My mom was always "wear shoes! Wear shoes!" until we got into Tai Chi and she noticed I could do the poses better than her. This led to a conversation that went "you're supposed to move your toes" "you are?!" "you're not moving them?!" so now she spends her time at home barefoot
I cant understand cultures that wear shoes at homw. Like shoes are uncomfortable,narrow most do not fit the human anatomy anyway. Also sweat and smell terrible when you wear it for prolonged time. I only wear slippers if the ground is cold but even socks is a a no no in normal temperatures
@@exosproudmamabear558even slippers are uncomfortable for me, socks are the only thing I wear at home most of the year But I do have feet that barely sweat despite my hyperhidrosis and can easily wear wool socks in +20°C weather (this has recently dropped, I am now only wearing those when it's cooler outside and inside)
@@atriyakoller136 There are nice wide slippers in my country that do not constrict my feet. Although running with them may cause issues but I rarely have a need wear them in my home since we have ground heating although in other people's houses you need something. I have sweating issues too but my feet still smells like shit despite not getting sweaty much.
@@exosproudmamabear558 At home we don't wear shoes, and during the summer my wife just wears her flipflops, I tend to go barefoot unless going outside, I also wear a wide skate shoe, which also seems a lil tight in the toes, but at most its a few hours, the rest of the day at home no shoes. That's also how I managed to make one pair of low top DC skate shoes last for almost 4 years!!!! I have another pair but these are already broke in and comfortable for the most part...
31 here, have had bad ankles, knees, and flat feet ever since i was a kid. I started wearing japanese tabis and my feet have arches now, no ankle pain, knee pain is minimal (i have a few knee injuries) but even my lowerback is less painful.
I had moderate hip and knee pain in my 50s. Started wearing barefoot shoes and toe-spaces. Lasted about three days. I was crippled the whole time. My doctor told me I would have likely ended up with chronic back pain from the way I was walking.
@@AntonGully some people need a lot of adjustment time. Personally, i walk around barefoot often enough that i adjusted quickly. For you, you might need to start with 1 day on, 3 days off and slowly reduce the rest periods. Going barefoot is not a simple process, especially if you already have issues. But i recommend that you talk to your doctor and listen to yoir body. If you feel the pain isn't "good pain" like working out a stiff muscle, don't do it.
I think a huge thing to remember is to ease into this process. I wear my barefoot shoes for walking but I’m still wearing my Hoka super marshmallow shoes for running until my feet and ankles are much stronger.
I think Hokas also have wider toe boxes compared to Brooks and other popular running shoes. A friend of mine was having issues with needing wider toe boxes for her running shoes and switched from Brooks to Hoka (she gave me her old Brooks
If you learn to run with landing on the forefoot instead of heal, you don't need a soft shoe. Ironically, you'd be better off wearing the soft shoe when walking (which will be a heal landing) and the barefoot shoes running (where you can land on your forefoot). How to run without landing on your heal? There are plenty of vids, but the super easy way to learn to land on your forefoot or balls of the feet are to start running in place. It's VERY difficult to land on your heal while running in place. Start running in place, landing on your forefoot, then start moving forward with the same foot strike.
@@jessicawilson1751 They do. And less of a toe drop, which is the height difference between the heel and toe. The less difference, the better. I had Brooks. My orthopedic doctor recommended Hokas. Wider tow box and less of a heel to toe drop. You can find all this info on most sneaker brands' websites, if you look really closely.
I started using toe spacers after I broke my foot and WOW. I adore them. I have a bit of arthritis in that foot and wearing my toe spacers helps with my strength (and pain) so much!!
Which toe spacers did you use. I have the blue gel like ones but would like to try the white spacers shown in this video but I don’t know what it’s called
@@nikkireignsI can raise the third and fourth together without moving the others. But the ligament for the 4th toe is connected so it’s impossible to not move the 4th
I'm 31 years old and my mother ALWAYS made me and my brother walk barefoot in the house my entire life. She also made sure that we never wore tight-fitting shoes and this ended up becoming a habit in our lives (for example, I don't have enough skills to wear high heels!) The first time I heard about the benefits of having your foot shaped barefoot was 2 weeks ago. Today was the first time I tried to move my big toe as you showed and I did it! I never thought that my mother would be right about such simple things and that today I see the difference between me and my friends who grew up wearing shoes that deformed their feet!
She MADE you walk barefoot in the house? Why did she have to make you? Isn’t they just how people live? You get home, you take your shoes off. Does anyone not do this?
@@laurenm9203 There is such a thing as house shoes...that are only worn in the house. My mother in law grew up wearing house shoes in the house, so she keeps a few pair at our house to change into. I, on the other hand grew up barefoot (indoors and outdoors) unless I was going somewhere.
@@laurenm9203 its not like that in brazil (where I live). Our houses dont have a carpet, and the floor always have a little dust, so we use flip flops or other kind of shoe while inside. Many of my friends said they used to use snickers... SO, I'm just talking about my personal experience (poor family in a 3rd world country) :)
@@vivianyhFrom Brazil too but with a different experience than you. My house has carpet at every door and my mother cleans the house every two days, whilst at the same time we store the shoes outside. (High to middle class family)
Growing up back home in the Caribbean, most of us choose to be barefoot like our ancestors. Sitting here watching this video made me just realize that I still benefit from growing up that way even while I'm wearing shoes most of the time now. 🙂
I grew up barefoot most of the time as well and now live in Florida where the number one shoe is the flip flop (no toe confinement) I didn't realize there are people who cannot wiggle their big toes.
@@JGDD7190 there are people who can't WHAT?? that's horrible 😭 ive heard of so many of the terrible effects of shoes, but have thankfully avoided the majority of those thanks to the visceral discomfort i experience when wearing anything other than big sporty flip-flops and my wide, cozy sneakers that are... now very close to falling apart 😂
@@JGDD7190 Flip flops aren't great for your feet either though because there's no clasp in the back. So while you're walking, when you lift your foot up, your toes scrunch up to keep the flip flop on the foot.
This explains why my ankles became weak by the time I was in high school. I used to walk and run barefoot and just be barefoot more as a kid. I even ran on a gravel path without pain.
Same and I wonder why I was so weak out of a sudden, I’m 25 and I have such weak ankles and knees that I can fall down when I stand 🫠 so yeah my hip does all the work which should be the work of my toes and ankle 🥴
@@michaelalenzhofer217 I had that too. Not the falling down but the weak ankles and knees. If I may ask, do you lean forwards or backwards when you stand?
Altra wide toe box sneakers with a zero drop have been a life saver for me. Working nearly 13 hours on my feet, i had tried Hoka, Brooks, Adiidas, and many others. This year i found Altra Torin 7 wide. I love them so much. Life save.
Beware, though: Altra's been introducing less wide lasts, and now only a few models still use the original wide one. "Original" or "wide" means the real deal, "standard and "slim" don't have the Altra toe box side space.
@@PLANETWATERMELON As far as I understand, Altra doesn't make that distinction - anything they call "wide" seem to be their original last, while most shoes currently use one of two slimmed-down versions. On their website, check under "Who we are" for the "FootShape" subpage with their description of the various lasts.
@PLANETWATERMELON for me, wearing the same shoes is great. When I swap to others, my foot locks on me (had surgery a while back) and I end up with very sore feet. How my feet feel at the end of the day tells me if I'm wearing the right shoes or not.
Bunion sufferer here🙋🏽♀️ Didn’t realize I was causing this condition MYSELF with my shoes. Changed ALL of my shoes….. yes, it has been expensive buying wide toe box shoes☹️
@@karinyaboriskova441agreed I don’t wear heels and thought I was wearing quite sensible shoes and in the last few years actually worked from home barefoot also yet this year I developed a bunion on my right foot all of a sudden. My mom has one in exact same position and she’s worn flip flips and wide style sandal/shoes all her life and never heels either so that proves sometimes it can just be genetic.
@@moominmayyes thank you!! It's so frustrating to hear people always saying shoes cause bunions and barefoot shoes are the answer. That's not always true. I had bunions ever since I was a small child, my feet were just born like that.
Yes, and I think that this is a much better solution for most people. Barefoot shoes are the new trendy hip thing, but what noone really talks about is that whilst it might be "natural" to walk barefoot, walking on hard concrete certainly isn't. So if you're living in rhe city and walk around on super hard surfaces all day long, having to do rhat with almost no padding like the barefoot shoes... Does not seem healthy to me, and it is most definitely not comfortable 🤧. So I think it's much healthier to be in normal shoes, bit with wide profile, so you're not cramming your foot, but still have the cushy insoles 🤗
10 years of suffering with plantar fasciitis finally resolved after wearing toe spreading socks. I saw a video suggesting it would help build the proper functioning of the foot and it worked!!
