward to running." It's like a whole different experience. Cheers!
Also your checkbox comment disappeared, but I agree. They needed to be bigger. I realized that once I started editing the video, and didn't want to redo all the animations. So....next time!
Try to have at least 1/2 an hour a day spent with barefoot walking and running. In my place the elderly people kept saying it "Connecting yourself back to the Earth and you get heal naturally".... The more your feet getting stronger and harder, the better you can run far 🏃
I don't know where your "place" is, but we need more people with that mentality! When I worked run specialty, older customers would come in with recommendations from their doctors to get the most "supportive" shoe possible because they were "at risk" of falling. Ironically, those super-clunky shoes made it impossible for them to balance properly-and the high platforms were very tippy. When I suggested walking barefoot around the house, a lot of people would respond like I was nuts. "But that's dangerous!" It's sad that people (especially elders) have been convinced that their feet are insufficient to support them. Hopefully, we can keep spreading the message that reconnecting with the Earth has amazing healing and strengthening potential! (:
Thanks for this! I am 2.5 months into treating my plantar fasciitis, and like you have gradually pulled away from all the "expert-recommended" ways to treat it - except from the reasonable experts on TH-cam who fly in the face of the "common wisdom." I also got a big smile out of you quoting Oscar Wilde - you're definitely the first sports guy I've heard do so.
Ha, yea, he had an interesting outlook on life, for sure. Perhaps a better way to put it would be: "Everything complicated is wrong." 99 times out of 100 the path to health or success is the simple one.
I love this! In 2012 I ran 10mi/day as a New Years resolution, the majority was in barefoot shoes & I cleared that year with zero injuries 3660 miles + 3 marathons. Honestly have felt foot doctors are a scam ever since.
I am glad you have the guts to be your own man. They say your heart has the answers before our brain. If ppl learn how to calm down a little and tune into this and stop letting emotion drive their world we would all be in a much happier and healthy place.
True! I like to channel Marcus Aurelius when I'm running-staying calm and not letting external motivations hijack my decision-making. In that state, the world is quiet, and you can hear what your body is telling you on a deeper level.
It’s literally the worst. A healthy person wants a lot of things and a sick person wants only one thing. I try to think about how grateful I am to no longer have plantar plaguing me any longer. I used the barefoot approach, yoga, and cold therapy to help mine go away. The ice bucket submerging was intense but it knocked out the inflammation temporarily.
"A healthy person wants a lot of things and a sick person wants only one thing." Man, story of my life in the beginning of 2021. Arthritis was out of control and I was sleep deprived, and now that I'm doing better, I really appreciate the basic joy of not being in survival mode 24/7.
I've been struggling with plantar fasciitis for years myself. Going to look into barefoot shoes after watching this. Thanks for the video! You have gained a subscriber.
Hey, appreciate the sub! PF is no fun, but gradually transitioned to non-cushion shoes was the best choice I ever made. If you have questions along the way, feel free to ask. Cheers!
Love this! Too often we rely on the opinion of doctors to tell us our limits. Good on ya for taking your life in your own hands in figuring out what works best for you.
I had that big problem in over 3 years but what I found helped me was gym training weightlifting (in my socks) cutring out sugar and dairy and gluten, loosing weight. Sometimes the inflammation may come back if I eat too much sugar.
Traditional Chinese doctors always advise people with mobility problems (owing to age/injury) to try their hardest not to use a cane. Why? Because using a cane makes one's bad/weak leg worse/weaker. Same with every organ. Lost sight in one eye? Don't 'rest' the remaining eye. Use it as much as possible so it doesn't get weak.
It’s the narrow footwear which is a main cause of the PF, along with inflexible soles, toe spring and raised heel. Correct Toes are the way to go. I’m sure you know all this already. Like 99% of footwear in the market is unhealthy for feet.
Yea, lol. Being a shoe salesman was such a bizarre experience after I went to barefoot. Like what do you even tell customer? "Yea...literally 99% of this is nonsense."
I'm 58 and had delt with Planter Fasciitis for over 15 years and I thought it was age related. I used to run but my podiatrist said just stop doing it and turn to low impact excersises along with custom orthotics and stiff supportive shoes. Funny thing was that any amount of walking hurt my feet. I was hobbling to and from the office, could not go on hikes with my husband and it was bleak. Starting at my 58th birthday (3 months ago), I said to myself, "that's it, you are down to the last 40 years and they will NOT be stuck in a house." So I bought my first 'barefoot' shoe, a LEMS Drifter and almost immediatly I walked pain free. Usually my Plantar Fasciitis would flare up after my walk, so I waited to see when the pain would start and it never did. I think it's because I'm no longer heel stricking and walking differently, with more thought put into my stride. I have now purchased Xero Cassie shoes for work and Xero HFS for walking around and playing Pickleball, still no pain. I do like LEMS shoes as well but they do have more stack height and I don't feel the ground as well but they are so comfortable. Why the heck did I not do this sooner? I have never heard that Oscar Wilde quote but I think I will live by it for now on.
I developed PF this summer after hiking in Topo zero drop hiking boots and doing 13 hours of chainsaw/walking on alder roots work in my yard. I have spent the last 1.5 years transitioning out of custom orthotics and was so proud and exciting to finally have no orthotics in my shoes. Although the ground is rocky or snowy in ALaska I have recently loved being barefoot to the point of shopping at the Container Store in Seattle in bare feet. It felt so good. I also have Altras and was focused on wide toe box shoes. My PF is very mild, like a tug in my heal, or tightness but not really pain. I'm doing every strengthening exercise and stretch I've been given but the pain feels exactly the same today as it did 3 months ago. Big cushion shoes have always REALLY irritated my feet. When you push down on cushion, it pushes back... and this causes burning in my feet. No doctor has ever understood this and I've been told that I have things like "neuropathy" which I do not. I have pretty healthy feet. The other day my feet were bothering me and I took the factory insole out of my Altra's and it felt better. To complicate issues I have two mild neuromas, so need to be careful with the zero cushioning options. I have no idea where to start with no/low cushion shoes but will look at your link. Also, I'm not running anymore but intend to restart once I'm over this. I live in Alaska and ordered Xero snow boots but they run very small and customer service is lacking so still don't have the right size.
Good to hear you've made some progress, but sorry PF is still bugging you a bit. For me any cushion at all (even low cushion) caused my PF to persist, so I had to go full barefoot with no cushion and my PF has been gone for 6+ years. Even something like Topo caused foot strain for me, so it may be worth trying a barefoot brand like Vivobarefoot, etc.
I like the message and agree that people should be willing to put in an effort to better themselves. I understand that doctors recommend insoles because many people wouldn't be willing to put in the work to overcome the issue, but this should still be presented as a solution to allow people to make the decision for themselves.
True, it's a self-feeding problem, because people want quick/easy solutions and doctors often make more money by pushing the quick fix (inserts, drugs, etc). Would be great if doctors had some kind of incentive to prescribe lifestyle changes.
I transitioned to minimalist shoes- and all has been well except my 12 hour shifts as a nurse- An added challenge is that one leg is (truly) an inch shorter than the other. I used inserts, orthotics blah blah- I walk so much funnier in cushioned shoes. I trip a lot! It’s funny because I can surf, Mountainbike, ski, etc- I just have trouble walking. This is too lengthy, so hay! I just put north soles insoles into my Muki shoes- and I think I’ve found the trick!!!! (north soles minimalist appropriate insoles made in USA!
That sounds like a great solution! Thinner soles usually do help when the body needs to rebalance itself. Love my Muki's too, they're crazy light a comfy. (:
May have to switch to some barefoot shoes. I used to run about 60 miles a week and id do a marsthon once a month, but i tore my hamstring playing football and during the healing process, my gate/stride changed which led to a slew of problems that took me away from running. Been dealing with PF on and off for about 5 years. It'll get better, then come back and i have to start rehabing all over again. Been using prescribed orthotics and they take the pain away, but the pain is just the symptom to the problem. I don't want to mask the problem by treating the symptoms. I want to fix the problem. Your videos have been helping me a lot. Thank you.
Hey, Mike. Glad the videos are helping. Sounds like working in some barefoot walking and running could really benefit your stride issues. After I stopped wearing cushion, my PF went away completely and hasn't come back, so I hope you get the same results!
I’m so glad I stumbled upon your video, I’ve been hobbling for the last few months and after watching your video I went barefoot at home all day today and I actually feel relief. Almost gave into the doctor’s recommendation of steroid shots and I’m so glad I didn’t. Thank you so much.
The problem with foot injuries is that most people will go consult podiatrists and most of them are still using science that is largely based on marketing and false ideologies. Rarely will one of them recommend gradually changing to flat shoes. The last time I went to see one 10 years ago, he asked to see my shoes and i showed him my camper Peu and my Original vivobarefoot and he informed me I would have to put forms or arch supports in them to make them adequate. Yet, in the same way explained in the video, gradually changing to wearing barefoot shoes on a daily basis pretty much cured all my knee pains and foot issues. The foot is a marvel of human evolution, why are people obsessed with restricting it. Worse is, when I talk about it with people, they look at me like I'm from another planet.
"The foot is a marvel of human evolution, why are people obsessed with restricting it." THIS! It's so weird that whenever people see a gap, they think they should *put* something there. Podiatrists and cushion advocates are the ones from another planet, because they certainly don't seem to belong here on Earth, ha! (:
@@AndrewFolts there is a glimmer of hope. The Vivobarefoot line in Canada was recently taken over by a foot doctor and his team who value the value of barefoot.
Great Story! Doctors need to admit they have been wrong about the feet along. Their solutions are more "Fashion" based, than offering ways to develop foot articulation.. Imagine selling tight gloves as a solution to someone's lack of grip strength.
"tight gloves as a solution to a someone's lack of grip strength." Ha, damn, really hits the nail on the head. Sadly, I do not have to imagine, as I have literally seen gloves making that claim before.
Running is already hard on your feet, but to run with flat feet is crazy. The arch of the foot was meant to be a shock absorber. I stopped wearing shoes in the house years ago. I don't run but I was experiencing foot pain wearing regular shoes. Now I try to buy "barefoot" style shoes whenever possible.
Hey congrats on making the switch! Yea, I had flat feet once upon a time and it was like being in a car with no shocks. But now my arches are medium height and life is a much smoother ride. (:
@@AndrewFolts Flat feet is pretty much unheard of in cultures where people are barefoot. Look up Nicholas Pedicini, he was an American podiatrist that figured this out decades ago. He especially thought shoes with heels were bad for the foot.
Direct manipulation and elimination of trigger points in the posterior lower leg muscles and feet as well as running and walking barefoot or with minimalist shoes like you promote solves this issue bigtime !!!
I remember when I worked run specialty and one of my co-workers showed me how when you have heel pain, there's almost always a knot up in your calf, which you can massage. Blew my mind!
Researching foot attire is boring, or so I thought... The random Oscar Wilde quote was a joy. The advice seems good (I go barefoot when I can... alas, the humans insist on shoes so I'm stuck trying to find something that doesn't drive my feet crazy), seems to resonate with my experience with inserts and cushioning and all that. After years of "whatevering" barefoot shoes ("I'll just go barefoot"), think I'm gonna take your advice and get some super thin barefoot shoes to be socially, and weather, appropriate. Thanks for this video!
Yea, you could live your whole life off that quote. Barefoot is def ideal, but you can get pretty close with a 3-4mm shoe. Especially Vibram FiveFingers with their separate toes. I have a barefoot shoe finder tool on my website where you can filter by width, activity, thickness, etc, which might be useful. bit.ly/49U1Ryo Happy barefooting out there!
Exactly my experience! I hurt my plantar fascia in a small accident while hiking and was so desperate for the inflammation to go away that I did everything the doctors told me to do except of orthotics because I've been running minimal/barefoot up to 50k distances for years at this point and there was just no way of me restraining my feet to this level. I even bought Altras for cushioning and stopped walking barefoot all together because doctors told me so. Well, it didn't work until I listened to my body and started wearing the thinnest possible sock shoes I could get. Pain started to get better and better and after two weeks I was able to walk longer distances completely pain free on concrete. I have to say I also changed my walking quite a bit (smaller steps under my center of gravity with midfoot walking) to mechanically de-stress the area where the planta fascia is attached to the heel and I'm pain free for years now! Whenever my steps get too big or I slightly overstride I start to feel it again, remind myself of what to do and it goes away immediately before it even starts to hurt. Thanks for putting this information out there, I really hope more people follow your advice on this and get better soon!
Props for listening to your body! It's so simple, but I feel like if people just did that it would sole like 50% of the world's health problems in about a month, ha. Keep up the good work!
Thanks a lot for your video. Because now I see a light at the end of the tunnel again. I am suffering from Plantar fasciitis since also 4 years and beginning of this year I transist from heel striking to forefoot which made it a little better, but still not perfect and now I also bought me a few pairs of Vivos, which I now wear since last week and I hope the pain will finaly go away.