@@StoicGoreI’m not sure two pairs of socks would fit in my shoes okay. Might be a little snug. It’s mostly my toes that get too cold though as opposed to my whole foot also
My whole family has been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis and I've had issues with my toes curling in. I've also always been bothered by how many shoes squish your feet in and usually chose skater shoes for the wide toe section.(never skated in my life lol) This makes a lot of sense and I think it'll help a lot of people, myself included. So, thank you!
My toes curl under as well and I learned from footzoning and toe reading that it is associated with wanting to be connected to earth. Are you in your head over thinking and go back and forth with decisions? I’m ADD so I’m up in the air a lot and my toes curl. I toe twist in the shower daily for it
I went barefoot and it triggered my plantar fasciitis. I switched to using compression socks and and wearing more cushion socks and that helped me and my toe nails stopped splitting.
@KristinKStar a certain muscle runs in back of calf to foot and as we age, it can cause toes to begin to curl, I saw this on a recent foot dr video, probably the Michigan foot dr youtube , or maybe a chiropractor video.certain exercise with lengthen that muscle affecting toe curling
I've taken to looking for shoes in the men's section of shoes stores - they're not always wide enough but my options are infinitely better there than in the ladies section. Sometimes in order to find a woman's shoe wide enough for my foot I have to put on something that is up to three sizes too long.
I've been singing the praises of barefoot shoes for years, and neither of my children have ever worn traditional shoes. I definitely need to start wearing my toes spacers again as I only have good movement in one big toes and I want to push the other to have the same level of strength.
One of several reasons East African countries like Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda are so dominant in long-distance running competitions is because athletes there grow up running and walking without shoes. They develop strong muscles in their feet and their brains learn how to keep the kinetic chain connected from hip to toe. These minor efficiencies add up a lot over the course of a double-digit-km race.
So cool to see on of my favorite youtubers be a barefooter like me. Been walking barefoot (and barefoot shoes) for about 5/6 years now, without toe spacers and it has changed everything for me. Went from one of the ‘smaller’ toeboxes available to one if the widest. Had a neck hernia and a lower back hernia…was operated on both and started walking barefoot, I have had no more pain since. So now my kids also walk ‘barefoot’ as much as possible🎉
The woman is soooo likeabale and such an incredible inspiration, I love her whole way to speak and behave. Gives me such a love life and laugh a lot attitude. Thank you for sharing that smile!
Came for the information, stayed for that too, but you're delivery is really what made me stay. It's so refreshing seeing a normal down to earth woman who just wants to help and edify the public, ego aside. I wish nursing & medicine had more people like you in it.
I am so thankful that having done martial arts for a big chunk of my life, barefoot exercise is totally natural to me. But, what changed a decade and a bit ago was getting rid of the restrictive and constrictive shoes I had to wear for work and when out and about. Going to feet-shaped shoes with thin soles was a revelation and I think I'm much healthier for it. My little toe could still do with some work - so I may get some toe spacers for that - plus do some of the foot training exercises you mentioned.
I have ledderhose disease and have on both sides a heel spur. 5 years ago it was so bad that I couldn't even go to the toilet adequately and every step caused me incredible pain. As I drove off, I always had to think about what I could do at the same time because I wanted to keep the pain as low as possible. I had to quit my old job in nursing because I could no longer walk and do my job. I then had ultrasound and simultaneous injection therapy with an orthopedist 4 years ago, which lasted 6 weeks. During therapy, I also began having my walking style corrected by the physiotherapist and switched from normal footwear to barefoot shoes. That was the best way for me personally. I can now go on hikes and long walks again, all without pain. Work is now possible again. I love my regained quality of life. I hope my story can perhaps help someone else find their way to healing. Love your video and wish you all the best. 🦶
I started buying wider shoes and eventually I could only wear the widest style of shoes. Now sometimes the store has nothing that fits unless I get something two sizes too long.
I've worn shoes as little as possible my hole life and while I'm not as flexible as i used to be as a kid, many people are shocked at the fact i can open doors with my feet. socks and shoes are the absolute first thing that come off when ever i get home, i cant stand my feet being confined even in just socks. I've also had this habit to walk mostly on the 'balls' of my feet, every now and then, like you showed ever since i was a kid.
Not everyone heel strikes when running, even in standard shoes. I land more in the middle. I tend to walk around barefoot at home and most of my shoes, while standard style, have been wide width.
I've been barefoot or in sandals for several years now. Suddenly I had to be in shoes, pretty much all day for a week. I have never suffered so much! I chafed, i had blisters, I had general achey pain because it felt like my feet were in a vise. It got so bad I needed to buy new shoes and that's when I discovered I'd gone up a size. Maybe being barefoot allows the toes to straighten and the feet to spread out horizontally more too?
Glad I found you. I am in ankle PT and this is my first time you showed up on my feed. I will look over everything. I maybe have had ligament tears depending upon which ortho docs or radiologist interpreting my ANKLE MRI you or I choose to believe. Sigh….. I have been an “interesting patient” far more than anyone should ever have to be! I will include your ideas to my PT…who is wonderful. And I have been barefoot and using spacers already. Thanks for sharing this!
I know this is an old comment but as another "interesting" patient who has sprained her ankles way, way too frequently... I can pass along the really, really stupid thing that worked to build my ankles up better than anything else and is apparently one of the most effective ways to reduce instances of reoccurrence after someone's sprained their ankle. Stand on one foot for one minute, each side, morning and night (easiest way to work this into your routine is usually when you're brushing your teeth- since you're supposed to do that for two minutes, you just do one minute on your left or right and switch, by the end you have done your PT AND you brush for the full two minutes). It builds your ankle up in two really important ways- strength but more importantly balance. And it doesn't cost a bunch, or require insurance approval. I routinely send a thank you card to the PT who explained it to me.
I've always gone barefoot at home. I also buy shoes with wider toe boxes whenever I can find them. Even my black heels that I found 20 years ago, have a wide toe box. I've reheeled and resoled them twice, they're just so comfortable, and I can still have nice heels that show off my legs.
I think having a good balance is important. Been wearing regular shoes for school/outings my whole life, but being barefoot at home all the time, I can spread my toes easily. I love my cushioned comfy and responsive running shoes, and will never ditch them ever.
I've been wearing barefoot shoes for 7 months now. My toes are spacing out slightly, but it feels like my flat feet are getting worse and my ankles are collapsing inward more. 😢
im no foot expert but if walking barefoot is negatively affecting you, maybe going back to shoes that give you ample support is better than trying something that maybe wasn’t meant for your particularly shaped feet. i hope you are able to find some good shoes that help relieve the strain on your ankles and such
I have horrible bunions, have for all my life, and have worn big toe spacers in the past, never all toes. I have also never tried barefoot shoes, thank you for this I'm so excited to try it and I hope it brings some relief?
I bought a pair of Atoms shoes. Ive been struggling with plantar fascitis.. they have a narrow toe box and hurt the sides of my pinkie toe. Brooks shoes make it worse. Chiropractor suggest always wearing shoes and making sure they are supportive. Im a weightlifter too, retired competitive boxer, pregnant with my 3rd child. I will definitely look into barefoot shoes. i live in a native American based town, and my oldest sons friends frequently come over without shoes on all the time in the warmer months. Theres something to this.
I wear Altra shoes, and they have helped because of the zero heel-to-toe drop, and the very wide toe box. I'd love to go with barefoot shoes, but there is no way I would do it in the concrete jungle full of construction litter. But those toe spacers are intriguing.
Correct toes will fit into Altras. For all day, I wear then with injinji toe socks. I can manage flatter shoes readily, but I long distance hike and found I needed more cushion so altra lone peaks have been my main choice for that.
I'm flat-footed so I always went for wider shoes without arches purely out of comfort. According to everyone around me with arches my feet were an issue for me in comparison to them. Now I finally feel like my feet are in good shape for once since I can move my toes pretty easily.
Mangled feet is no good, but I wonder if this is an American problem, with wearing shoes inside? 🤔 In Sweden (and most parts of the world I think) we take our shoes off when we get in and walk barefoot or in our socks while inside. At leat I think my feet are pretty cave man already... 😅
Anecdotally, I can say my situation, when I work in socks, have to pop on the shoes to drive to the next place … rinse and repeat about five times a day, then barefooted at home, and walking/hiking/exercising in barefoot shoes, spacers help. I have one foot with better splay…noticeably different.
As an American, I've always been barefoot at home. And I only leave my home for a significant amount of time two or three times a week, and most of that time, I'm usually sitting down (either in the car or at my desk). So I feel like barefoot shoes wouldn't have much of an impact on me. I do wear barefoot shoes on occasion, but I spend so little time actually walking in them that they feel a bit pointless. I could use them for jogging/running, but I've yet to make a habit of doing that regularly.
Im a Swede, working in office 3 days a week (with shoes) and being barefoot at home and my feet look and feel alot better since switching to barefoot shoes about 2 years ago. Not wearing toe spacers tho.
Still depends on what you wear, and how. Like, I used to wear 1 EU size up because I hated the feeling of toe squish, and as a result sneakers always had almost 2 centimeters of extra space in the toes. That was fine and all, but it was a lot of extra pressure and friction on the pinky toe anyway, as well as some unnecessary scuffing of the toe of the shoe. Later in life, I changed to more close fitting sizes, and it took just months for my feet to get a lot worse, even if I'm barefoot at home. Toes just stopped naturally splaying
@@Erideah Seems like the obvious solution is to just go back to wearing bigger shoes. My whole life, I've worn shoes a few sizes larger than most would wear with the same-sized feet, and it's resulted in me having never experienced the "narrow toe box" that barefoot shoe enthusiasts are always complaining about. To me, the only benefit of barefoot shoes, besides the thin, flexible sole, is that they're are not as long as they'd need to be if they were conventional shoes with the same-sized toe box.
Had pain from wearing heels, then spent two months in the Dominican Republic walking everywhere with thin sandals where I felt every rock 😅 it felt like a rough massage on my feet, got used to it then when I came back I realized how therapeutic it was and my pain was gone
First 90 seconds of this video and the energy has me subscribing. Also feeling validated for always low-key hating on super-pointy shoes (but also super hated by the broader shoe industry for having large, wide feet as a woman lol)
Dont be afraid to use the type of spacers at 5:15, they are called “toe gems”! I have used these for a few years and they fit a variety of toe sizes. Yes, they are made of a silicone gel, but all you have to do is rinse them off in the sink and put them on. They do pick up fuzz, but they are not gooey. I often put them on when I am just sitting on the sofa for the evening, and they were highly recommended by Bob & Brad (physical therapists) here on youtube. I am a healthcare worker and on my feet all day long and I adore my “toe gems” - really help stretch the toe muscles at the end of a long day!
My problem with the bare foot shoe thing is that i work for a living. For me that involves standing on concrete floors for 8 hours, you can not wear barefoot shoes in that enviroment, it would be unsafe and painful. I do wear a wide boot, though i have a slender foot, mostly for the toe box comfort
@FlyTour69 There isn't adjusting when something heavy lands on your toes. Steal toe boots are required in many industries for a good reason. Want to try thinking outside your personal experience and see that others simply can't do that
@@Narwarlock that’s a good point; I didn’t think about heavy objects falling on your foot. I’m thankful to work in a lax environment where they don’t care if we wear mesh shoes, tank tops & shorts. In your original comment you didn’t specify what industry you worked in, but mentioned the concrete floors and I assumed that was the “hazard”.
I've always noticed that my toes were visibly deformed, but my joints are incredibly unstable due to a genetic condition that borks with my tendons and ligaments, so I've kept wearing tight stiff boots out of fear. Nothing can flex in my feet when I wear them, but also nothing can dislocate if I step the tiniest bit wrong. I can't use it because I'd risk losing it fast, but because I'm not using it I'm losing it slow, but because I'm losing it I can't use it at all... I feel like I'm stuck between two really bad options.
Ali, thanks so much for your follow up to your DIY barefoot shoes video! I had been running & hiking in barefoot shoes for almost 6 months now. I bought my first pair of toe spacers a little over a month ago & still working on keeping them on longer. I have gotten pretty good at spreading my toes but, can still only barely move my big toes separately from my smaller toes so far. I do notice that my stronger feet help over all. I had a bout with some lower right back pain & what I have been doing is helping it get better more quickly!
I finally convinced a boss for me to wear orthopedic sandals for work! Omg what a difference. I have bunyons from bad genetics tho not shoes, so I need to wear things like orthopedics and barefoot shoes! What r your opinion on crocs
Barefoot shoes helped me with so many issues. I am now at 4 years with the transition and at 40, I can run like I did as a kid. I usually watch your music videos and never saw your health nut videos, but I kinda figured you were because I noticed how much your physique has changed since you first popped up on the tube😊
Yes!! so glad to see your sucess, transformation and focus on foot health! I started going barefoot in my 20's for a different reason because I kept getting athletes foot and couldn't get rid of it. An article in a fitness magazing suggested not wearing shoes would kill off the fungus, and guess what it did, even though people were forever telling me walking around barefoot would give me athletes foot it was quite the opposite. Fast forward 30 years and still running around everywhere barefoot most of the time my feet feel increadibly strong and healthy. I never have sore, tired feet even after a full day of walking and standing. The struggle now is when I do need boots for winter or work but as soon as I'm free so are my feet. A lot of my work allows me to be barefoot though as I'm self employed. Can't agree more with what Ali has discovered and promoting here, she is spot on.
Great energy. Love the enthusiasm. I too am on the transition to barefoot. Every pair of shoes i own is now foot shaped. I wish i had photographed my feet every week to see the change... but i can feel the change.
I actually decided to look into any commonalities regarding foot health and shoewear used in the Blue Zones, and apparently most of them actually DO have a connection: they use minimalist footwear. No cushioning etc., just something to protect your feet.
I’ve been trying to strike better when jogging and walking, but striking on the balls of the foot just never seems most optimal. With so much spread of the legs from the stride, it doesn’t feel physically right trying to land with basically a pointed foot. Sprinting, however, seems more right for this type of foot strike because I’ve been taught to lean forward in a sprint. With the body “leading” the legs, the front leg is basically pushing the sprinter off from underneath and then behind the body, unlike jogging or walking where the legs are “carrying” the body. This is my experience and examination of others, at least.
Very interesting video. Thank you for being our guinea pig. 😄 🙏🏼 I‘m a bit scared of transitioning to barefoot shoes because I‘ve read all sorts of cons…though I cannot stand the feeling of cramped toes and tend to buy a bigger size just to make sure I have enough space for my toes. I‘ll definitely give it a second thought.
If you don't want to give up on cushioning and higher heels, Brooks makes wide toe box running sneakers. If you do want zero drop, try wide Altra sneakers!
Never worn toe spacers other than when I have my nails painted. I tried the "Can you lift your big toe while the others are down and reverse it" ... can't everyone do that? I generally don't like wearing shoes but again - I don't think toe spacers are doing a thing for you. Just stop wearing tight shoes and your toes will naturally fall back into place, you don't need to force your body.
I went to zero drop shoes 8 years ago after 2 plantar tendon surgeries. As a dog walker my feet were taking a beating. I also got toe spacers (the blue ones you showed) to wear at night. I have had no foot pain of any kind and the stretchers feel great after a day walking. My toes are nice and spread out now too! I highly recommend!
So shoes shale your feet unnaturally but constantly wearing something that spreads your toes out more don't? I don't buy into basically 99% of it because the studies just don't show results, but I at least understand the idea around it. I don't understand continuing to wear spacers though. That just seems like an extreme the other direction
After some bunion sugery, Plantar fasciitis, and always wanting my shoes off (work, field, home, etc). I decided to go all in on zero drop shoes. Both Xero and Vibram 5-finger. Also including more foot work in my training (tib raises, sled push/pull, hill raised split squats, etc). But I've not done toe spacers yet. That's next! I must say when Ali was doing the big toe exercise I tried it too
I'm a regular old barefoot oke. I've spent the last few years in minimalist footwear when I'm out and about, and I love em. Hell, I even reviewed a pair of minimalist boots. Just found your channel, so im going on a tear through your videos. The first impression I got of you really is good 👍
I crushed my big toe like 2 years ago and I have permanent nerve damage so I sadly will never be able to do this but I love it for everyone else. I need shoes to aid in my walking because I literally don't have the proper nerves in my big toe to do it on my own. I understand I'm a very small exception but just everyone keep in mind that this transformation is not for everyone.
I like wearing toe spacers when I workout. Now I want to wear them more often. Good video. Thanks for putting in the work and photographing your toe progress over time.
@@jowiens32 I got mine from my chiropractor. They're a simple off-white one piece for all five toes design. I've seen packs of toe spacers online that have several different types in a bag. It's a great way to try different types of toe spacers to see what works for you.
My Hubby wears barefoot socks with his bare feet shoes and has trained himself to strike with this forefoot rather than his heel. He now has arches after 57 years of flat feet, no longer has pains in his knees, legs, butt, or back. It has been a lifesaver.
The more I see these barefoot/barefoot shoe videos, the more I seem to come back to two questions: 1: Is it really not common for people to be have spaces between their toes? 2: Can people not wiggle their big toes separately from the rest of their toes? I have grown up thinking I was wierd for having what my family refers to as "monkey toes" because I have a pretty big gap between my big toes and the rest of my toes. I have always had trouble finding shoes to fit me because of this.