Nice! Yea, forefoot running alone won't do much for PF because you can end up using your calf muscles (and plantar fascia) more than with a heel strike. Fingers crossed, but getting rid of cushion made a big difference for me. Hope you keep feeling better! (:
Hello Andrew, love your videos ❤️ Agree with you and your approach. My story is quite opposite and after very painful plantar fasciitis in barefoot shoes I'm now back to Hokas but not giving up. I'll will continue to change shoes and running style as running is there for pleasure and excitement :) take care and look forward to seeing your videos soon :)
Hey Milos! Hoka's are a great cushioned option for dealing with plantar fasciitis. Back when I wore Bondi's, I found that the curved shape helped take some stress off my feet, and the foam stayed firm a lot longer than my Altra's. Happy experimenting! (:
@@AndrewFolts Thanks Andrew :) I am running now in Challenger 6 longer distance (10+) and in Altra Superior shorter ones. Your most important advice is to keep moving and keep changing :) searching for the thing, that one that suits your own needs :) and never, ever give up fun :)
Just found your channel and am currently suffering from p.f. I'm a teacher on my feet all day and am a slower runner. I've had it off and on for a few years. The airsock given by the podiatrist only helped for a month while I wasn't running. Amazingly, my feet felt great while visiting my daughter in AK and walking around her house in sock feet for a week. I run in cushioned Brooks Ghost. This video gave me a lot of ideas to think about. Thank you!
Funny enough, my mom had the same problem, and once she switched from Ghost's to Vivo's her pain went away. Cushion's ok at first, but it breaks down quickly and becomes mushy, which makes your feet work a lot harder, which leads to PF. Hope you're able to keep making positive steps with your bare feet. (:
Great video Andrew! My history with PF is similar to yours with regards to (not) listening to the experts. I'm thankful that zero-drop shoes and barefoot walking at home (while working from home) have cured me completely. I've not jumped into minimal shoes just yet, but so far it's not been necessary yet.
@@AndrewFolts I also see it that way, although I am intrigued to go further minimal. The Escalante is the most minimal I've gone so far. I've also started reviewing my shoes to share my experience with PF and zero drop. 😊
@@TDMiller Nice! If you're interested in carbon plates, you could try the Vanish as a half step down. It was my favorite Altra shoe because the cushion was more firm and the plate made it more durable than the Escalante/Torin, which turned to mush in under 300 miles for me.
Thank you for this video. It gave me energy, so much positivity, and motivation to work on my plantar fascia that I’ve been dealing with for the past 4 years. I felt hopeless. But I have been doing more and more exercises for my feet and I have ordered barefoot shoes. I always used insoles since without them my heel and achilles starts to hurt badly, I can’t wait to cure it. Thanks from Rotterdam ✌️❤️
Hey, no problem, just take it slow and you'll go from PF to BF! Which shoes did you go with? You can also try some magnesium glycinate (I take Soloray), which is the nutrient responsible for muscle relaxation and elasticity. Most people are deficient due to chronic stress. amzn.to/3NnEVNN
@@AndrewFoltsI bought some cheap shoes from amazon, around 30-40€. Theyre called Geweo. So far so good! I notice stronger feet and more balance when working out. Aside from that though, the PF is less painful yet the last few days the pain is noticeable when walking, specifically at the tip of my heel and in the mornings still.. Thanks for the vid again! Had to watch the it again :) hope you doing good!
I had horrible plantar fasciitis for about a year, nothing helped, not new custom orthotics, not weekly visits to the physical therapist, not visits to the chiropractor, the thing that cured me was starting acupuncture. At my first session my calves were so tight I had a 3 degree rand of motion on my right ankle and a 5 degree range on my left, “normal” is 15 degrees. A day after my first acupuncture session not only was my pain totally gone but I felt like my legs had felt when I was a kid (I was in my late 20s), now I go for upkeep and I’m starting to do more barefoot walking.
Congrats, Erika! What a great story! Yea, I've heard a lot of people get good results with acupuncture, though I've never tried it myself. So glad you're getting out to do some barefoot walking. Cheers!
I was diagnosed with PF about four years ago while working as a nursing assistant (I.e. loads of standing up on hard floors) it’s only in the past years since being diagnosed diabetic and taking my foot health more seriously that it has started to resolve. How? By going minimalist with my shoes...much to the chargin’ of my diabetic specialist podiatrist. I now pretty much live in my Primus Trek, Gobi 3 (both Vivobarefoot) and Wildlings shoes (I massively recommend Wildlings btw, they are amazing). My PF has all but gone, my feet are stronger and much to the surprise of my podiatrist I have better feeling in my feet now than I did 12 months ago! On the rare occasions when I do wear regular shoes (for army cadet duties) I feel as though I’m wearing bricks on my feet and I want to get the boots off as quickly as possible! It wouldn’t work for every diabetic, it wouldn’t work even for everyone with PF, but going minimalist has helped me no end.
Hi Nicola, that's great! I like to say: "If you have it, barefoot shoes can cure it." Not always true, but they do work wonders in a lot of cases. Happy minimalizing! (:
Cushioned shoes are fine and many of today's foams last MUCH longer then 200 miles. I think a good balance of barefoot/minimalist shoes and cushioned shoes works quite well also.
So glad I found this video. My story of getting plantar fasciitis was so similar to yours I was laughing out loud. Even down to the doctors office! Thank you!
I haven't been experiencing arch pain lately, but in the past whenever I tried to hike or run without my Superfeet insoles, I didn't last long. Lately I've adjusted my running style to incorporate midfoot striking (running on Altras) while I slowly transition into barefoot running and I'm already noticing benefits/no pain after running. It makes sense too, that strengthening the arch would help alleviate and eventually eliminate the pain caused by it being weak and overworked. I went through a similar journey with my lower-back a few years ago, so I'm excited to see that my arch problems are correctable as well. Thanks for sharing your story and motivations!
Hey Alvin! Yep, I was wearing Superfeet's too. Not easy, at first, to go without them, but then you realize your arch is basically a giant spring, and it starts to feel much better! The human body is pretty resilient all on its own. Hope your arches feel better soon!
Loved hearing everything you're saying here. I listened to doctors for almost 20 years about my health and I just kept getting worse. But then I got REALLY sick and started fasting just cos I didn't feel like eating and I improved! So I started to do my own research about fasting and keto and now I don't go to the doctor's anymore. Haven't been this well in at least 30yrs
Right? It's crazy how much progress you can make with basic fasting. I came to the same conclusion as you, and my goal is to never set foot in another doctor's office for the rest of my life, if possible.
Interesting that your experience with pf is almost the polar opposite of mine. My recommendations are highly cushioned recovery slides for everyday use, higher drop cushioned shoes for running, a regular regime of targeted heel raises, rolling with a ball, calf stretching and Shockwave therapy. The above kept me training and racing all while standing all day at work.
The human body is a mysterious thing. There's definitely a strong mind-body component. Especially with something inflammation-related, if a certain treatment fits your personality, then your body will is more likely to heal itself. Glad you found what worked for you!
Hey Andrew, I agree with everything except the stretching part. If you feel good that way keep going though ;) Let me introduce briefly my story. A couple months ago a podologist designed me a soles, these were tough compared with my previous soles. I walked short and long distances with them and two weeks later I suffered from plantar fasciitis. My left foot heel was inflamed and I barely could walk. So for two weeks I rested and started doing feet work outs such as ball rolling. During that time I started looking for gel soles, sandals with cushioned heels... "My feet need more comfort" I thought. At the same time, I've been thinking that maybe my feet were not used to the thick sole and that's why I get those pains and stiffness. Probably my muscles, tendons, ligamens were not used to it! Also, from time to time I wear pair of sandals without arch support, and I realised that every time I wear them I feel pressure in my feet archSo I concluded that maybe I've been carrying my whole life arch support and cushioned shoes when I necessarily do not need those features. The thing now is that when I'm wearing shoes without any of these features I have feet strains. Having said that, after having watched your Vivobarefoot review, you have convinced me to buy a pair after been following the shoe's company Instagram for a long time. The main reason is because my fingers would not be tight, as I usually have blisters when I walk (I recently bought toe spacers because of that). However, I'm not sure how these are going to impact to the my arch/plantar feet. Maybe it is too soon for a barefoot shoes? Recommendations? (Sorry about my English, greetings from Spain)
Hey Alicia! The nice thing about any new shoes is that you can choose to work them in slowly-even fifteen minutes each day. This way, you don't risk straining your feet, and it allows you to gradually build up strength as you go. Arch supports are great for short term recovery (a few days or weeks), but over time they make your arches weak, which is why your feet feel strained when you're not wearing them. Not to worry, though! If you take the transition slow, your feel will start feeling a lot stronger in no time. (:
I have 3 mil shoes and love them. There is a downside I've discovered. My sons play travel hockey and I've learned that you really do feel the ground and in an ice rink, where the even ground next to the rink is super cold, you might as well be standing on ice. Still, I wear them, lol. It just means that my toes need some defrosting after a game or practice.
Ha, yea, they can get cold unless you keep moving, but I imagine pure ice would be even more of a challenge. One thing you might try is adding a wool insert and making sure to wear a layer or two of wool socks. I use Buffalo Wool Co's insole bit.ly/3jidkCz and Injinji socks th-cam.com/video/_e6BC2vfl4w/w-d-xo.html.
Contrary to all the advice on plantar faciatiis and physio i had… years after i found an instagram post that talked about the important of stretching your toes out after years of wearing shoes with narrow toe boxes. After just two days of stretching my big toes outwards against each other with a band, my plantar faciatiis was gone. It was a lack of blood flow problem!
Great work, Benjamin! Yea, oftentimes the body just needs a little readjustment to get back to normal and it's nice to have these in your tool belt for if it happens again. (:
Hi, I agree as we don’t listen to our ‘instincts’ enough. I’ve gone as far as having an operation on my foot for my 4 years of pf and I would say it made my condition worse. I have tried everything medically but after your video I’m going to go back to basics with earth origin thin soles …. Thank you for your easy to follow and entertaining presentation! Dee
Yea, it's unfortunate, I heard the same story from so many customers when I worked run specialty, but you can make a lot of progress quickly with the basics, and the best part is they're free! (:
I just bought my 1st pair of barefoot shoes. I have had plantar fasciitis for years now. One foot healed it’s self but the right is so bad that I sometimes joke about cutting it off all together. I’m hoping that listing to your advice will help. I stand on my feet day in and day out for hours. I love running but stopped because of the pain. I have had five Cortizone shots in the right and three in the left. I’ve seen three different drs and nothing has help. I would love to have anymore advice you can give to heal this faster. Thanks again for these videos I hope they help even more to get better with this growing problem.
Hey Aimee, sorry to hear that, PF really sucks! Which barefoot shoes did you get? I'd recommend transitioning to them slowly at work, starting with maybe half an hour, then increasing the time as it feels good. My Vivo Primus Lite's fixed my foot pain within the first few days, but I'd expect a few weeks to a few months for you, since your case sounds a lot more severe. Keep me posted! (:
I'm not a runner but I do stand and walk a lot for work. I've been wearing zero-drop shoes and boots exclusively for about seven years and never had a problem until recently when I got a pair of Luna sandals. They were (and still are) my favorite thing to wear out of all my footwear, but I started getting pain in the ball of my right foot (metatarsalgia). I've been resting and icing and using met pads and thicker insoles and it seems to be slowly improving. It still swells up when I'm on my feet too much and I haven't taken a walk for exercise in over a month, which is truly a bummer. Despite that, I'm confident I can sort it out, eventually. The journey goes on.
Might be because Luna sandals are quite thick. I've noticed that anything above 6mm in sandals can start to feel clunky and really make my feet hurt, especially on roads. Hopefully it sorts itself out, tho!
@@AndrewFolts I've wondered that about the thickness. I chose a pair that are on the thinner side for Lunas but thicker than my other shoes. I figured that wouldn't matter since my foot can do what it needs to do given the minimal lacing. Maybe less is the way to go, once I'm not in pain.
this really helped my life!!!!! I kept thinking for many hours what to do more about this same issue. Now I feel the big different.. Thank you so much!
Sorry your dad wasn't given an anaesthetic shot before the cortisone shot. I literally felt nothing with my cortisone shot and plantar fasciitis went away completely
I'll have to ask him. Could be the anesthetic shot that was painful. Glad it worked for you-cortisone can definitely be effective if you've just overstressed your plantar facia and need a one-time fix. My dad had to go back to standing forty hours a week, so it just got re-aggravated, and you can't keep getting shots for the rest of your life. Not that anyone would want to anyways, ha!
I've just turned 24 and I experienced plantar fascitis for the first time at 19 while I worked in a pub, then I experienced it again in 2020 after wearing slippers or TOMS at work in a childcare setting. Since then I've followed doctors advice, buying more supportive shoes. I'm very athletic too so it's not a weight issue or old age like all my various leaflets about plantar fascitis say. I have wondered for a long time now why we put children in shoes with a narrow space for toes, why they "need" supportive shoes (or shoes full stop really). Intuitively I also wondered if my own foot problem was because of weakness and have been toying with the idea of buying barefoot shoes for a long time. But damn theyre expensive and I've spent so much money on so many wonder shoes over the years.... After reading a book called "under the open stars", Idecided to go for it. Right now I have 5 pairs of trainers in the washing machine ready for me to dry out and take to the charity shop after ordering a pair of barefoot shoes. Will update in a couple months.
Hey Lauren, congrats on taking the first step-it's a fun journey! If you want to save some money, check out revivo.com, where they sell refurbished Vivo's for $70-90. Also remember that barefoot shoes will last 5-10x longer than cushion shoes, which are basically shot as soon as the foam breaks down. Cheers!
Update: After wearing barefoot shoes for 2 months, my plantar fascia is a lot worse. The pain is now more acute (a bit like being poked with needles) and I have heel pain that's I've not really had before. For work (again, very physical with a lot of steps exceeding 13,000 a day usually) the barefoot shoes are not appropriate for me. But I have really loved going on hikes and walking on the earth in barefoot shoes. Recently found I have wider than average feet and so I just today brought some wide feet arch support trainers for work. But barefoots for the gym as they're easier to balance in and for hikes. Right now I get home from work every day having to ice my feet and after 2/3 days of work my knee is in pain also. Thank you for your video but it's just not right for me, and sadly has not resolved my plantar fascitis
I always walk barefoot. When my heels started to hurt a lot, doctor told me i had to wear supportive shoes with expensive inlays. Tried it for two months and the pain got a lot worse. I also couldnt properly roll my feet, feel the ground or spread my toes. So i quit and went back to bare feet and shoes with no support at all. Physical therapist said its my back and gave me lots of exercises that didn’t work. But what he also said was: nothings really broken. That triggered me. If nothing is broken than walking will probably not make it worse. So i moved. Cycled, danced, walked. It got a little better. I still have pain, especially in the morning. But i accept it and move on. I look funny the first couple of minutes, but it seems to work. I don’t have expensive barefoot shoes though. Im not that rich. I use the bare feet i was born with.
Yea, inserts are a great short-term fix, but they just make your arches weaker over time. Is the pain just in your heels? Sounds like plantar fasciitis. Nutrition might be a factor too. Magnesium deficiency, for example, can lead to issues with muscles cramping or feeling stiff, especially in the morning. Hemp seeds or a Mg supplement are two things to try. Totally feel you on barefooting. Literally just released a video a few weeks ago on how I run without barefoot shoes most of the time now. Hope you keep feeling better! th-cam.com/video/oUUdYgHvv70/w-d-xo.html
Andrew Folts no not just the heels. But that was the biggest pain. I’ve noticed that it’s the lower back as well, and the butt muscles, and sometimes tingling in the legs. I found out that i’m at my worst after i sit or lay down for more than an hour. So i try not to do that during the day. And when i wear ‘good’ shoes, my toes fall asleep.
@@Peacefrogg Interesting. Since it's more whole-body, I would say look into the nutritional deficiencies (Mg especially) and maybe autoimmune issues too. One exercise that really helped me was walking up stairs with only the front of my feet touching and my heels raised. Built up a lot of strength with only 2-3 reps per day. Helped correct my posture, as well.
Andrew Folts thank you so much for your advice. When i think about it, i did lose my appetite for bread a while ago. Just to be sure i’m going to put more nuts in my yoghurt and eat more spinach. Maybe even take a temporary supplement with Mg/Ca/vitD.
@@Peacefrogg Makes sense, wheat can be a common trigger for autoimmune issues. My allergies completely disappeared after cutting out dairy, wheat, and peanuts. Still working on the joints.
Thanks for this video. I’ve been struggling with planter fasciitis for five months now. And have tried so many things. I refuse to get a cortisone shot. I also work walking around on a cement floor all day. It’s brutal by the end of my shift most days. I’m definitely going to check out some of your suggestions and look into those shoes too. I can’t wait to feel back to normal again. Sometimes it feels like it’s never going away.
Yea, PF really sucks, but at least for me going with a thin 3-4mm barefoot shoe solved the problem in about a week. My feet felt amazing on concrete and were hardly tired at all at the end of my shifts. No longer work at a shoe store, but I've been running/walking in them for 6+ years with no PF, so I hope it works for you too!
Love the videos, I've never had plantar fasciitis but transitioning into barefoot shoes has helped my flat foot condition and eliminated my constant back/arch pains. Unfortunately as a trade-off, it has also caused me to develop posterior tibial tendonitis (according to my own diagnosis) in my right ankle which has been frustrating to deal with. So I'll be experimenting with a physical therapy routine alongside my normal workouts. Keep up the good work!
Hey Brent, glad you're getting some results with barefoot. Health is complicated, and it's hard when it feels like one step forward, another backwards. Which barefoot shoes are you using and how long have you been using them for? Cheers!
@@AndrewFolts Yeah I've learned more about foot physiology than I would ever anticipate since starting this. I suspect my posterior tibial tendonitis is correlated to my flat foot condition. Taking away the arch/heel/cushion support simply revealed the underlying issue that regular shoes masked, which is how weak my muscles and tendons actually were. Aside from just walking barefoot in my house, I've been using a pair of Whitin trail barefoot shoes I got off Amazon. I've been wearing them consistently for about 4 months at the gym and on daily walks. Now that I'm convinced of the benefits I've ordered Vivobarefoot Geo Court II's for casual wear.
I had plantar fascitis pretty regularly from daily walking several miles for exercise. My bro bought me a pair of Lems (he had been studying up to deal with his own hip and leg pain), and I was skeptical, but I liked the idea of a larger toebox to deal with scrunched toes, and the potential for strengthening my feet. After a couple months I could say my plantar fascitis was probably reduced 90% or more, and only give me minor issues. Now, most every shoe I wear is a barefoot shoe.
I have massive heal pain from walking 8-9 miles a day. I just bought a pair of barefoot shoes and started walking landing on forefront. I’ve been wearing thick cushioned running shoes and walking heel to toe. I’m now in even more pain. I don’t know what to do.
Hey I’ve been a big runner for a while and got plantar fasciitis over a year ago now. Also I tryed everything from new shoes to inserts specially made. I’ve been in barefoot for 3 months now and I’ve been pain free !!!!! Even started running again just small ones to start but iam pain free. And what your saying has merit. Thanks for the video I thought I was on my own 🤦♂️
Just bought a pair of Vapor Glove 4's myself, and they're great. However, the VGs are a little thicker at 6.5mm thick compared to most Vivos that come in around 4mm thick now (older versions were 3mm). I found my VGs a little large, though, and will buy a half-size smaller next time, as I have about 3/4" inch of extra space in the toe. They still feel great, just a tad large.
Seconding Jason's comment. VG's are very similar to the VivoBarefoot Primus Trek's (also 6.5mm). They're a great trail option. I found the 4mm (formerly 3mm) Vivo Primus Lite's to work better for flat surfaces like pavement and concrete. Enjoy your Vapor's!
@@JasonFarrell Good choice. I have several barefoot shoes, Inov8, Leguano and Vapor gloves 3 and 4. I like my vg's the best. Cured my shin splints and achilles tendonitis. Wear them now always. My whole posture changed. Love barefoot (-shoes). Have fun with them.
For twenty years, I forced myself to stretch, while my body said: "No! No! No!" When I stopped, running became so much more fun. I looked forward to just going out the door now, instead of doing some boring warmup routine. Hope the same happens for you!
I had plantar fasciitis in 2013 and nothing worked on my flat feet until someone recommended minimalist shoes. Medical advice didn't not help at all. I was hobbling for months. Then, when I tried minimalist, It was almost immediate relief. It's not widely known or studied, but if you have flat feet you should probably be in minimalist shoes. Low drop/zero drop at least.
So glad to hear it, plantar fasciitis is no joke. For the most part, arch height doesn't matter-it's arch strength that'll keep your happy and healthy. (:
@@AndrewFolts yes! That is such good advice. I've become much more of an avid runner in the past 3 years, and have struggled to find a shoe that works for me. Plantar never returned but I did move away from minimalist shoes for a while. For running, I tried Brooks (Yuck), Hoka One One (knee pain), Saucony (love em but can I do better?), and more, and finally just decided to come back to minimalist because I hate my feet feeling crushed. Today was my first 5k run in Xero HFS, and it was tough but felt good. Ready to build my feet back better!
@@JosephTavano Hey congrats! 5k is my fav distance, for sure. When your 5.5mm Xero's wear out (might be a while), you could try the 4mm Vivo Primus Lite, and eventually full barefoot if you really want to go wild. (:
@@AndrewFolts I will certainly look into the Vivos! Barefoot would be cool, but I live in Salem, MA, which is a bit more urban, so it might be a bit dodgy. :) One day perhaps!
What I rarely ever hear anyone, especially "experts" talk about is foam rolling and massage. Too often we get so focused on the pain and where it's located that we completely miss the underlying root cause which is probably the muscle and in this case, the calf (soleus & gastroc). Try working those knots out and if your muscles are tender when massaged it's probably more likely that is your issue. #22yrsinjuryfree
Yea, it's funny, this guy I used to work with in shoe sales showed me how when there's a tight arch, there's always a calf knot up above. Basic massage is super helpful for healing and injury prevention. Congrats on being injury free!
@@AndrewFolts, exactly! And so often knee pain has knotted up quads, and hip pain has knotted glutes. Stretching doesn't release knots (but it's helpful for other reasons) and has never been shown to prevent or overcome injuries. It's time for a #Rollvolution!
Your local CVS or Walgreens will have a brace for planter fascinates. You put it on as you sleep so that your tendons and heal muscles heal longer instead of tightening in the night. They worked for me in about 2 weeks. However the first night it felt like my foot was on fire and I had to take it off at 2am. They are a simple, $20-$40 solution.
@@AndrewFolts I got mine after it was suggested by my aunt who is a college professor of physical education. She and several of her friends and students had success with them. I'm not a runner. I'm a day hiker. I've noticed fewer issues since I went to a zero drop shoe and Teva sandals. The brace only helps after the issue arises. Strong, more natural feet are prevention.
Thank-you. Your video confim me in my decision to do barefoot. I used to walk in woods but I changed place and start to walk on concrete, I started to use cuscioned shoes and started to have fascite in a foot, after healed started in the other foot and only walking without shoes helped me with the first foot but now I need to do barefoot. I need to chose the right shoes and your advices are good. Less is better than more. I need wide and very minimalist but I need waterproof and not expensive. I would like to take fivefingers, we have five fingers that we have to use! I like too the shoses that helped you. Have a nice life. Good karma to you.
I noticed your Tycho computer background, I like your style mate. How about a runners diet video? Out of all the videos I've come across just watching runner stuff, your definitely the guy to watch lol. Got my sub 5sure
Ha, thanks, Jayden. Cheers to Tycho. I haven't found the barefoot equivalent of the "best" diet yet, but I'd say intermittent fasting has made the biggest improvement for me. I eat dinner around 7 pm, then fast until 12 pm the next day. No more brain fog, digestion is better, and crazy levels of energy. Also iodine, copper, and magnesium. Getting 3-5 grams of kelp and some shiitake mushrooms in my diet gave my body a major energy boost, and taking 800 mg of magnesium glycinate daily chilled me out, helped me get better sleep, and prevented any tight muscle symptoms. When I get my whole diet dialed in, I'll definitely make a video about it. Appreciate the subscribe!
I had plantar fasciitis really bad in the army. When I left I almost entirely was barefoot or in flip flops. A few years later the pain went away. Now I wear lems and my running is typically the same way. Slow start and speed up as I feel comfortable. I never stretch before a run and I haven’t had any injuries since starting
PF in the army. Damn, that must have been rough. Glad you discovered Lem's. You might like those Mini-Mil barefoot combat boots, tho never tried them myself. www.bellevilleboot.com/mini-mil-trade.php
![Top 5 Barefoot Shoes LIES! [Plantar Fasciitis, Bunions & Flat Feet]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3elMryUe4a4/mqdefault.jpg)
*HELPFUL LINKS*
pf checklist - - - - - - - - - - bit.ly/34dUly0
best zero-drop shoes - - bit.ly/3vpTTYT
zero-drop transition - - - th-cam.com/video/i2D7BUOAe8g/w-d-xo.html
my barefoot journey - - - th-cam.com/video/-BMuMiL1Z7c/w-d-xo.html
Hey Andrew, I have gotten my vivo shoes I ran 5miles and now I can’t stand on my right foot is this plantar or what?
@@bogeyatbest2213 Five miles is a lot for a first run in barefoot shoes. I would start out with very low milage and work up gradually. My first barefoot run was literally two minutes-to the end of the street and back.