I feel the same and let me add to those: 3: Do people really land on their heels first when they run? 4: Do people not know how to walk properly and have to be taught? I have similar questions although I don’t get comments about “monkey toes”, the only comment about my foot specifically that I ever got was that I have nice arches.
good video. came from a foot doctor explaining myths of barefoot shoes & explaining how to progress into barefoot walking & yeah you said some similar things
That OG video was the first one of yours recommended to my page (fan ever since) and i went barefoot because of it. I’ve regretted nothing except the socks that got destroyed among the way. I made my kids do it when their baby shoes started to get pointier (surprisingly wide toe boxes early on in the standard cheap shoes) and now i got my wife on it. I’ll be a fan for a long time. Keep up the good work -peace
I'm a ballet/dance teacher who has also benefitted from my own, similar journey over the past couple years. I am showing this video in my pre-pointe class today to showcase the benefits of foot strength in a non-dance way.
If you have crooked toes you might have an high arch. I always blamed toe pinching on the toe box of shoes, but a high arch makes you stabilize by pushing your toes down and it eventually makes your toes " fold" in. Stand barefoot press down on the floor with your toes, if they fold crooked it might be your arches.
I have been wearing barefoot shoes for over a year and love them. However, I ride horses, and it is really hard to find riding boots that are wide enough. Unfortunately, boots are necessary for safety when riding with stirrups. It's neat to hear the history in your video, it makes sense.
Is it possible, now hear me out, is it possible that they were made pointy to actually fit in the stirrup rather than to just look rich. Seeing as having horses was actually quite common and not only for rich people as you've incorrectly stated?
I’m an avid distance runner running 7 days a week and about 30 races every year including 3 marathons. I don’t subscribe to the minimal/barefoot approach at ALL. Even when my running shoes are only about 3 months old, I start feeling it in my joints, back, hips, etc and I replace my shoes. But when I’ve used minimal shoes? Holy crap do I have issues. I have a stretch of running every calendar day that I’ve kept up since September 4th, 2001, and I can guarantee you I’d be crippled if I had been trying to do it barefoot or without proper cushioning. There are reasons why race records are being broken much more often these days. Some is nutrition. I give you that. But the other is shoes. I high stack for cushion, paired with a carbon fiber plate for stability and recoil? It allows every step we take to have just a little less impact and drain just a little less energy over time, and the results show. Yes, I know many Kenyans and Ethiopians grew up walking and running with no shoes at all, and are amazing runners. But that is an almost purely genetic thing. I do agree with the ignorance of pointed toe shoes though. So bad for your feet. When I’m not running I wear Keen sandals with a lot of open area in the toe box, that also allow air to get to my feet. And even with dress shoes, I buy models with more of a box toe.
I don't run but I agree with you barefoot is not for everyone. It's a pity, there are not many brands of anatomically shaped shoes with padding (= not barefoot). I only found one, so far, Altra and they also have wider shoes . I don't have any personal experience with them but i am thinking of trying them because I walk a lot. I think sporty shoes should be anatomically shaped. I understand it would look weird for pumps but sporty shoes...
I think part of it is our feet are not designed to run on hard surfaces. Dirt/sand/grass is much softer than concrete and asphalt. That being said a wide toe box, zero drop heels, and no arch support will go a long way strengthening our feet. However when it comes to competitive running not sure how that all plays in.
Amazingly shot video, but I can not concentrate on anything outside of this woman's abdominal muscles. She has a runner's physique, all being held together by Brock Lesnar's rectus abdominis.
Thanks for this video. Especially the 'toe-vid' comparison at the end - I noticed that the toes on your left foot didn't spread as much as the right. That means that my own efforts aren't representative of the initial frustration I felt and that perhaps the asymmetricality of the feet prevents one side from ever completely undoing the damage that shoes inflicted upon them...
I remember people using those barefoot shoes, but then still running heel to toe, and causing a loooot of issues for themselves. Definitely takes time to retrain how to walk/run naturally.
I haven't switched to barefoot shoes yet, but I've been wearing toe spacing socks (highly recommend, as the rubbery ones kinda made my toes feel like they were losing some amount of circulation which was not what I was going for) in the evening for about 3 years now and wear shoes with wide toe boxes. I roll my feet and use recovery shoes at home. I go for walks regularly and I've noticed these changes have made a big difference in reducing foot pain. To graduate to barefoot shoes, I'd have to do a lot of work strengthening my arches. I guess the point is, you can get a lot of benefits, even if you're not ready to commit to barefoot shoes.
DPT student here. Just so everyone is aware there are drawbacks to a forefoot strike pattern such as Achilles tendinopathy (tendinitis), especially if you try to change it quickly and with too much training volume. That doesn't mean it's wrong or bad but I just want to point out there are drawbacks to both strike pattern extremes! Also with toe spacers, they are essentially a splint or orthosis for your toes. You HAVE intrinsic foot muscles that are ALREADY responsible for spreading out your toes so I would actually suggest just working on recruiting those muscles by actively trying to spread out your toes. Use this as a daily or even hourly exercise where you do toe spreads for something like 3 sets of 20 repetitions. Couple this with wearing shoes with a wide-toe box and there you have it! You will not only be strengthening your muscles on the bottom of your foot but also the sides of your foot and your toes will naturally spread out!
Lol at me leaning on my nonexistent couch
LMAO at your historical reference! We need more of those for the so many other things we do wrong-headedly.
You didn't LINK the shoes!
How do you get them for my big feet? eBay sellers are no help.
In your feet , look the same after as before
Could you link the toe spacers you use? 😌
My mom was always "wear shoes! Wear shoes!" until we got into Tai Chi and she noticed I could do the poses better than her. This led to a conversation that went "you're supposed to move your toes" "you are?!" "you're not moving them?!" so now she spends her time at home barefoot
I cant understand cultures that wear shoes at homw. Like shoes are uncomfortable,narrow most do not fit the human anatomy anyway. Also sweat and smell terrible when you wear it for prolonged time. I only wear slippers if the ground is cold but even socks is a a no no in normal temperatures
@@exosproudmamabear558 yeah which is why I mostly date people who are barefoot indoors, I really went the opposite of my culture hahaha
@@exosproudmamabear558even slippers are uncomfortable for me, socks are the only thing I wear at home most of the year
But I do have feet that barely sweat despite my hyperhidrosis and can easily wear wool socks in +20°C weather (this has recently dropped, I am now only wearing those when it's cooler outside and inside)
@@atriyakoller136 There are nice wide slippers in my country that do not constrict my feet. Although running with them may cause issues but I rarely have a need wear them in my home since we have ground heating although in other people's houses you need something. I have sweating issues too but my feet still smells like shit despite not getting sweaty much.
@@exosproudmamabear558 At home we don't wear shoes, and during the summer my wife just wears her flipflops, I tend to go barefoot unless going outside, I also wear a wide skate shoe, which also seems a lil tight in the toes, but at most its a few hours, the rest of the day at home no shoes.
That's also how I managed to make one pair of low top DC skate shoes last for almost 4 years!!!! I have another pair but these are already broke in and comfortable for the most part...
Got rid of chronic hip, knee and hip pain wearing barefoot shoes and toe spacers, in my seventies and now pain free!
Interesting. I am 60 and just started having some knee pain. Maybe I should try that!
31 here, have had bad ankles, knees, and flat feet ever since i was a kid. I started wearing japanese tabis and my feet have arches now, no ankle pain, knee pain is minimal (i have a few knee injuries) but even my lowerback is less painful.
I had moderate hip and knee pain in my 50s. Started wearing barefoot shoes and toe-spaces. Lasted about three days. I was crippled the whole time. My doctor told me I would have likely ended up with chronic back pain from the way I was walking.
@@AntonGully some people need a lot of adjustment time.
Personally, i walk around barefoot often enough that i adjusted quickly.
For you, you might need to start with 1 day on, 3 days off and slowly reduce the rest periods.
Going barefoot is not a simple process, especially if you already have issues. But i recommend that you talk to your doctor and listen to yoir body. If you feel the pain isn't "good pain" like working out a stiff muscle, don't do it.
@@AntonGully I'd agree with the last poster it really hurt initially but I took it easily and worked my way up.
I think a huge thing to remember is to ease into this process. I wear my barefoot shoes for walking but I’m still wearing my Hoka super marshmallow shoes for running until my feet and ankles are much stronger.
I think Hokas also have wider toe boxes compared to Brooks and other popular running shoes. A friend of mine was having issues with needing wider toe boxes for her running shoes and switched from Brooks to Hoka (she gave me her old Brooks
@@jessicawilson1751 I wear brooks "x-wide" aka 4E. Might have to order them few stores keep 4E anything.