Also, you have to be mindful of how your body is feeling at all times. There's no cushion, so it's up to you to maintain form and not overdo it. Err on the side of not enough, because you can always go out for another run later, but you can't undo damage once you've done it.
I'd take a few days off. Maybe just do some light walking until your foot feels better. Remember, barefoot is like learning to run all over again, so take it slow and you'll be ok! (:
I'm moving cool
Hi, love your videos but I do have something to say about one section of your this video. When you said your arches still hurt after a day at your job and stopped when you wore your primus lites, it reminded me of my experience. I was walking around in school all day and my arches were burning, until one day, they suddenly didn’t. I hadn’t changed my shoes or anything. This obviously isn’t dismissing your verdict but I think your arches were burning because they weren’t used to being used that much, just like after a workout but this is all the time. After a while of being used they gain enough strength to be used without pain.
@@primal8525 Yea, getting stronger is def part of it, but the main reason they were hurting was that my feet were constantly unstable and "sinking" into the foam of cushion shoes. When I switched to barefoot shoes they were on a 100% stable platform (the floor) and hence didn't need to work hard at all. The effect was instant and when I tried going back to cushion shoes the pain returned, so at least in my case that was the answer. Lucky you for having it disappear all on its own. (:
I’m a doctor and have absolutely switched to the advice I just found you giving. In my new opinion I feel some people probably can’t use these type shoes. But they should be trying. Not everyone can run, but they shouldn’t be using a wheelchair, they should be trying. Oscar Wilde quote is absolutely true. My diet has completely changed as well. My midlife crisis has helped me feel the best ever.
"They should be trying." Love this perspective! It's easy to get locked into "do this, don't do that" mentality, but health is more complicated than that. Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith, and see what happens for yourself, instead of waiting for someone else to give you the answers. Glad you've found some that are working for you!
Hey, I just want to let you know that "they shouldn't be using a wheelchair, they should be trying" is incredibly ableist. Wheelchairs aren't for people who are lazy (like you seem to be insinuating), they're for people for whom walking is difficult or impossible due to illness, injury, or disability. Wheelchairs and other mobility aids help people become more mobile and independent. It's deeply concerning and disheartening that you're a healthcare professional spreading such harmful rhetoric. I sincerely hope you don't tell your disabled patients (or any patients, for that matter) that they're "not trying hard enough." Please consider consuming some content made by disabled people, and listen to disabled people when it comes to disability related issues.
@@courtlynlouise ok boomer, i am a zoomer so i zoooooom into space
@@courtlynlouise u see though, sometimes people in wheelchairs really arent trying. SOME of those people in wheelchairs ARE lazy. for SOME, walking is difficult because they never do it !!!! but if those people just TRIED, just took literal baby steps, walking would become easier and they wouldnt need a wheelchair
courtlyn louise ofc, a lot of ppl have a real disability and when the only choice is stay at home or use a wheelchair you should def use the wheelchair.
But it is important to keep moving and to not be controlled by fear.
So if you can walk, and the wheelchair is there as a safetynet, don’t be afraid to let your loved one push an empty chair, or push it yourself, or put it in a corner of the store. It will be there when you need it.
If you have to sit, sit. And do a little sitting dance.
Thanks, Andrew! I'm tired of youtube physical therapists (Bob and Brad) telling me I need cushion, arch support, and FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, YOU MUST WEAR SHOES ALL THE TIME in order for your fasciitis to heal. In actuality, I walk around barefoot just fine, but as soon as I throw shoes on the pain instantly resumes. Anyways, just wanted to say thank you for being willing to contradict the mainstream doctrine. Keep up the good work, mate.
Ha, oh god. Bob and Brad. I went through a phase where my joint pain was so bad, I was watching anything, and I got that stupid jingle stuck in my head.
My rule of thumb for TH-cam is never listen to people whose video descriptions are full of Amazon affiliate links or who run constant giveaways. They're just in it for the money.
Glad you enjoyed the video, though. Will happily continue contradicting the mainstream! (:
I literally cured my PF the same way. I did Petra Fisher and Katie Bowman to help along the way.
When doctors and laypeople say “good, supportive shoes,” they mean shoes that have features and qualities that restrict movement. We have 26 bones and 33 joints in each foot. If our feet performed better and got injured less the more immobile they were, we would have evolved to have hooves.
Lol...I'd like to see a vet try to tell a farmer their horse needs "hoofwear" with cushion and stability.
Horses , especially endurance horses do better barefoot, rather than with the traditional metal horse shoe, BUT do even better with a hoof boot, that is often very padded! I have ridden for years on barefoot endurance horses. They suffer extreme bruising, corns, navicular disease.
Slap a pair of thick, rubber padded hoof boots on, and they fly! These horses rarely complete 100 mile endurance races completely barefoot without becoming lame. Hoof protection is a needed.
Even pasture puff horses that are barefoot, or in the wild get massive abscesses, bruising from rocks.
I myself, am a 50 year old chick that now needs my maximalist Saucony triumph or Glycerin 19 Brooks, after running all my life in thin , Huaraches sandals . these padded trainers are now keeping me competing in marathons. Miss my barefoot running, but just need some support now as l hit half a century.
Evolution takes several generations. So maybe the hooves are coming. Possibly with a craving for carrots and an occasional sugar cube.
I fixed my knee pain running half marathons switching to a toe strike. Supportive shoes work like a back brace. They'll stop you from getting hurt today, but the long term is a dependence and almost inevitable injury.
I used to have back pain and tension headaches daily for years and years. Ever since I transitioned to barefoot shoes AND corrected my flat feet, AND corrected my duck foot gait, my headaches and pain have disappeared. My posture is perfect and I can walk and stand all day without any fatigue. I can run for miles and I’m not even a runner. I feel like a new person. Your feet are your foundation folks. If it’s not balanced, it cascades through the rest of your body.
Man, what a great story! It's crazy how small changes in one area of the body can affect everything else!
Barefoot shoes are great i only started wearing a true barefoot shoe a month ago and transitional shoes for 5 months but my feet are stronger (they always used to hurt and any walking barefoot could easily rip my skin it was that soft) i was duck footed heel striking when i run and had constant knee/ ankle pain i lost weight gained muscle went on a diet transitioned to barefoot shoes my leg pains gone im far stronger and happier my gait has completely changed and my bunions and duck feet are almost gone
"I'm not even a runner"
As a matter of fact, you ARE a runner and have always been one. We as humans have evolved to be the best distance runners in the world. It's just that because of modern society making us sit down all day and wearing these cushioned pointy shoes, we forget how to do that as we age.
How did you correct your flat feet?
Great story!
I think moving to barefoot life style (not only running) it`s a one way ticket. When you feel real power in you feet, when you realize truly potential of it, you don`t want to have this bunch of marshmallow on you feet :)
I am on this way right now :)
"when you feel real power in your feet." I love that. It's funny because a lot of people are receptive to the idea of barefoot running and zero-drop, but some people get defensive about needing cushion and drop. It's like, wait...why would you argue against your own natural abilities, ha?
I cured my PF by taking 3 directions from the "EXPERTS":
1) insoles for immediate relief
2) anti-inflammatories to facilitate healing of tendon tears
3) foot n toe stretches
My PF has never come back👍👍👍
That's great! Yea, insoles can be very helpful short-term to give your feet a break while they recover. It's when people wear them for months/years that they cause issues.
Own it! Your feet. Your life.
Amazing how the concept of self-reliance, self-governance works so well when applied to nearly every issue in life.
The Declaration of Andrewpendence does contain a line about the freedom to "bare feet."
I really love your videos. I have had knee pain for over 8 years (i am 18) and none of the 10 doctors i went to knew why. Your videos came in my recommended and i started running and walking barefoot a month ago. I have not had any issues with my knees so i really hope this will stay this way. Thanks for your videos :))
Hey Hessel, that's great to hear! It's tough being a doctor these days-they're so overloaded with patients, they just don't have time to do a deep dive into your problems or diverge from the "script." Glad you found something that's working for you! (:
Check out ‘knee over toes guy’ on you tube it’s amazing for knees and helped me
Do you have have flat feet?
Please start massaging your quadriceps and find the knots of tension in the muscles. These knots called trigger points refer pain to the knee. I wish I could attach some pics to show you the pain patterns for the particular muscles. I am a specialist in myofascial pain and dysfunction working on athletes so your condition is very common and is totally solvable .
Love the production style!
Thanks, Peter! Appreciate you watching. (:
I just started practicing the forefoot technique and got rid of my "specially made" inserts to fix my patellar tendonitis. Doctors told me the problem was overuse but I simply can not agree 15 kilometers a week running at age 26 shall be considered "overuse". Will try and see if strengthening the muscles and tendons in the feet is the answer. I hope it is :). P.S. love the videos, keep them coming!
Yea...ironically, most podiatrists and specialty doctors are not runners. They mean well, but don't really know what they're talking about.
You will see huge gains in strength and agility without the inserts. It will take a while, but if you're patient and rest when you need it, you won't ever have to worry about "overuse" again. You got this! (:
Update?
@@ghost_of_a_dead_poet dont consider. do it! Cured my flat feet, plantar fascitis, and i can now run +100km per week with absolutely NO PAIN.
@@AlbertKarhuFilms which barefoot shoes?
I, too, have transitioned to vivobare foot shoes. Really love them, but really love your videos! They are so informative and really helped me make my decision to leave the cushioned shoes and run injury free!
Hey Jenny! That's awesome. Glad the videos are useful. Which Vivo's did you end up getting?
@@AndrewFolts I ended up getting the GeoRacers, which I really love. I also got the Primus Trail II, as I mainly do trail running, but I like the GeoRacers more, so I wear them for running and the Primus Trails as an everyday shoe. I also got the Primus Lite II on the revivo site, for a great discount, as I need a waterproof shoe as well. Super happy with my switch to barefoot running! I look forward to your videos and found them so helpful when making the switch.
@@jennyf7464 Sweet! Yea, the upper on the Geo's looks really comfy. Been wanting to try Revivo, too, but my Primus Lite's are at 3,000 miles and still feeling like new, so it could be a year or two before I need another pair of shoes. Which is a bittersweet problem to have, ha!
Love the ‘rebel’ approach. Into my fifth month of pf with my first pair of barefoot shoes and a whole new way of walking 🙏🏻
Heck yea! You can accomplish a lot when you strip away all the complicated b.s. and just get back to basics. Keep going! (:
Thank you for this. I was recently diagnosed with PF. I went to the doctor and everything I was being told went against my intuition. Some of the advice felt right (like icing with a frozen water bottle). But, all the advice about inserts and footwear didn't. I've been a Florida barefoot girl for 51 years and never had any issues with my feet at all. The PF happened after a 4 month recoup from a badly sprained ankle. I've realized my gait has changed from that injury and my healthy foot had to do most of the work for so many months that it got worn down. Anywhoooo..... Your video resonates with me and feels spot on. I'm going to give your advice a try. Thank you. 🙂
Ahh, what a great story! Props to you for listening to your intuition and figuring out the root cause. A lot of health problems can be sorted out with simple observation, so it's a powerful tool to have. Hope your feet keep feeling better!
Same thing happened to me. Please let us know how does it go.
I went through the same kind of journey with planter facilities. I was looking for the most cushioned shoes and was wearing inserts for years. It was painful for me to just be bearfoot, but I was in constant pain anyway. I finally decided to stop listening to the Dr. And went bearfoot. It's been about 6 months, and I am pain-free. I hope more people give it a chance. It really changed my life from living in pain to being free! Keep up the amazing work you do! And I enjoy your reviews as well. Thanks!❤
Isn't it so amazing when you can fix such a big problem for free, naturally? Huge props to you for taking your health into your own hands (or feet in this case, ha). Keep up the great work!
Such a hopeful tale & once again, the animations were the cherry on top! I really appreciate the memo that bare doesn't always mean insufficient or empty. Bare necessities of what's meaningful to you can be just as fruitful! Glad for you that you never gave up on the issue & wish you a lifetime of injury-free miles!
Thanks, Allyson! "Bare necessities" Would make a good book title! (:
Barefoot shoes also cured my planta fasciitis. 😊
Barefoot shoes. The cure-all of the 21st century...also centuries 1 thru 20. (:
@@AndrewFolts haha, exactly 😂
I sincerely hope that these shoes will alleviate my discomfort as well. A few months ago, I began wearing Birkenstock shoes, and I must say, my back feels considerably better. Currently, I am experimenting with barefoot shoes to determine if they provide relief for my plantar fasciitis. I have grown weary of frequenting the doctor's office.
Oh my god, the endless stretching before doing anything... I am so glad you addressed this fallacy! It was always so counter-intuitive to me, felt like an unnecessary delay and took away my natural urge to just go; made doing anything feel like a chore to be endured. I spend a lot of time walking barefoot in my backyard these days, PF and the pain it causes are leaving quickly now, hopefully never to return. Yes to being barefoot whenever possible, and wearing only barefoot shoes otherwise. Great content, thank you!
It's amazing how good you can feel when you stop doing what you're "supposed" to and just do what comes to you naturally. Sounds like your feet are roaming free! (:
I definitely feel better when running after some warmup and activations, static stretching isn't recommended by anyone anymore AFAIk
You and your channel are the reason I bought myself barefoot shoes! (and I love em) keep up the good work!
Likewise, Petko! Which shoes did you get?
We barefoot shoes people are definitely a minority but we figure out the secret to healthy feet. Spread the word on the movement. 👍 💛 👣
@@rubencohen2936 Ha, I'm going to write a book called "The Secret 2." Instead of manifestation, it'll be about barefoot shoes. (:
@@AndrewFolts I can definitely see it with your wonderful illustrations.
🙌 This is exactly what I discovered from a doctor on TH-cam recently. It's the complete opposite of all the other information out there and what I've been doing for years to deal with foot and leg pain, and now plantar fasciitis. I'm starting this journey soon and thank you again. ❤️
Yea, unfortunately, natural health advice is few and far between at times, but I'm glad it's working for you. PF is no fun. Keep up the good work!
Really love your videos and approach to life. I’ve just started wearing barefoot shoes and the knee pain I’ve been feeling for years has disappeared. I’m getting some discomfort in my feet and ankle but I think it’s probably doing too much too soon, so I guess I need to pace myself a bit and get some strength into my feet. I started running (well trying to) last year before a diagnosis of diabetes and kidney cancer interrupted my progress. Started with little jog/walks on 1st January and I’m determined that this is the year I’ll become a runner! Thanks again for the videos.
Heck yea! For the ankle/feet pain, I'd say, yes, take it slow, but you can also try shortening your stride a bit and making sure your heels touch the ground gently when you move through your stride. Some people try to run more on their toes, and it actually increases the strain on their joints/muscles. Keep at it, and you'll go far! (:
I had to make a lifestyle change about four months ago and once my diet was reset, I started running. Since then, I’ve lost 30 pounds over 90 days.
Then, two weeks ago, my left foot started experiencing cramping pains in the underside of my foot between the ball and the transverse head (the flesh behind the middle toe), and I can’t seem to shake it.
So I took inspiration from one of your minimalist shoe transition videos and tried switching to Xero Shoes when I’m not running, and I can’t explain it, but foot feels better doing that than my other casual shoes.
I’m hoping this will become a fix in the long term because my daily runs (and now mental health) are affected and I want to continue losing a little more weight and staying fit/active for my family. Keep pumping out the good content!
Hey congrats on the weight and getting back to running! One possibility is the forefoot sinking into the the soft foam of a cushion shoe, which caused it to work a lot harder than usual to maintain stability.
Another possibility is the opposite-wearing shoes that are too stiff, which can weaken the forefoot through lack of use and cause cramping.
Either way, glad you're having success with the Xero's. Keep up the good work! (:
I have had crippling plantar fasciitis for about 9 years now I've been seeing a chiropractor who specialises in the graston technique and today was my 5th visit....he told me I needed to get rid of my insoles and my hokas because they were encouraging me to over supinate. He recommended altra Torins so I went straight to a local small running business and the lady there analysed my feet as soon as I walked in lol. As soon as I put the shoes on I was amazed to see my feel go into a more natural position. He told me there would be a painful adjustment period and I'm definitely experiencing that but at the same time I love how I can feel the ground better than in my sky high hokas and my toes have so much room!
That's great! Yea, the Torin's were my favorite toebox of all time. Just be mindful of when the foam starts to break down, because they'll become mushy, and that will actually make plantar fasciitis worse. For me it happened around 300 miles.
If you want to explore further, the company Lem's makes some great zero-drop shoes with a small amount of cushion, and they're more durable over time. My Mom's in her seventies and loves them. She had plantar fasciitis issues as well, but was able to slowly transition all the way down to barefoot shoes, so it's 100% possible to recover. (:
I suffer from severe plantar fasciitis. I’ve tried everything, and it is what it is at this point. I absolutely agree with what you’re saying. Fantastic advice. But it is important for everyone to remember that we aren’t all the same. What works for one person may not work for another. These types of shoes don’t work for me, it exacerbates the problem significantly. I keep some around and go back to them occasionally to see if I can make it work. Maybe one day, but not right now.
Often if PF persists it can be due to the body not having enough magnesium, which is responsible for muscle/tendon flexibility and relaxation. Give some Soloray magnesium glycinate a try, just start with one 350mg capsule and work up to 3-4x per day. Obviously, consult your doctor if needed. Made a huge difference for me both with PF and when I had a very painful tight back.
Great video. Thank you. I just recently got a pair of Vivobarefoot Primus knit FG shoes after a lifetime of wearing heavily cushioned and structured shoes and other uncomfortable dress shoes (I'm 51). I am able to walk around in these Vivobarefoot shoes all day and even go for runs on hard pavement for 3-4 miles most days, and after about a month of adjusting my running style to avoid heel striking and getting used to the lack of cushioning, I am doing great and enjoying so much the sensation of being able to feel the ground through my feet.
Heck yea! I've had my eye on a pair of Knit's for a while, but my Lite's just refuse to die-it's been almost 4,000 miles. So glad you're having fun with your Vivo's. Cheers to many more miles!
@@AndrewFolts Thank you.
Why, oh why didn't I watch this video 3 or 4 months ago? I have had VERY debilitating Plantar Fasciitis for over 4 months, had 3 visits to the physio and still no better. The physio advised gel heel pads and said that I needed to wear shoes with lots of cushioning... My GP also said that I would benefit from Plantar Orthotics with arch support, but good grief they hurt with every step. A week ago, out of desperation, I put on my Vibram Five Fingers, which I hadn't worn since last summer and they felt amazing, the pain was much less. On the strength of that I have bought barefoot shoes for work, I'm walking around barefoot and for the first time in months I feel like I am on the road to recovery! Hallelujah! 😂😂... still wish that I had watched this video much earlier!
That's great, Steve! It's unfortunate how confused doctors seem to be about cushion/support vs natural footwear, but I'm glad you got onto the road to healing! (:
I'm in med school, a runner, a gym lifter and have had a lot of injuries in my legs including plantar fascitis for years - even though I didn't know what it was until recently.
While figuring out all my other injuries, I stumbled upon a really old youtube video of a New York orthopedic doctor who filmed patients running on the treadmill with and without shoes. You can easily see that running with cusioned shoes changes the way the patients are running - they try to roll over the heel while impacting the ground with a straight leg. Barefoot on the other hand, they land on the center or even front of the foot with a bent leg. It was mind opening to me.
I started running concentrating on running like the barefoot patients and from that moment on, most of my problems went away.
So maybe that's the actual problem, not the cusioning itself but the adapation in running technique.
Yea, you can definitely improve your stride while still wearing cushion shoes, especially with zero-drop ones. The other problem, though, is that with cushion your feet can't sense impact properly, so you're always going to be a little "clunky" unless you go with a 3-4mm thick shoe.
Good video. I only came across your channel after purchasing my first pair of Vivo’s. I’ve had them for exactly a week now and have already noticed an improvement with muscle activation.
For over 15 years I’ve been riddled with injuries, I’ve seen so many physiotherapist, had many podiatrist appointments for shoe inserts and spent countless hours working on muscle strength. I liken it to having your seat too high on your bike, having hip pain, seeing a chiropractor who fixes the problem, but going back to having your seat too high. I did this too.
This time my feet decided for me. I felt more pain using shoe inserts, so I took them out. Then I bought some ON Cloud 5 shoes which are good but my feet didn’t feel right in them.
Going to need more time to adjust and strengthen my feet. It’s been a long expensive journey but I was close to giving up.
Love your channel.
That's great, yo! Props on taking your health into your own hands (or feet). Vivo's significantly reduced my PF within the first day, and I'm so thankful for finding barefoot shoes.
The "train for happiness" is so true. I used to do powerlifting and it gave me joy. Then my daughter was born and had a 3 year absence from training which led to a dad bod. So I started training again but it just felt like a chore now and I even got myself injured because I wanted to do the same lifts as before. So I started researching calisthenics and prehab/rehab workouts and started doing them. Read the "Overcoming gravity" book and I know now what I have to do to reach my goals. Yet I chose to do a suboptimal routine that makes me happy. This in return makes me just "want to do the workouts". They feel like happy little sessions for me. I also like to build the workout around the recommended routine but modify it with exercises that suit me better like kettlebell swings and deadlifts to help me in my work when I stack boxes and some light jogging so that I can run after my 3 year old and play with her. All in all, just being happy while working out is really important if you are not training for competition, because it will make you want to do it and the exercise itself will be the goal. 😊
That's true! Working out is. lot more fun when you build it around what makes you happy. (:
Started my barefoot journey about 2 months ago with a pair of Lems Boulder Boots (12.5mm stack height), coming from Red Wing boots. 1 month later and my right knee pain was gone! After some initial muscle pain and walking gait adjustment, I felt so good in general that I decided to start running. So, I bought a pair of $50 Merrell Vapor Gloves 4's (6.5mm thick) to get even closer to the ground. Haven't felt this good in a while, and I actually look forward to running now. The minimal shoe hype is real even if it's not as popular or profitable to sell.
I love hearing stories like this! It's funny because they should sound miraculous (and they are), but it's sort of par for the course with barefoot shoes, ha. Like...yup...another person cures their chronic ailments with barefoot shoes.
Know what you mean about "looking forward to running." It's like a whole different experience. Cheers!
Also your checkbox comment disappeared, but I agree. They needed to be bigger. I realized that once I started editing the video, and didn't want to redo all the animations. So....next time!
Try to have at least 1/2 an hour a day spent with barefoot walking and running. In my place the elderly people kept saying it
"Connecting yourself back to the Earth and you get heal naturally"....
The more your feet getting stronger and harder, the better you can run far 🏃
I don't know where your "place" is, but we need more people with that mentality! When I worked run specialty, older customers would come in with recommendations from their doctors to get the most "supportive" shoe possible because they were "at risk" of falling.
Ironically, those super-clunky shoes made it impossible for them to balance properly-and the high platforms were very tippy. When I suggested walking barefoot around the house, a lot of people would respond like I was nuts. "But that's dangerous!"
It's sad that people (especially elders) have been convinced that their feet are insufficient to support them. Hopefully, we can keep spreading the message that reconnecting with the Earth has amazing healing and strengthening potential! (:
Best advice ever: listen to what brings you joy. The cure is always there. Thank you again for another great video!
"The cure is always there." Yea, it's easy to forget, but the answers always present themselves when you slow down and listen. Cheers!
Thanks for this! I am 2.5 months into treating my plantar fasciitis, and like you have gradually pulled away from all the "expert-recommended" ways to treat it - except from the reasonable experts on TH-cam who fly in the face of the "common wisdom." I also got a big smile out of you quoting Oscar Wilde - you're definitely the first sports guy I've heard do so.
Ha, yea, he had an interesting outlook on life, for sure. Perhaps a better way to put it would be: "Everything complicated is wrong." 99 times out of 100 the path to health or success is the simple one.
I love this! In 2012 I ran 10mi/day as a New Years resolution, the majority was in barefoot shoes & I cleared that year with zero injuries 3660 miles + 3 marathons. Honestly have felt foot doctors are a scam ever since.
Dr. Brandon will see himself now. (:
I cured mine by simply rolling my feet on a lacrosse ball daily. Now my feet don't hurt at all but I keep rolling religiously every single morning...
Ha, nice! I used to tell customers to do the same when I was working at a run specialty store. Feels amazing.
I am glad you have the guts to be your own man. They say your heart has the answers before our brain. If ppl learn how to calm down a little and tune into this and stop letting emotion drive their world we would all be in a much happier and healthy place.
True! I like to channel Marcus Aurelius when I'm running-staying calm and not letting external motivations hijack my decision-making. In that state, the world is quiet, and you can hear what your body is telling you on a deeper level.
It’s literally the worst. A healthy person wants a lot of things and a sick person wants only one thing. I try to think about how grateful I am to no longer have plantar plaguing me any longer. I used the barefoot approach, yoga, and cold therapy to help mine go away. The ice bucket submerging was intense but it knocked out the inflammation temporarily.
"A healthy person wants a lot of things and a sick person wants only one thing." Man, story of my life in the beginning of 2021. Arthritis was out of control and I was sleep deprived, and now that I'm doing better, I really appreciate the basic joy of not being in survival mode 24/7.
I've been struggling with plantar fasciitis for years myself. Going to look into barefoot shoes after watching this. Thanks for the video! You have gained a subscriber.
Hey, appreciate the sub! PF is no fun, but gradually transitioned to non-cushion shoes was the best choice I ever made. If you have questions along the way, feel free to ask. Cheers!
Don’t ever stop man you’re a great source of information
Ha, thanks, Christopher. Had a blast making this one. Will keep churning them out!