Are you also training for the "right" strike? I find that I have to focus a lot in order to avoid going back to the "traditional strike.
If you learn to run with landing on the forefoot instead of heal, you don't need a soft shoe. Ironically, you'd be better off wearing the soft shoe when walking (which will be a heal landing) and the barefoot shoes running (where you can land on your forefoot).
How to run without landing on your heal? There are plenty of vids, but the super easy way to learn to land on your forefoot or balls of the feet are to start running in place. It's VERY difficult to land on your heal while running in place. Start running in place, landing on your forefoot, then start moving forward with the same foot strike.
@@jessicawilson1751 They do. And less of a toe drop, which is the height difference between the heel and toe. The less difference, the better. I had Brooks. My orthopedic doctor recommended Hokas. Wider tow box and less of a heel to toe drop. You can find all this info on most sneaker brands' websites, if you look really closely.
I started using toe spacers after I broke my foot and WOW. I adore them. I have a bit of arthritis in that foot and wearing my toe spacers helps with my strength (and pain) so much!!
Which toe spacers did you use. I have the blue gel like ones but would like to try the white spacers shown in this video but I don’t know what it’s called
@@deedee2218 She said they're called correct toes or something lol
@@EllaMBV ok thanks!
I never thought I'd have the oppertunity to be smug about being able to independently move my toes. Thanks.
Like can you raise just your middle toe?
@@nikkireignsI can raise the third and fourth together without moving the others. But the ligament for the 4th toe is connected so it’s impossible to not move the 4th
IKR? lol.
Ok, but don't people just weegle their toes?
@@uikmnhj4me thats a myth. Source: i can move them just fine.
I have more issues getting a connection with my index-toe.
I'm 31 years old and my mother ALWAYS made me and my brother walk barefoot in the house my entire life. She also made sure that we never wore tight-fitting shoes and this ended up becoming a habit in our lives (for example, I don't have enough skills to wear high heels!) The first time I heard about the benefits of having your foot shaped barefoot was 2 weeks ago. Today was the first time I tried to move my big toe as you showed and I did it! I never thought that my mother would be right about such simple things and that today I see the difference between me and my friends who grew up wearing shoes that deformed their feet!
OMG how did she know 😂
She MADE you walk barefoot in the house? Why did she have to make you? Isn’t they just how people live? You get home, you take your shoes off. Does anyone not do this?
@@laurenm9203 There is such a thing as house shoes...that are only worn in the house. My mother in law grew up wearing house shoes in the house, so she keeps a few pair at our house to change into. I, on the other hand grew up barefoot (indoors and outdoors) unless I was going somewhere.
@@laurenm9203 its not like that in brazil (where I live). Our houses dont have a carpet, and the floor always have a little dust, so we use flip flops or other kind of shoe while inside. Many of my friends said they used to use snickers... SO, I'm just talking about my personal experience (poor family in a 3rd world country) :)
@@vivianyhFrom Brazil too but with a different experience than you. My house has carpet at every door and my mother cleans the house every two days, whilst at the same time we store the shoes outside. (High to middle class family)
Growing up back home in the Caribbean, most of us choose to be barefoot like our ancestors. Sitting here watching this video made me just realize that I still benefit from growing up that way even while I'm wearing shoes most of the time now. 🙂
Seen that too. Beautiful feet.
I grew up barefoot most of the time as well and now live in Florida where the number one shoe is the flip flop (no toe confinement) I didn't realize there are people who cannot wiggle their big toes.
@@JGDD7190 there are people who can't WHAT?? that's horrible 😭 ive heard of so many of the terrible effects of shoes, but have thankfully avoided the majority of those thanks to the visceral discomfort i experience when wearing anything other than big sporty flip-flops and my wide, cozy sneakers that are... now very close to falling apart 😂
Same
@@JGDD7190 Flip flops aren't great for your feet either though because there's no clasp in the back. So while you're walking, when you lift your foot up, your toes scrunch up to keep the flip flop on the foot.
This explains why my ankles became weak by the time I was in high school. I used to walk and run barefoot and just be barefoot more as a kid. I even ran on a gravel path without pain.
Same, I used to run in the road barefoot so much. Now whenever I walk my dog I try to do it barefoot.
SAME
yeap thats it. the shoes were the problem. sure
Same and I wonder why I was so weak out of a sudden, I’m 25 and I have such weak ankles and knees that I can fall down when I stand 🫠 so yeah my hip does all the work which should be the work of my toes and ankle 🥴
@@michaelalenzhofer217 I had that too. Not the falling down but the weak ankles and knees. If I may ask, do you lean forwards or backwards when you stand?
Altra wide toe box sneakers with a zero drop have been a life saver for me. Working nearly 13 hours on my feet, i had tried Hoka, Brooks, Adiidas, and many others. This year i found Altra Torin 7 wide. I love them so much. Life save.
Actually mixing it up is IMO the best way to go. Wearing the same thing everyday is not ideal. Altra's are fantastic.
Beware, though: Altra's been introducing less wide lasts, and now only a few models still use the original wide one. "Original" or "wide" means the real deal, "standard and "slim" don't have the Altra toe box side space.
@@c99kfm Do you mean wide last or wide fit?
@@PLANETWATERMELON As far as I understand, Altra doesn't make that distinction - anything they call "wide" seem to be their original last, while most shoes currently use one of two slimmed-down versions.
On their website, check under "Who we are" for the "FootShape" subpage with their description of the various lasts.
@PLANETWATERMELON for me, wearing the same shoes is great. When I swap to others, my foot locks on me (had surgery a while back) and I end up with very sore feet. How my feet feel at the end of the day tells me if I'm wearing the right shoes or not.
Bunion sufferer here🙋🏽♀️
Didn’t realize I was causing this condition MYSELF with my shoes.
Changed ALL of my shoes….. yes, it has been expensive buying wide toe box shoes☹️
I have bunions but have been 98% barefoot all my adult life. (Work at home artist. Age 60) They are not always caused by shoes.
Get some yoga toes…
@@karinyaboriskova441agreed I don’t wear heels and thought I was wearing quite sensible shoes and in the last few years actually worked from home barefoot also yet this year I developed a bunion on my right foot all of a sudden. My mom has one in exact same position and she’s worn flip flips and wide style sandal/shoes all her life and never heels either so that proves sometimes it can just be genetic.
@@moominmayyes thank you!! It's so frustrating to hear people always saying shoes cause bunions and barefoot shoes are the answer. That's not always true. I had bunions ever since I was a small child, my feet were just born like that.
Check out Splay Shoes. Not expensive and cute.
I always buy the widest shoes possible. I've always hated the feeling of cramped toes.
Thats why I switched to New Balance years ago because they offer wide and double wide shoes.
Same! And I wear lots of sandals ao my feet is natural like this lol
Yes, and I think that this is a much better solution for most people. Barefoot shoes are the new trendy hip thing, but what noone really talks about is that whilst it might be "natural" to walk barefoot, walking on hard concrete certainly isn't. So if you're living in rhe city and walk around on super hard surfaces all day long, having to do rhat with almost no padding like the barefoot shoes... Does not seem healthy to me, and it is most definitely not comfortable 🤧.
So I think it's much healthier to be in normal shoes, bit with wide profile, so you're not cramming your foot, but still have the cushy insoles 🤗
@@brumels1570 same here
10 years of suffering with plantar fasciitis finally resolved after wearing toe spreading socks. I saw a video suggesting it would help build the proper functioning of the foot and it worked!!
I started to wear toe socks. I found that improved my feet enormously whilst not being painful.
I wear these now too but my feet stay so cold all day now. I need like heated toe socks or something lol
@@StoicGoreI’m not sure two pairs of socks would fit in my shoes okay. Might be a little snug. It’s mostly my toes that get too cold though as opposed to my whole foot also
Me, too! My feet, and me, are so much happier in toe socks. I do have one pair of wide toe shoes and I plan to get more.
@@StoicGorethe normal socks will squash the toes defeating the toe socks. My toes want wide open space.
@@IreneYoungFotooh this is a good point too! Didn’t even think of that!
Thanks for adding the history of how narrow toeboxes became the norm, I've been curious about that.
@nicolerudolph has a great video on shoes, she also makes custom shoes and is a dress historian.
@@Sarakatbee Thanks! I'll check it out.
My whole family has been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis and I've had issues with my toes curling in.
I've also always been bothered by how many shoes squish your feet in and usually chose skater shoes for the wide toe section.(never skated in my life lol)
This makes a lot of sense and I think it'll help a lot of people, myself included.
So, thank you!
My toes curl under as well and I learned from footzoning and toe reading that it is associated with wanting to be connected to earth. Are you in your head over thinking and go back and forth with decisions? I’m ADD so I’m up in the air a lot and my toes curl. I toe twist in the shower daily for it
I went barefoot and it triggered my plantar fasciitis. I switched to using compression socks and and wearing more cushion socks and that helped me and my toe nails stopped splitting.
@@kgal1298
I think there can be other factors that play into this as well.
@KristinKStar a certain muscle runs in back of calf to foot and as we age, it can cause toes to begin to curl, I saw this on a recent foot dr video, probably the Michigan foot dr youtube , or maybe a chiropractor video.certain exercise with lengthen that muscle affecting toe curling
I've taken to looking for shoes in the men's section of shoes stores - they're not always wide enough but my options are infinitely better there than in the ladies section. Sometimes in order to find a woman's shoe wide enough for my foot I have to put on something that is up to three sizes too long.
I've been singing the praises of barefoot shoes for years, and neither of my children have ever worn traditional shoes. I definitely need to start wearing my toes spacers again as I only have good movement in one big toes and I want to push the other to have the same level of strength.
Out of the blue: first video of yours I've seen. Absolutely love your energy!
Aly is an absolute gem! Hilarious and extremely talented musician! Watched her for years! :)
She reminds me Elsbeth (Carrie Preston).
SAAAAME. I now need to see everything she has done.
One of several reasons East African countries like Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda are so dominant in long-distance running competitions is because athletes there grow up running and walking without shoes. They develop strong muscles in their feet and their brains learn how to keep the kinetic chain connected from hip to toe. These minor efficiencies add up a lot over the course of a double-digit-km race.
It's normalised in many countries in Africa and Asia to walk barefoot and yet they don't produce marathon runners like Kenya...
So cool to see on of my favorite youtubers be a barefooter like me. Been walking barefoot (and barefoot shoes) for about 5/6 years now, without toe spacers and it has changed everything for me. Went from one of the ‘smaller’ toeboxes available to one if the widest. Had a neck hernia and a lower back hernia…was operated on both and started walking barefoot, I have had no more pain since. So now my kids also walk ‘barefoot’ as much as possible🎉
The woman is soooo likeabale and such an incredible inspiration, I love her whole way to speak and behave. Gives me such a love life and laugh a lot attitude. Thank you for sharing that smile!
Comments like this give me a warm feeling thank you also!
The majority of likes this video got are from Quintin Tarantino.
And the rest are from Dan Schneider
@@Mama2a6pack Nah he wouldn't like it. She's older than 13.
😂💀
😖😆😂
Or any other guy that pays for OF feet pics 😂
Came for the information, stayed for that too, but you're delivery is really what made me stay. It's so refreshing seeing a normal down to earth woman who just wants to help and edify the public, ego aside. I wish nursing & medicine had more people like you in it.
I am so thankful that having done martial arts for a big chunk of my life, barefoot exercise is totally natural to me.
But, what changed a decade and a bit ago was getting rid of the restrictive and constrictive shoes I had to wear for work and when out and about.
Going to feet-shaped shoes with thin soles was a revelation and I think I'm much healthier for it.
My little toe could still do with some work - so I may get some toe spacers for that - plus do some of the foot training exercises you mentioned.
I have ledderhose disease and have on both sides a heel spur. 5 years ago it was so bad that I couldn't even go to the toilet adequately and every step caused me incredible pain.
As I drove off, I always had to think about what I could do at the same time because I wanted to keep the pain as low as possible.
I had to quit my old job in nursing because I could no longer walk and do my job. I then had ultrasound and simultaneous injection therapy with an orthopedist 4 years ago, which lasted 6 weeks.
During therapy, I also began having my walking style corrected by the physiotherapist and switched from normal footwear to barefoot shoes. That was the best way for me personally. I can now go on hikes and long walks again, all without pain. Work is now possible again. I love my regained quality of life.
I hope my story can perhaps help someone else find their way to healing.
Love your video and wish you all the best. 🦶
I started buying wider shoes and eventually I could only wear the widest style of shoes. Now sometimes the store has nothing that fits unless I get something two sizes too long.
I've worn shoes as little as possible my hole life and while I'm not as flexible as i used to be as a kid, many people are shocked at the fact i can open doors with my feet. socks and shoes are the absolute first thing that come off when ever i get home, i cant stand my feet being confined even in just socks. I've also had this habit to walk mostly on the 'balls' of my feet, every now and then, like you showed ever since i was a kid.
Not everyone heel strikes when running, even in standard shoes. I land more in the middle. I tend to walk around barefoot at home and most of my shoes, while standard style, have been wide width.
I am amazed that the audio isn’t at all echo-y being that empty.
Grabbing stuff off the floor with your toes is also a great exercise
You reminded me that I bought two pairs of toe spacers a year ago. I wore them only once, but will wear them every day beginning right now. Thank you!
I've been barefoot or in sandals for several years now. Suddenly I had to be in shoes, pretty much all day for a week. I have never suffered so much! I chafed, i had blisters, I had general achey pain because it felt like my feet were in a vise. It got so bad I needed to buy new shoes and that's when I discovered I'd gone up a size. Maybe being barefoot allows the toes to straighten and the feet to spread out horizontally more too?
You’re a breath of fresh air 🥰 💜
Glad I found you. I am in ankle PT and this is my first time you showed up on my feed. I will look over everything. I maybe have had ligament tears depending upon which ortho docs or radiologist interpreting my ANKLE MRI you or I choose to believe. Sigh….. I have been an “interesting patient” far more than anyone should ever have to be! I will include your ideas to my PT…who is wonderful. And I have been barefoot and using spacers already. Thanks for sharing this!
I know this is an old comment but as another "interesting" patient who has sprained her ankles way, way too frequently... I can pass along the really, really stupid thing that worked to build my ankles up better than anything else and is apparently one of the most effective ways to reduce instances of reoccurrence after someone's sprained their ankle. Stand on one foot for one minute, each side, morning and night (easiest way to work this into your routine is usually when you're brushing your teeth- since you're supposed to do that for two minutes, you just do one minute on your left or right and switch, by the end you have done your PT AND you brush for the full two minutes). It builds your ankle up in two really important ways- strength but more importantly balance. And it doesn't cost a bunch, or require insurance approval. I routinely send a thank you card to the PT who explained it to me.
I've always gone barefoot at home. I also buy shoes with wider toe boxes whenever I can find them. Even my black heels that I found 20 years ago, have a wide toe box. I've reheeled and resoled them twice, they're just so comfortable, and I can still have nice heels that show off my legs.
I think having a good balance is important. Been wearing regular shoes for school/outings my whole life, but being barefoot at home all the time, I can spread my toes easily.
I love my cushioned comfy and responsive running shoes, and will never ditch them ever.
I've been wearing barefoot shoes for 7 months now. My toes are spacing out slightly, but it feels like my flat feet are getting worse and my ankles are collapsing inward more. 😢
Shoes are GOOD
Are you doing anything to help your feet transition into barefoot shoes?
@zc1312 Im not sure what things I could do to for that. I've had flat feet for years.
Just search. Theres tons of stuff! TH-cam or google. İ fixed my flat feet
im no foot expert but if walking barefoot is negatively affecting you, maybe going back to shoes that give you ample support is better than trying something that maybe wasn’t meant for your particularly shaped feet. i hope you are able to find some good shoes that help relieve the strain on your ankles and such
I have horrible bunions, have for all my life, and have worn big toe spacers in the past, never all toes. I have also never tried barefoot shoes, thank you for this I'm so excited to try it and I hope it brings some relief?
What a cool and positive lady. Such a nice and energetic video, love to see it
yea refreshing to not hear Karenism tone Gn gnngng Gn gnnggn
I bought a pair of Atoms shoes. Ive been struggling with plantar fascitis.. they have a narrow toe box and hurt the sides of my pinkie toe. Brooks shoes make it worse. Chiropractor suggest always wearing shoes and making sure they are supportive. Im a weightlifter too, retired competitive boxer, pregnant with my 3rd child. I will definitely look into barefoot shoes. i live in a native American based town, and my oldest sons friends frequently come over without shoes on all the time in the warmer months. Theres something to this.
I wear Altra shoes, and they have helped because of the zero heel-to-toe drop, and the very wide toe box. I'd love to go with barefoot shoes, but there is no way I would do it in the concrete jungle full of construction litter. But those toe spacers are intriguing.
Correct toes will fit into Altras. For all day, I wear then with injinji toe socks. I can manage flatter shoes readily, but I long distance hike and found I needed more cushion so altra lone peaks have been my main choice for that.
I'm flat-footed so I always went for wider shoes without arches purely out of comfort. According to everyone around me with arches my feet were an issue for me in comparison to them. Now I finally feel like my feet are in good shape for once since I can move my toes pretty easily.