Love this! Too often we rely on the opinion of doctors to tell us our limits. Good on ya for taking your life in your own hands in figuring out what works best for you.
"tell us our limits" Never again. Glad you're on the Kamea Unlimited Plan! (:
I had that big problem in over 3 years but what I found helped me was gym training weightlifting (in my socks) cutring out sugar and dairy and gluten, loosing weight. Sometimes the inflammation may come back if I eat too much sugar.
Sugar, especially processed sugar, whips up inflammation for me too. Also dairy and gluten. It's a battle, but every day, you learn a little more. (:
Traditional Chinese doctors always advise people with mobility problems (owing to age/injury) to try their hardest not to use a cane. Why? Because using a cane makes one's bad/weak leg worse/weaker. Same with every organ. Lost sight in one eye? Don't 'rest' the remaining eye. Use it as much as possible so it doesn't get weak.
Makes sense! Always better to strengthen the self than rely on external props.
It’s the narrow footwear which is a main cause of the PF, along with inflexible soles, toe spring and raised heel. Correct Toes are the way to go. I’m sure you know all this already. Like 99% of footwear in the market is unhealthy for feet.
Yea, lol. Being a shoe salesman was such a bizarre experience after I went to barefoot. Like what do you even tell customer? "Yea...literally 99% of this is nonsense."
I'm 58 and had delt with Planter Fasciitis for over 15 years and I thought it was age related. I used to run but my podiatrist said just stop doing it and turn to low impact excersises along with custom orthotics and stiff supportive shoes. Funny thing was that any amount of walking hurt my feet. I was hobbling to and from the office, could not go on hikes with my husband and it was bleak. Starting at my 58th birthday (3 months ago), I said to myself, "that's it, you are down to the last 40 years and they will NOT be stuck in a house." So I bought my first 'barefoot' shoe, a LEMS Drifter and almost immediatly I walked pain free. Usually my Plantar Fasciitis would flare up after my walk, so I waited to see when the pain would start and it never did. I think it's because I'm no longer heel stricking and walking differently, with more thought put into my stride. I have now purchased Xero Cassie shoes for work and Xero HFS for walking around and playing Pickleball, still no pain. I do like LEMS shoes as well but they do have more stack height and I don't feel the ground as well but they are so comfortable. Why the heck did I not do this sooner? I have never heard that Oscar Wilde quote but I think I will live by it for now on.
That's great, Debbie! Props on making the leap, a lot of people never figure this out. Cheers to many more decades of pain-free living. (:
I developed PF this summer after hiking in Topo zero drop hiking boots and doing 13 hours of chainsaw/walking on alder roots work in my yard. I have spent the last 1.5 years transitioning out of custom orthotics and was so proud and exciting to finally have no orthotics in my shoes. Although the ground is rocky or snowy in ALaska I have recently loved being barefoot to the point of shopping at the Container Store in Seattle in bare feet. It felt so good. I also have Altras and was focused on wide toe box shoes. My PF is very mild, like a tug in my heal, or tightness but not really pain. I'm doing every strengthening exercise and stretch I've been given but the pain feels exactly the same today as it did 3 months ago. Big cushion shoes have always REALLY irritated my feet. When you push down on cushion, it pushes back... and this causes burning in my feet. No doctor has ever understood this and I've been told that I have things like "neuropathy" which I do not. I have pretty healthy feet. The other day my feet were bothering me and I took the factory insole out of my Altra's and it felt better. To complicate issues I have two mild neuromas, so need to be careful with the zero cushioning options. I have no idea where to start with no/low cushion shoes but will look at your link. Also, I'm not running anymore but intend to restart once I'm over this. I live in Alaska and ordered Xero snow boots but they run very small and customer service is lacking so still don't have the right size.
Good to hear you've made some progress, but sorry PF is still bugging you a bit. For me any cushion at all (even low cushion) caused my PF to persist, so I had to go full barefoot with no cushion and my PF has been gone for 6+ years. Even something like Topo caused foot strain for me, so it may be worth trying a barefoot brand like Vivobarefoot, etc.
I like the message and agree that people should be willing to put in an effort to better themselves. I understand that doctors recommend insoles because many people wouldn't be willing to put in the work to overcome the issue, but this should still be presented as a solution to allow people to make the decision for themselves.
True, it's a self-feeding problem, because people want quick/easy solutions and doctors often make more money by pushing the quick fix (inserts, drugs, etc). Would be great if doctors had some kind of incentive to prescribe lifestyle changes.
I transitioned to minimalist shoes- and all has been well except my 12 hour shifts as a nurse-
An added challenge is that one leg is (truly) an inch shorter than the other. I used inserts, orthotics blah blah- I walk so much funnier in cushioned shoes. I trip a lot! It’s funny because I can surf, Mountainbike, ski, etc- I just have trouble walking. This is too lengthy, so hay! I just put north soles insoles into my Muki shoes- and I think I’ve found the trick!!!! (north soles minimalist appropriate insoles made in USA!
That sounds like a great solution! Thinner soles usually do help when the body needs to rebalance itself. Love my Muki's too, they're crazy light a comfy. (:
May have to switch to some barefoot shoes. I used to run about 60 miles a week and id do a marsthon once a month, but i tore my hamstring playing football and during the healing process, my gate/stride changed which led to a slew of problems that took me away from running. Been dealing with PF on and off for about 5 years. It'll get better, then come back and i have to start rehabing all over again. Been using prescribed orthotics and they take the pain away, but the pain is just the symptom to the problem. I don't want to mask the problem by treating the symptoms. I want to fix the problem. Your videos have been helping me a lot. Thank you.
Hey, Mike. Glad the videos are helping. Sounds like working in some barefoot walking and running could really benefit your stride issues. After I stopped wearing cushion, my PF went away completely and hasn't come back, so I hope you get the same results!
I’m so glad I stumbled upon your video, I’ve been hobbling for the last few months and after watching your video I went barefoot at home all day today and I actually feel relief. Almost gave into the doctor’s recommendation of steroid shots and I’m so glad I didn’t. Thank you so much.
Glad to hear it's helping, Bonny! Steroid shots are no fun. Build up slowly with the barefooting and you'll start feeling even better in no time. (:
The problem with foot injuries is that most people will go consult podiatrists and most of them are still using science that is largely based on marketing and false ideologies. Rarely will one of them recommend gradually changing to flat shoes. The last time I went to see one 10 years ago, he asked to see my shoes and i showed him my camper Peu and my Original vivobarefoot and he informed me I would have to put forms or arch supports in them to make them adequate. Yet, in the same way explained in the video, gradually changing to wearing barefoot shoes on a daily basis pretty much cured all my knee pains and foot issues. The foot is a marvel of human evolution, why are people obsessed with restricting it. Worse is, when I talk about it with people, they look at me like I'm from another planet.
"The foot is a marvel of human evolution, why are people obsessed with restricting it." THIS! It's so weird that whenever people see a gap, they think they should *put* something there. Podiatrists and cushion advocates are the ones from another planet, because they certainly don't seem to belong here on Earth, ha! (:
@@AndrewFolts there is a glimmer of hope. The Vivobarefoot line in Canada was recently taken over by a foot doctor and his team who value the value of barefoot.
@@ALAKAZOOVOLANT So cool, did not know that!
Great Story! Doctors need to admit they have been wrong about the feet along. Their solutions are more "Fashion" based, than offering ways to develop foot articulation.. Imagine selling tight gloves as a solution to someone's lack of grip strength.
"tight gloves as a solution to a someone's lack of grip strength." Ha, damn, really hits the nail on the head. Sadly, I do not have to imagine, as I have literally seen gloves making that claim before.
Running is already hard on your feet, but to run with flat feet is crazy. The arch of the foot was meant to be a shock absorber.
I stopped wearing shoes in the house years ago. I don't run but I was experiencing foot pain wearing regular shoes. Now I try to buy "barefoot" style shoes whenever possible.
Hey congrats on making the switch! Yea, I had flat feet once upon a time and it was like being in a car with no shocks. But now my arches are medium height and life is a much smoother ride. (:
@@AndrewFolts Flat feet is pretty much unheard of in cultures where people are barefoot.
Look up Nicholas Pedicini, he was an American podiatrist that figured this out decades ago. He especially thought shoes with heels were bad for the foot.
Direct manipulation and elimination of trigger points in the posterior lower leg muscles and feet as well as running and walking barefoot or with minimalist shoes like you promote solves this issue bigtime !!!
I remember when I worked run specialty and one of my co-workers showed me how when you have heel pain, there's almost always a knot up in your calf, which you can massage. Blew my mind!
Researching foot attire is boring, or so I thought... The random Oscar Wilde quote was a joy. The advice seems good (I go barefoot when I can... alas, the humans insist on shoes so I'm stuck trying to find something that doesn't drive my feet crazy), seems to resonate with my experience with inserts and cushioning and all that. After years of "whatevering" barefoot shoes ("I'll just go barefoot"), think I'm gonna take your advice and get some super thin barefoot shoes to be socially, and weather, appropriate. Thanks for this video!
Yea, you could live your whole life off that quote. Barefoot is def ideal, but you can get pretty close with a 3-4mm shoe. Especially Vibram FiveFingers with their separate toes. I have a barefoot shoe finder tool on my website where you can filter by width, activity, thickness, etc, which might be useful. bit.ly/49U1Ryo Happy barefooting out there!
Exactly my experience! I hurt my plantar fascia in a small accident while hiking and was so desperate for the inflammation to go away that I did everything the doctors told me to do except of orthotics because I've been running minimal/barefoot up to 50k distances for years at this point and there was just no way of me restraining my feet to this level. I even bought Altras for cushioning and stopped walking barefoot all together because doctors told me so. Well, it didn't work until I listened to my body and started wearing the thinnest possible sock shoes I could get. Pain started to get better and better and after two weeks I was able to walk longer distances completely pain free on concrete. I have to say I also changed my walking quite a bit (smaller steps under my center of gravity with midfoot walking) to mechanically de-stress the area where the planta fascia is attached to the heel and I'm pain free for years now! Whenever my steps get too big or I slightly overstride I start to feel it again, remind myself of what to do and it goes away immediately before it even starts to hurt. Thanks for putting this information out there, I really hope more people follow your advice on this and get better soon!
Props for listening to your body! It's so simple, but I feel like if people just did that it would sole like 50% of the world's health problems in about a month, ha. Keep up the good work!
Thanks a lot for your video. Because now I see a light at the end of the tunnel again. I am suffering from Plantar fasciitis since also 4 years and beginning of this year I transist from heel striking to forefoot which made it a little better, but still not perfect and now I also bought me a few pairs of Vivos, which I now wear since last week and I hope the pain will finaly go away.
Nice! Yea, forefoot running alone won't do much for PF because you can end up using your calf muscles (and plantar fascia) more than with a heel strike. Fingers crossed, but getting rid of cushion made a big difference for me. Hope you keep feeling better! (:
So glad you mentioned the long days on concrete. I'm just beginning to warm up to the minimalist ideology. I hope my story is as good as yours!
Take it slow and it'll work out just fine! (:
Hello Andrew, love your videos ❤️ Agree with you and your approach. My story is quite opposite and after very painful plantar fasciitis in barefoot shoes I'm now back to Hokas but not giving up. I'll will continue to change shoes and running style as running is there for pleasure and excitement :) take care and look forward to seeing your videos soon :)
Hey Milos! Hoka's are a great cushioned option for dealing with plantar fasciitis. Back when I wore Bondi's, I found that the curved shape helped take some stress off my feet, and the foam stayed firm a lot longer than my Altra's. Happy experimenting! (:
@@AndrewFolts Thanks Andrew :) I am running now in Challenger 6 longer distance (10+) and in Altra Superior shorter ones. Your most important advice is to keep moving and keep changing :) searching for the thing, that one that suits your own needs :) and never, ever give up fun :)
Just found your channel and am currently suffering from p.f. I'm a teacher on my feet all day and am a slower runner. I've had it off and on for a few years. The airsock given by the podiatrist only helped for a month while I wasn't running. Amazingly, my feet felt great while visiting my daughter in AK and walking around her house in sock feet for a week. I run in cushioned Brooks Ghost. This video gave me a lot of ideas to think about. Thank you!
Funny enough, my mom had the same problem, and once she switched from Ghost's to Vivo's her pain went away. Cushion's ok at first, but it breaks down quickly and becomes mushy, which makes your feet work a lot harder, which leads to PF. Hope you're able to keep making positive steps with your bare feet. (:
Great video Andrew! My history with PF is similar to yours with regards to (not) listening to the experts. I'm thankful that zero-drop shoes and barefoot walking at home (while working from home) have cured me completely. I've not jumped into minimal shoes just yet, but so far it's not been necessary yet.