Mangled feet is no good, but I wonder if this is an American problem, with wearing shoes inside? 🤔
In Sweden (and most parts of the world I think) we take our shoes off when we get in and walk barefoot or in our socks while inside. At leat I think my feet are pretty cave man already... 😅
Anecdotally, I can say my situation, when I work in socks, have to pop on the shoes to drive to the next place … rinse and repeat about five times a day, then barefooted at home, and walking/hiking/exercising in barefoot shoes, spacers help.
I have one foot with better splay…noticeably different.
As an American, I've always been barefoot at home. And I only leave my home for a significant amount of time two or three times a week, and most of that time, I'm usually sitting down (either in the car or at my desk). So I feel like barefoot shoes wouldn't have much of an impact on me. I do wear barefoot shoes on occasion, but I spend so little time actually walking in them that they feel a bit pointless. I could use them for jogging/running, but I've yet to make a habit of doing that regularly.
Im a Swede, working in office 3 days a week (with shoes) and being barefoot at home and my feet look and feel alot better since switching to barefoot shoes about 2 years ago. Not wearing toe spacers tho.
Still depends on what you wear, and how. Like, I used to wear 1 EU size up because I hated the feeling of toe squish, and as a result sneakers always had almost 2 centimeters of extra space in the toes. That was fine and all, but it was a lot of extra pressure and friction on the pinky toe anyway, as well as some unnecessary scuffing of the toe of the shoe. Later in life, I changed to more close fitting sizes, and it took just months for my feet to get a lot worse, even if I'm barefoot at home. Toes just stopped naturally splaying
@@Erideah Seems like the obvious solution is to just go back to wearing bigger shoes. My whole life, I've worn shoes a few sizes larger than most would wear with the same-sized feet, and it's resulted in me having never experienced the "narrow toe box" that barefoot shoe enthusiasts are always complaining about. To me, the only benefit of barefoot shoes, besides the thin, flexible sole, is that they're are not as long as they'd need to be if they were conventional shoes with the same-sized toe box.
Had pain from wearing heels, then spent two months in the Dominican Republic walking everywhere with thin sandals where I felt every rock 😅 it felt like a rough massage on my feet, got used to it then when I came back I realized how therapeutic it was and my pain was gone
Hey Ali! Thanks for the video and the effort of filming this for 2 years! I am going to try this myself :)
Ali! Thanks so much for not only bringing me entertainment but also inspiration & hope to fixing my sore feet. Let the transformation begin!!
I still have a painting you sent me several years ago, Ali! I've been a barefoot advocate for years, I try to be barefoot as often as possible!
First 90 seconds of this video and the energy has me subscribing. Also feeling validated for always low-key hating on super-pointy shoes (but also super hated by the broader shoe industry for having large, wide feet as a woman lol)
Dont be afraid to use the type of spacers at 5:15, they are called “toe gems”! I have used these for a few years and they fit a variety of toe sizes. Yes, they are made of a silicone gel, but all you have to do is rinse them off in the sink and put them on. They do pick up fuzz, but they are not gooey. I often put them on when I am just sitting on the sofa for the evening, and they were highly recommended by Bob & Brad (physical therapists) here on youtube. I am a healthcare worker and on my feet all day long and I adore my “toe gems” - really help stretch the toe muscles at the end of a long day!
My problem with the bare foot shoe thing is that i work for a living. For me that involves standing on concrete floors for 8 hours, you can not wear barefoot shoes in that enviroment, it would be unsafe and painful. I do wear a wide boot, though i have a slender foot, mostly for the toe box comfort
I work standing on concrete all day in barefoot shoes no problem. You just have to adjust.
@FlyTour69 There isn't adjusting when something heavy lands on your toes. Steal toe boots are required in many industries for a good reason. Want to try thinking outside your personal experience and see that others simply can't do that
I wear wide toe boots for work also but ay home I always go barefoot.
@@Narwarlock that’s a good point; I didn’t think about heavy objects falling on your foot. I’m thankful to work in a lax environment where they don’t care if we wear mesh shoes, tank tops & shorts.
In your original comment you didn’t specify what industry you worked in, but mentioned the concrete floors and I assumed that was the “hazard”.
You can get barefoot style/zero drop steel toed shoes
I've always noticed that my toes were visibly deformed, but my joints are incredibly unstable due to a genetic condition that borks with my tendons and ligaments, so I've kept wearing tight stiff boots out of fear. Nothing can flex in my feet when I wear them, but also nothing can dislocate if I step the tiniest bit wrong. I can't use it because I'd risk losing it fast, but because I'm not using it I'm losing it slow, but because I'm losing it I can't use it at all... I feel like I'm stuck between two really bad options.
we could all wear toe spacer they cost 20cents to produce , if only people didnt charge $60 dollars
😍Quentin Tarantino Approves 🤣🤣🤣
Ali, thanks so much for your follow up to your DIY barefoot shoes video! I had been running & hiking in barefoot shoes for almost 6 months now. I bought my first pair of toe spacers a little over a month ago & still working on keeping them on longer. I have gotten pretty good at spreading my toes but, can still only barely move my big toes separately from my smaller toes so far. I do notice that my stronger feet help over all. I had a bout with some lower right back pain & what I have been doing is helping it get better more quickly!
The shoe: arch nemesis of the foot.
Love your energy!! Definitely getting some spacers.
Thank you so much for telling me about toe yoga. Hiking very often keeps my feet plenty healthy but I like a challenge.
I finally convinced a boss for me to wear orthopedic sandals for work! Omg what a difference. I have bunyons from bad genetics tho not shoes, so I need to wear things like orthopedics and barefoot shoes! What r your opinion on crocs
crocs are pretty good, fairly wide toe box and mostly zero drop. still cushioned but much better than a lot of other shoes
Barefoot shoes helped me with so many issues. I am now at 4 years with the transition and at 40, I can run like I did as a kid. I usually watch your music videos and never saw your health nut videos, but I kinda figured you were because I noticed how much your physique has changed since you first popped up on the tube😊
Link for the toe spacers??
Yes!! so glad to see your sucess, transformation and focus on foot health! I started going barefoot in my 20's for a different reason because I kept getting athletes foot and couldn't get rid of it. An article in a fitness magazing suggested not wearing shoes would kill off the fungus, and guess what it did, even though people were forever telling me walking around barefoot would give me athletes foot it was quite the opposite. Fast forward 30 years and still running around everywhere barefoot most of the time my feet feel increadibly strong and healthy. I never have sore, tired feet even after a full day of walking and standing. The struggle now is when I do need boots for winter or work but as soon as I'm free so are my feet. A lot of my work allows me to be barefoot though as I'm self employed. Can't agree more with what Ali has discovered and promoting here, she is spot on.
Great energy. Love the enthusiasm. I too am on the transition to barefoot. Every pair of shoes i own is now foot shaped. I wish i had photographed my feet every week to see the change... but i can feel the change.
I actually decided to look into any commonalities regarding foot health and shoewear used in the Blue Zones, and apparently most of them actually DO have a connection: they use minimalist footwear. No cushioning etc., just something to protect your feet.
Before and after pictures and big toes lateral movement are impressive! Well done!
I’ve been trying to strike better when jogging and walking, but striking on the balls of the foot just never seems most optimal. With so much spread of the legs from the stride, it doesn’t feel physically right trying to land with basically a pointed foot.
Sprinting, however, seems more right for this type of foot strike because I’ve been taught to lean forward in a sprint. With the body “leading” the legs, the front leg is basically pushing the sprinter off from underneath and then behind the body, unlike jogging or walking where the legs are “carrying” the body.
This is my experience and examination of others, at least.
Very interesting video. Thank you for being our guinea pig. 😄 🙏🏼
I‘m a bit scared of transitioning to barefoot shoes because I‘ve read all sorts of cons…though I cannot stand the feeling of cramped toes and tend to buy a bigger size just to make sure I have enough space for my toes. I‘ll definitely give it a second thought.
If you don't want to give up on cushioning and higher heels, Brooks makes wide toe box running sneakers. If you do want zero drop, try wide Altra sneakers!
Never worn toe spacers other than when I have my nails painted. I tried the "Can you lift your big toe while the others are down and reverse it" ... can't everyone do that?
I generally don't like wearing shoes but again - I don't think toe spacers are doing a thing for you. Just stop wearing tight shoes and your toes will naturally fall back into place, you don't need to force your body.
I went to zero drop shoes 8 years ago after 2 plantar tendon surgeries. As a dog walker my feet were taking a beating. I also got toe spacers (the blue ones you showed) to wear at night. I have had no foot pain of any kind and the stretchers feel great after a day walking. My toes are nice and spread out now too! I highly recommend!
So shoes shale your feet unnaturally but constantly wearing something that spreads your toes out more don't? I don't buy into basically 99% of it because the studies just don't show results, but I at least understand the idea around it. I don't understand continuing to wear spacers though. That just seems like an extreme the other direction
Have you seen that Tyr now has a barefoot trainer with laces rather than the straps? They are part of the DropZero Barefoot Trainer line.
After some bunion sugery, Plantar fasciitis, and always wanting my shoes off (work, field, home, etc). I decided to go all in on zero drop shoes. Both Xero and Vibram 5-finger. Also including more foot work in my training (tib raises, sled push/pull, hill raised split squats, etc). But I've not done toe spacers yet. That's next! I must say when Ali was doing the big toe exercise I tried it too
I'm a regular old barefoot oke. I've spent the last few years in minimalist footwear when I'm out and about, and I love em. Hell, I even reviewed a pair of minimalist boots. Just found your channel, so im going on a tear through your videos. The first impression I got of you really is good 👍
I crushed my big toe like 2 years ago and I have permanent nerve damage so I sadly will never be able to do this but I love it for everyone else. I need shoes to aid in my walking because I literally don't have the proper nerves in my big toe to do it on my own. I understand I'm a very small exception but just everyone keep in mind that this transformation is not for everyone.
I like wearing toe spacers when I workout. Now I want to wear them more often. Good video. Thanks for putting in the work and photographing your toe progress over time.
I’d be grateful if you could share which spacers you find work for your workouts!
@@jowiens32 I got mine from my chiropractor. They're a simple off-white one piece for all five toes design.
I've seen packs of toe spacers online that have several different types in a bag. It's a great way to try different types of toe spacers to see what works for you.
My Hubby wears barefoot socks with his bare feet shoes and has trained himself to strike with this forefoot rather than his heel. He now has arches after 57 years of flat feet, no longer has pains in his knees, legs, butt, or back. It has been a lifesaver.
That is amazing how he healed himself
The more I see these barefoot/barefoot shoe videos, the more I seem to come back to two questions:
1: Is it really not common for people to be have spaces between their toes?
2: Can people not wiggle their big toes separately from the rest of their toes?
I have grown up thinking I was wierd for having what my family refers to as "monkey toes" because I have a pretty big gap between my big toes and the rest of my toes. I have always had trouble finding shoes to fit me because of this.
I feel the same and let me add to those:
3: Do people really land on their heels first when they run?
4: Do people not know how to walk properly and have to be taught?
I have similar questions although I don’t get comments about “monkey toes”, the only comment about my foot specifically that I ever got was that I have nice arches.
good video. came from a foot doctor explaining myths of barefoot shoes & explaining how to progress into barefoot walking & yeah you said some similar things
I watched 1:10 min of the video and I’m already like: no, thank you! I already have too many problems in my life, byeeee 😅
A link to the toe spacers would be helpful. Thabks!
That OG video was the first one of yours recommended to my page (fan ever since) and i went barefoot because of it. I’ve regretted nothing except the socks that got destroyed among the way. I made my kids do it when their baby shoes started to get pointier (surprisingly wide toe boxes early on in the standard cheap shoes) and now i got my wife on it.
I’ll be a fan for a long time. Keep up the good work
-peace
How do you keep the bottom of your feet from getting dry and cracked when walking around the house barefoot?
1:33 you are giving us good advice but my OCD is killing me while you are holding those Shoes 😅😅😅
HA me too lol
I'm a ballet/dance teacher who has also benefitted from my own, similar journey over the past couple years. I am showing this video in my pre-pointe class today to showcase the benefits of foot strength in a non-dance way.
Beautiful images friend!!
May your day be sensational!
Happy and blessed week!
Big hug from Brazil
If you have crooked toes you might have an high arch.
I always blamed toe pinching on the toe box of shoes, but a high arch makes you stabilize by pushing your toes down and it eventually makes your toes " fold" in. Stand barefoot press down on the floor with your toes, if they fold crooked it might be your arches.
I have been wearing barefoot shoes for over a year and love them. However, I ride horses, and it is really hard to find riding boots that are wide enough. Unfortunately, boots are necessary for safety when riding with stirrups. It's neat to hear the history in your video, it makes sense.
Is it possible, now hear me out, is it possible that they were made pointy to actually fit in the stirrup rather than to just look rich. Seeing as having horses was actually quite common and not only for rich people as you've incorrectly stated?
I was exhausted just listening.
I’m an avid distance runner running 7 days a week and about 30 races every year including 3 marathons. I don’t subscribe to the minimal/barefoot approach at ALL. Even when my running shoes are only about 3 months old, I start feeling it in my joints, back, hips, etc and I replace my shoes. But when I’ve used minimal shoes? Holy crap do I have issues. I have a stretch of running every calendar day that I’ve kept up since September 4th, 2001, and I can guarantee you I’d be crippled if I had been trying to do it barefoot or without proper cushioning. There are reasons why race records are being broken much more often these days. Some is nutrition. I give you that. But the other is shoes. I high stack for cushion, paired with a carbon fiber plate for stability and recoil? It allows every step we take to have just a little less impact and drain just a little less energy over time, and the results show. Yes, I know many Kenyans and Ethiopians grew up walking and running with no shoes at all, and are amazing runners. But that is an almost purely genetic thing. I do agree with the ignorance of pointed toe shoes though. So bad for your feet. When I’m not running I wear Keen sandals with a lot of open area in the toe box, that also allow air to get to my feet. And even with dress shoes, I buy models with more of a box toe.
I don't run but I agree with you barefoot is not for everyone. It's a pity, there are not many brands of anatomically shaped shoes with padding (= not barefoot). I only found one, so far, Altra and they also have wider shoes . I don't have any personal experience with them but i am thinking of trying them because I walk a lot. I think sporty shoes should be anatomically shaped. I understand it would look weird for pumps but sporty shoes...
I think part of it is our feet are not designed to run on hard surfaces. Dirt/sand/grass is much softer than concrete and asphalt. That being said a wide toe box, zero drop heels, and no arch support will go a long way strengthening our feet. However when it comes to competitive running not sure how that all plays in.
I wore barefoot shoes for 4 years and then developed a Morton’s Neuroma….didn’t see that coming! Doah
Isn’t that the opposite of how you get Morton’s Neuroma?
I dont understand whats so hard about moving your toe side to side, it looks me less than 10 seconds to figure out. Whats the big deal about it?
Amazingly shot video, but I can not concentrate on anything outside of this woman's abdominal muscles. She has a runner's physique, all being held together by Brock Lesnar's rectus abdominis.
Thanks for this video. Especially the 'toe-vid' comparison at the end - I noticed that the toes on your left foot didn't spread as much as the right.
That means that my own efforts aren't representative of the initial frustration I felt and that perhaps the asymmetricality of the feet prevents one side from ever completely undoing the damage that shoes inflicted upon them...
This vid makes me glad that barefoot shoes are the norm here in India.
I remember people using those barefoot shoes, but then still running heel to toe, and causing a loooot of issues for themselves. Definitely takes time to retrain how to walk/run naturally.
I haven't switched to barefoot shoes yet, but I've been wearing toe spacing socks (highly recommend, as the rubbery ones kinda made my toes feel like they were losing some amount of circulation which was not what I was going for) in the evening for about 3 years now and wear shoes with wide toe boxes. I roll my feet and use recovery shoes at home. I go for walks regularly and I've noticed these changes have made a big difference in reducing foot pain. To graduate to barefoot shoes, I'd have to do a lot of work strengthening my arches. I guess the point is, you can get a lot of benefits, even if you're not ready to commit to barefoot shoes.
would this method work for someone with flat feet? my feet are flat because I'm missing a ligament
I just find myself grinning happily watching this cool and cheerful lady! Thanks for inspiring and encouraging us so naturally! 🤩👍💪
I respect the dedication and stickwithitness to get through 2 years of what seemed like mostly a self-directed treatment process
What video do I watch for plantar fasciitis?
DPT student here. Just so everyone is aware there are drawbacks to a forefoot strike pattern such as Achilles tendinopathy (tendinitis), especially if you try to change it quickly and with too much training volume. That doesn't mean it's wrong or bad but I just want to point out there are drawbacks to both strike pattern extremes! Also with toe spacers, they are essentially a splint or orthosis for your toes. You HAVE intrinsic foot muscles that are ALREADY responsible for spreading out your toes so I would actually suggest just working on recruiting those muscles by actively trying to spread out your toes. Use this as a daily or even hourly exercise where you do toe spreads for something like 3 sets of 20 repetitions. Couple this with wearing shoes with a wide-toe box and there you have it! You will not only be strengthening your muscles on the bottom of your foot but also the sides of your foot and your toes will naturally spread out!