So true. There's no need to force minimal footwear if what you're doing is working. Glad your PF is gone and you're feeling better! (:
@@AndrewFolts I also see it that way, although I am intrigued to go further minimal. The Escalante is the most minimal I've gone so far. I've also started reviewing my shoes to share my experience with PF and zero drop. 😊
@@TDMiller Nice! If you're interested in carbon plates, you could try the Vanish as a half step down. It was my favorite Altra shoe because the cushion was more firm and the plate made it more durable than the Escalante/Torin, which turned to mush in under 300 miles for me.
Thank you for this video. It gave me energy, so much positivity, and motivation to work on my plantar fascia that I’ve been dealing with for the past 4 years. I felt hopeless. But I have been doing more and more exercises for my feet and I have ordered barefoot shoes. I always used insoles since without them my heel and achilles starts to hurt badly, I can’t wait to cure it. Thanks from Rotterdam ✌️❤️
Hey, no problem, just take it slow and you'll go from PF to BF! Which shoes did you go with? You can also try some magnesium glycinate (I take Soloray), which is the nutrient responsible for muscle relaxation and elasticity. Most people are deficient due to chronic stress. amzn.to/3NnEVNN
@@AndrewFoltsI bought some cheap shoes from amazon, around 30-40€. Theyre called Geweo. So far so good! I notice stronger feet and more balance when working out. Aside from that though, the PF is less painful yet the last few days the pain is noticeable when walking, specifically at the tip of my heel and in the mornings still.. Thanks for the vid again! Had to watch the it again :) hope you doing good!
@@noodledealer7447That's great! So glad your PF and strength are improving. Keep up the excellent work and get lots of rest. (:
I had horrible plantar fasciitis for about a year, nothing helped, not new custom orthotics, not weekly visits to the physical therapist, not visits to the chiropractor, the thing that cured me was starting acupuncture. At my first session my calves were so tight I had a 3 degree rand of motion on my right ankle and a 5 degree range on my left, “normal” is 15 degrees. A day after my first acupuncture session not only was my pain totally gone but I felt like my legs had felt when I was a kid (I was in my late 20s), now I go for upkeep and I’m starting to do more barefoot walking.
Congrats, Erika! What a great story! Yea, I've heard a lot of people get good results with acupuncture, though I've never tried it myself. So glad you're getting out to do some barefoot walking. Cheers!
I was diagnosed with PF about four years ago while working as a nursing assistant (I.e. loads of standing up on hard floors) it’s only in the past years since being diagnosed diabetic and taking my foot health more seriously that it has started to resolve.
How? By going minimalist with my shoes...much to the chargin’ of my diabetic specialist podiatrist. I now pretty much live in my Primus Trek, Gobi 3 (both Vivobarefoot) and Wildlings shoes (I massively recommend Wildlings btw, they are amazing). My PF has all but gone, my feet are stronger and much to the surprise of my podiatrist I have better feeling in my feet now than I did 12 months ago!
On the rare occasions when I do wear regular shoes (for army cadet duties) I feel as though I’m wearing bricks on my feet and I want to get the boots off as quickly as possible!
It wouldn’t work for every diabetic, it wouldn’t work even for everyone with PF, but going minimalist has helped me no end.
Hi Nicola, that's great! I like to say: "If you have it, barefoot shoes can cure it." Not always true, but they do work wonders in a lot of cases. Happy minimalizing! (:
Cushioned shoes are fine and many of today's foams last MUCH longer then 200 miles. I think a good balance of barefoot/minimalist shoes and cushioned shoes works quite well also.
Whatever your body injury and pain free is def the best thing to do!
So glad I found this video. My story of getting plantar fasciitis was so similar to yours I was laughing out loud. Even down to the doctors office! Thank you!
Thanks for watching! I feel like everyone goes through the same levels of silliness with plantar fasciitis. It's so bad, it becomes a comedy!
I haven't been experiencing arch pain lately, but in the past whenever I tried to hike or run without my Superfeet insoles, I didn't last long. Lately I've adjusted my running style to incorporate midfoot striking (running on Altras) while I slowly transition into barefoot running and I'm already noticing benefits/no pain after running. It makes sense too, that strengthening the arch would help alleviate and eventually eliminate the pain caused by it being weak and overworked. I went through a similar journey with my lower-back a few years ago, so I'm excited to see that my arch problems are correctable as well. Thanks for sharing your story and motivations!
Hey Alvin! Yep, I was wearing Superfeet's too. Not easy, at first, to go without them, but then you realize your arch is basically a giant spring, and it starts to feel much better! The human body is pretty resilient all on its own. Hope your arches feel better soon!
Loved hearing everything you're saying here.
I listened to doctors for almost 20 years about my health and I just kept getting worse.
But then I got REALLY sick and started fasting just cos I didn't feel like eating and I improved! So I started to do my own research about fasting and keto and now I don't go to the doctor's anymore. Haven't been this well in at least 30yrs
Right? It's crazy how much progress you can make with basic fasting. I came to the same conclusion as you, and my goal is to never set foot in another doctor's office for the rest of my life, if possible.
Completely awesome!! Plus, it is the exact solutions for PF! My favorite part is the doing the opposite of the popular theories. Thank you!
Ha, totally! When every day is opposite day, life is good. (:
Interesting that your experience with pf is almost the polar opposite of mine.
My recommendations are highly cushioned recovery slides for everyday use, higher drop cushioned shoes for running, a regular regime of targeted heel raises, rolling with a ball, calf stretching and Shockwave therapy.
The above kept me training and racing all while standing all day at work.
The human body is a mysterious thing. There's definitely a strong mind-body component. Especially with something inflammation-related, if a certain treatment fits your personality, then your body will is more likely to heal itself. Glad you found what worked for you!
Hey Andrew, I agree with everything except the stretching part. If you feel good that way keep going though ;)
Let me introduce briefly my story. A couple months ago a podologist designed me a soles, these were tough compared with my previous soles. I walked short and long distances with them and two weeks later I suffered from plantar fasciitis. My left foot heel was inflamed and I barely could walk. So for two weeks I rested and started doing feet work outs such as ball rolling. During that time I started looking for gel soles, sandals with cushioned heels... "My feet need more comfort" I thought. At the same time, I've been thinking that maybe my feet were not used to the thick sole and that's why I get those pains and stiffness. Probably my muscles, tendons, ligamens were not used to it! Also, from time to time I wear pair of sandals without arch support, and I realised that every time I wear them I feel pressure in my feet archSo I concluded that maybe I've been carrying my whole life arch support and cushioned shoes when I necessarily do not need those features. The thing now is that when I'm wearing shoes without any of these features I have feet strains. Having said that, after having watched your Vivobarefoot review, you have convinced me to buy a pair after been following the shoe's company Instagram for a long time. The main reason is because my fingers would not be tight, as I usually have blisters when I walk (I recently bought toe spacers because of that). However, I'm not sure how these are going to impact to the my arch/plantar feet. Maybe it is too soon for a barefoot shoes? Recommendations? (Sorry about my English, greetings from Spain)
Hey Alicia! The nice thing about any new shoes is that you can choose to work them in slowly-even fifteen minutes each day. This way, you don't risk straining your feet, and it allows you to gradually build up strength as you go.
Arch supports are great for short term recovery (a few days or weeks), but over time they make your arches weak, which is why your feet feel strained when you're not wearing them.
Not to worry, though! If you take the transition slow, your feel will start feeling a lot stronger in no time. (:
I have 3 mil shoes and love them. There is a downside I've discovered. My sons play travel hockey and I've learned that you really do feel the ground and in an ice rink, where the even ground next to the rink is super cold, you might as well be standing on ice. Still, I wear them, lol. It just means that my toes need some defrosting after a game or practice.
Ha, yea, they can get cold unless you keep moving, but I imagine pure ice would be even more of a challenge. One thing you might try is adding a wool insert and making sure to wear a layer or two of wool socks. I use Buffalo Wool Co's insole bit.ly/3jidkCz and Injinji socks th-cam.com/video/_e6BC2vfl4w/w-d-xo.html.
Contrary to all the advice on plantar faciatiis and physio i had… years after i found an instagram post that talked about the important of stretching your toes out after years of wearing shoes with narrow toe boxes. After just two days of stretching my big toes outwards against each other with a band, my plantar faciatiis was gone. It was a lack of blood flow problem!
Great work, Benjamin! Yea, oftentimes the body just needs a little readjustment to get back to normal and it's nice to have these in your tool belt for if it happens again. (:
there is a very charming and warm style to your videos, thank you!
Ha! Prince Barefoot, at your service. Glad you're enjoying them.
I agree! Not every person can achieve that ( as for myself, I am still striving…) . Thank you 🙏
Hi, I agree as we don’t listen to our ‘instincts’ enough. I’ve gone as far as having an operation on my foot for my 4 years of pf and I would say it made my condition worse. I have tried everything medically but after your video I’m going to go back to basics with earth origin thin soles …. Thank you for your easy to follow and entertaining presentation!
Dee
Yea, it's unfortunate, I heard the same story from so many customers when I worked run specialty, but you can make a lot of progress quickly with the basics, and the best part is they're free! (:
I just bought my 1st pair of barefoot shoes. I have had plantar fasciitis for years now. One foot healed it’s self but the right is so bad that I sometimes joke about cutting it off all together. I’m hoping that listing to your advice will help. I stand on my feet day in and day out for hours. I love running but stopped because of the pain. I have had five Cortizone shots in the right and three in the left. I’ve seen three different drs and nothing has help. I would love to have anymore advice you can give to heal this faster. Thanks again for these videos I hope they help even more to get better with this growing problem.
Hey Aimee, sorry to hear that, PF really sucks! Which barefoot shoes did you get? I'd recommend transitioning to them slowly at work, starting with maybe half an hour, then increasing the time as it feels good. My Vivo Primus Lite's fixed my foot pain within the first few days, but I'd expect a few weeks to a few months for you, since your case sounds a lot more severe. Keep me posted! (:
I got PF with Altra Torin's as well. They are incredibly comfortable, but with time, they are so soft they conform to bad habits.
Yea, it seems counterintuitive, but a soft shoe really can make your feet work twice as hard.
I'm not a runner but I do stand and walk a lot for work. I've been wearing zero-drop shoes and boots exclusively for about seven years and never had a problem until recently when I got a pair of Luna sandals. They were (and still are) my favorite thing to wear out of all my footwear, but I started getting pain in the ball of my right foot (metatarsalgia). I've been resting and icing and using met pads and thicker insoles and it seems to be slowly improving. It still swells up when I'm on my feet too much and I haven't taken a walk for exercise in over a month, which is truly a bummer. Despite that, I'm confident I can sort it out, eventually. The journey goes on.
Might be because Luna sandals are quite thick. I've noticed that anything above 6mm in sandals can start to feel clunky and really make my feet hurt, especially on roads. Hopefully it sorts itself out, tho!
@@AndrewFolts I've wondered that about the thickness. I chose a pair that are on the thinner side for Lunas but thicker than my other shoes. I figured that wouldn't matter since my foot can do what it needs to do given the minimal lacing. Maybe less is the way to go, once I'm not in pain.
this really helped my life!!!!! I kept thinking for many hours what to do more about this same issue. Now I feel the big different.. Thank you so much!
That's great, Jaime! Glad the video helped. Feel free to check in with any questions.
Sorry your dad wasn't given an anaesthetic shot before the cortisone shot. I literally felt nothing with my cortisone shot and plantar fasciitis went away completely
I'll have to ask him. Could be the anesthetic shot that was painful. Glad it worked for you-cortisone can definitely be effective if you've just overstressed your plantar facia and need a one-time fix.
My dad had to go back to standing forty hours a week, so it just got re-aggravated, and you can't keep getting shots for the rest of your life. Not that anyone would want to anyways, ha!
I've just turned 24 and I experienced plantar fascitis for the first time at 19 while I worked in a pub, then I experienced it again in 2020 after wearing slippers or TOMS at work in a childcare setting. Since then I've followed doctors advice, buying more supportive shoes. I'm very athletic too so it's not a weight issue or old age like all my various leaflets about plantar fascitis say. I have wondered for a long time now why we put children in shoes with a narrow space for toes, why they "need" supportive shoes (or shoes full stop really). Intuitively I also wondered if my own foot problem was because of weakness and have been toying with the idea of buying barefoot shoes for a long time. But damn theyre expensive and I've spent so much money on so many wonder shoes over the years....
After reading a book called "under the open stars", Idecided to go for it. Right now I have 5 pairs of trainers in the washing machine ready for me to dry out and take to the charity shop after ordering a pair of barefoot shoes. Will update in a couple months.
Hey Lauren, congrats on taking the first step-it's a fun journey! If you want to save some money, check out revivo.com, where they sell refurbished Vivo's for $70-90. Also remember that barefoot shoes will last 5-10x longer than cushion shoes, which are basically shot as soon as the foam breaks down. Cheers!
Update: After wearing barefoot shoes for 2 months, my plantar fascia is a lot worse. The pain is now more acute (a bit like being poked with needles) and I have heel pain that's I've not really had before. For work (again, very physical with a lot of steps exceeding 13,000 a day usually) the barefoot shoes are not appropriate for me. But I have really loved going on hikes and walking on the earth in barefoot shoes. Recently found I have wider than average feet and so I just today brought some wide feet arch support trainers for work. But barefoots for the gym as they're easier to balance in and for hikes. Right now I get home from work every day having to ice my feet and after 2/3 days of work my knee is in pain also. Thank you for your video but it's just not right for me, and sadly has not resolved my plantar fascitis
Love to have you back!
Trying to speed up the production line! (:
I always walk barefoot. When my heels started to hurt a lot, doctor told me i had to wear supportive shoes with expensive inlays. Tried it for two months and the pain got a lot worse. I also couldnt properly roll my feet, feel the ground or spread my toes. So i quit and went back to bare feet and shoes with no support at all. Physical therapist said its my back and gave me lots of exercises that didn’t work.
But what he also said was: nothings really broken. That triggered me. If nothing is broken than walking will probably not make it worse. So i moved. Cycled, danced, walked. It got a little better. I still have pain, especially in the morning. But i accept it and move on. I look funny the first couple of minutes, but it seems to work.
I don’t have expensive barefoot shoes though. Im not that rich. I use the bare feet i was born with.
Yea, inserts are a great short-term fix, but they just make your arches weaker over time. Is the pain just in your heels? Sounds like plantar fasciitis.
Nutrition might be a factor too. Magnesium deficiency, for example, can lead to issues with muscles cramping or feeling stiff, especially in the morning. Hemp seeds or a Mg supplement are two things to try.
Totally feel you on barefooting. Literally just released a video a few weeks ago on how I run without barefoot shoes most of the time now. Hope you keep feeling better!
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Andrew Folts no not just the heels. But that was the biggest pain. I’ve noticed that it’s the lower back as well, and the butt muscles, and sometimes tingling in the legs. I found out that i’m at my worst after i sit or lay down for more than an hour. So i try not to do that during the day.
And when i wear ‘good’ shoes, my toes fall asleep.
@@Peacefrogg Interesting. Since it's more whole-body, I would say look into the nutritional deficiencies (Mg especially) and maybe autoimmune issues too.
One exercise that really helped me was walking up stairs with only the front of my feet touching and my heels raised. Built up a lot of strength with only 2-3 reps per day. Helped correct my posture, as well.
Andrew Folts thank you so much for your advice.
When i think about it, i did lose my appetite for bread a while ago. Just to be sure i’m going to put more nuts in my yoghurt and eat more spinach. Maybe even take a temporary supplement with Mg/Ca/vitD.
@@Peacefrogg Makes sense, wheat can be a common trigger for autoimmune issues. My allergies completely disappeared after cutting out dairy, wheat, and peanuts. Still working on the joints.
Thanks for this video. I’ve been struggling with planter fasciitis for five months now. And have tried so many things. I refuse to get a cortisone shot. I also work walking around on a cement floor all day. It’s brutal by the end of my shift most days. I’m definitely going to check out some of your suggestions and look into those shoes too. I can’t wait to feel back to normal again. Sometimes it feels like it’s never going away.
Yea, PF really sucks, but at least for me going with a thin 3-4mm barefoot shoe solved the problem in about a week. My feet felt amazing on concrete and were hardly tired at all at the end of my shifts. No longer work at a shoe store, but I've been running/walking in them for 6+ years with no PF, so I hope it works for you too!
Hi Andrew! Excellent video production (so watchable and fun!) and the content is really helpful. Great stuff, thanks man
Hey Wayne, glad you had fun. Appreciate the watch!
Vibram 5 fingers sorted mine out took me a long time to find out love your channel
Right on, love my V-Trek's too. If only someone had told me about barefoot twenty years ago, ha.
Love the videos, I've never had plantar fasciitis but transitioning into barefoot shoes has helped my flat foot condition and eliminated my constant back/arch pains. Unfortunately as a trade-off, it has also caused me to develop posterior tibial tendonitis (according to my own diagnosis) in my right ankle which has been frustrating to deal with. So I'll be experimenting with a physical therapy routine alongside my normal workouts. Keep up the good work!
Hey Brent, glad you're getting some results with barefoot. Health is complicated, and it's hard when it feels like one step forward, another backwards. Which barefoot shoes are you using and how long have you been using them for? Cheers!
@@AndrewFolts Yeah I've learned more about foot physiology than I would ever anticipate since starting this. I suspect my posterior tibial tendonitis is correlated to my flat foot condition. Taking away the arch/heel/cushion support simply revealed the underlying issue that regular shoes masked, which is how weak my muscles and tendons actually were.
Aside from just walking barefoot in my house, I've been using a pair of Whitin trail barefoot shoes I got off Amazon. I've been wearing them consistently for about 4 months at the gym and on daily walks. Now that I'm convinced of the benefits I've ordered Vivobarefoot Geo Court II's for casual wear.
@@brentescovedo3262 Nice! Yea, if you liked the Whitin's, you'll probably enjoy the Vivo's even more because they're thinner and more flexible. Enjoy!
I had plantar fascitis pretty regularly from daily walking several miles for exercise. My bro bought me a pair of Lems (he had been studying up to deal with his own hip and leg pain), and I was skeptical, but I liked the idea of a larger toebox to deal with scrunched toes, and the potential for strengthening my feet. After a couple months I could say my plantar fascitis was probably reduced 90% or more, and only give me minor issues. Now, most every shoe I wear is a barefoot shoe.
That's great news, Michael. Lem's have a mighty fine toebox! (:
I have massive heal pain from walking 8-9 miles a day. I just bought a pair of barefoot shoes and started walking landing on forefront. I’ve been wearing thick cushioned running shoes and walking heel to toe. I’m now in even more pain. I don’t know what to do.
Hey I’ve been a big runner for a while and got plantar fasciitis over a year ago now. Also I tryed everything from new shoes to inserts specially made.
I’ve been in barefoot for 3 months now and I’ve been pain free !!!!! Even started running again just small ones to start but iam pain free. And what your saying has merit.
Thanks for the video I thought I was on my own 🤦♂️
Hey congrats on the progress, Gareth! It's amazing how much you can accomplish with a simple change.
Awesome video!! 👍 do you recommend Merrel Vapor Shoes too? I just bought a pair... hope they're VERY similar to your Vivo barefoot shoes!!
Just bought a pair of Vapor Glove 4's myself, and they're great. However, the VGs are a little thicker at 6.5mm thick compared to most Vivos that come in around 4mm thick now (older versions were 3mm). I found my VGs a little large, though, and will buy a half-size smaller next time, as I have about 3/4" inch of extra space in the toe. They still feel great, just a tad large.
Seconding Jason's comment. VG's are very similar to the VivoBarefoot Primus Trek's (also 6.5mm). They're a great trail option. I found the 4mm (formerly 3mm) Vivo Primus Lite's to work better for flat surfaces like pavement and concrete. Enjoy your Vapor's!
@@JasonFarrell Good choice. I have several barefoot shoes, Inov8, Leguano and Vapor gloves 3 and 4. I like my vg's the best. Cured my shin splints and achilles tendonitis. Wear them now always. My whole posture changed. Love barefoot (-shoes). Have fun with them.
Very informative and eye opening content. Transitioning at the moment and you give me very good tips and inspiration. Thanks XX
Glad it's helping. Thanks for dropping by, Pilar!
Stretching is always the worst part of the run. I’ve never considered not doing it, but I’m going to give it a shot.
For twenty years, I forced myself to stretch, while my body said: "No! No! No!" When I stopped, running became so much more fun. I looked forward to just going out the door now, instead of doing some boring warmup routine. Hope the same happens for you!
I had plantar fasciitis in 2013 and nothing worked on my flat feet until someone recommended minimalist shoes. Medical advice didn't not help at all. I was hobbling for months. Then, when I tried minimalist, It was almost immediate relief. It's not widely known or studied, but if you have flat feet you should probably be in minimalist shoes. Low drop/zero drop at least.
So glad to hear it, plantar fasciitis is no joke. For the most part, arch height doesn't matter-it's arch strength that'll keep your happy and healthy. (:
@@AndrewFolts yes! That is such good advice. I've become much more of an avid runner in the past 3 years, and have struggled to find a shoe that works for me. Plantar never returned but I did move away from minimalist shoes for a while. For running, I tried Brooks (Yuck), Hoka One One (knee pain), Saucony (love em but can I do better?), and more, and finally just decided to come back to minimalist because I hate my feet feeling crushed. Today was my first 5k run in Xero HFS, and it was tough but felt good. Ready to build my feet back better!
@@JosephTavano Hey congrats! 5k is my fav distance, for sure. When your 5.5mm Xero's wear out (might be a while), you could try the 4mm Vivo Primus Lite, and eventually full barefoot if you really want to go wild. (:
@@AndrewFolts I will certainly look into the Vivos! Barefoot would be cool, but I live in Salem, MA, which is a bit more urban, so it might be a bit dodgy. :) One day perhaps!
Great video. I agree, the medical experts did not help my issues at all. Glad you got better!
Dr. Nature will see us now, ha! (:
What I rarely ever hear anyone, especially "experts" talk about is foam rolling and massage. Too often we get so focused on the pain and where it's located that we completely miss the underlying root cause which is probably the muscle and in this case, the calf (soleus & gastroc). Try working those knots out and if your muscles are tender when massaged it's probably more likely that is your issue. #22yrsinjuryfree
Yea, it's funny, this guy I used to work with in shoe sales showed me how when there's a tight arch, there's always a calf knot up above. Basic massage is super helpful for healing and injury prevention. Congrats on being injury free!
@@AndrewFolts, exactly! And so often knee pain has knotted up quads, and hip pain has knotted glutes. Stretching doesn't release knots (but it's helpful for other reasons) and has never been shown to prevent or overcome injuries. It's time for a #Rollvolution!
Your local CVS or Walgreens will have a brace for planter fascinates. You put it on as you sleep so that your tendons and heal muscles heal longer instead of tightening in the night.
They worked for me in about 2 weeks. However the first night it felt like my foot was on fire and I had to take it off at 2am.
They are a simple, $20-$40 solution.
The Strasburg sock? Yea, some customers used to have good results with then when I worked run specialty.
@@AndrewFolts I got mine after it was suggested by my aunt who is a college professor of physical education. She and several of her friends and students had success with them.
I'm not a runner. I'm a day hiker. I've noticed fewer issues since I went to a zero drop shoe and Teva sandals.
The brace only helps after the issue arises. Strong, more natural feet are prevention.
Thank-you. Your video confim me in my decision to do barefoot. I used to walk in woods but I changed place and start to walk on concrete, I started to use cuscioned shoes and started to have fascite in a foot, after healed started in the other foot and only walking without shoes helped me with the first foot but now I need to do barefoot. I need to chose the right shoes and your advices are good. Less is better than more. I need wide and very minimalist but I need waterproof and not expensive. I would like to take fivefingers, we have five fingers that we have to use! I like too the shoses that helped you. Have a nice life. Good karma to you.
If you want wide, waterproof, and not too expensive, then Xero would probably be the best option. Congrats on healing your PF. Keep up the good work!
@@AndrewFolts Thank-you!
I noticed your Tycho computer background, I like your style mate. How about a runners diet video? Out of all the videos I've come across just watching runner stuff, your definitely the guy to watch lol. Got my sub 5sure
Ha, thanks, Jayden. Cheers to Tycho. I haven't found the barefoot equivalent of the "best" diet yet, but I'd say intermittent fasting has made the biggest improvement for me. I eat dinner around 7 pm, then fast until 12 pm the next day. No more brain fog, digestion is better, and crazy levels of energy. Also iodine, copper, and magnesium. Getting 3-5 grams of kelp and some shiitake mushrooms in my diet gave my body a major energy boost, and taking 800 mg of magnesium glycinate daily chilled me out, helped me get better sleep, and prevented any tight muscle symptoms. When I get my whole diet dialed in, I'll definitely make a video about it. Appreciate the subscribe!
I had plantar fasciitis really bad in the army. When I left I almost entirely was barefoot or in flip flops. A few years later the pain went away. Now I wear lems and my running is typically the same way. Slow start and speed up as I feel comfortable. I never stretch before a run and I haven’t had any injuries since starting
PF in the army. Damn, that must have been rough. Glad you discovered Lem's. You might like those Mini-Mil barefoot combat boots, tho never tried them myself. www.bellevilleboot.com/mini-mil-trade.php
I’m living a life without running and I love it !!
Did you take up something else in its stead? Walking? Hiking? Sky diving?
@@AndrewFolts working 12 hours a day at fedex
@@grandmastert01 That'll do it. I have an 80 year-old neighbor who did walking mail delivery and he's still ridiculously fit.
Congratulations, great content. The illustrations make the video really fun to watch. 😁
Best wishes from a Vibram FF runner. 😉
My Vibram V-Trek's say hullo! (: