The problem with people saying that they put on barefoot shoes and all their problems were fixed is that they dont tell you what they did in those shoes Personally, when I fully transitioned to barefoot shoes, I completely stopped having chronic foot and lower back pain and increased my ankle mobility that's a true statement, but that ignores all of the physical therapy and mobility training and intentional changes I made to my posture and how I walk that it took to complete that transition
Yup! I, additionally to switching to toe shoes and barefoot shoes I focus on overall hip / leg/ knee and ankle stability and flexibility as well as rolling and massaging my feet etc!
Exactly! It's not like you change shoes and magically everything is better just because of the switch, there's a lot more that goes into it, the shoes are just one step.
I will never go back to conventional shoes and I'm amazed I kept wondering why we actually have feet on our legs because I as 99% of most people still believe we run basically as one of those silly ai-robots looking like computer game bots trying out riverdance. I believed this altho I loved being barefoot all my life. I understand why people got pissed and sued Vibram because at my second of three pairs of fivefingers got me into a fucking nasty period of pain. I had gotten an advice from a doctor to not run for two months and then I ran for a bus about 50 meters and that felt like jumping into a shredder. I had to massage myself like crazy for many many weeks like sometime ber day and after that I started actually long story short transitioning. I hear in this clip your take is the body has limitations and that we should listen to it but let's just get out of that idea for a moment. And no we people are not unique snowflakes. Homo Sapiens is 7.000.000 millions old as a hominid upright walker, runner. I gave my mother a valuable advice when she complained about constant foot pain and her "flat feet". I said "I have seen you in Birkenstock sandals for 47 years, how do you think your muscles in your feet feels after having had maximum support all that time? Take them of little at first, massage, try extending the periods and then call me. Guess what happened? She "can walk again". Voila! Five fingers offers a very interesting reflection on modern lifestyle and humankind as a species. I remember the feel of running on different surfaces and how stopping and starting became less of a problem. It's a typical shoe psychosis thing when jogging people stop at a red light and they keep running on the spot because they experience stopping is something that pulls energy. Thats because in very plush trainer always the lower legs has limited stability (speaking about usual people not the ones doing marathons, they have the muscles regardless because they run so often.. I guess!?). As soon as we start listening to our limitations we have started accepting our aging basically. For me running is about the slowing of my ageing. It's me fighting back. Against, gravity, immobility, metabolism, bone density, cognitive deterioration. I could have given in a long time ago as I broke my neck in 1995 an in an accident landed on a sawn off tree and a HK-G3 (a 5kg assault rifle). I must train my back constantly to hold back the pain and because I'm lazy and have a sedentary job I always feel the presence of that trauma in the back on half marathons. I always run my 2.1:s in zero drop shoes but not five fingers because they are too hard core. But everyone should grab a pair and experience the connection to our 7.000.000 years past and to understand that tilting the foot just ever so slightly towards the ground as the foot comes forward when running will open up for a plethora of ways we are able to take a step/ land, and how we can propulse ourself forward with a slight hip movement pushing backwards and slightly sideways as we extend the arm and elbow on that side forward. Everyone knows how to run uphill and downhill. Five fingers shows us how we can be stronger and utilize that toolbox. Ofcourse it will hurt to suddenly start doing that. (harrassment red alert) Everyone outside america understands that. Hi from Sweden. Good luck everyone.
The problem is that they made it out to be best for everyone and didn’t warn people of the risk of switching to fast. They also made claims that they couldn’t back up at the time. I will add though that normal shoes did this as well and still do this. They make a claims that their shoes are better for you, but they’ve never had to prove that that is true. So honestly, this is kind of a double standard. They should hold normal shoe companies to the same standards that they held this barefoot shoe company.
@@RemarkableSean I am barefoot, unless I’m in a situation where I have to wear shoes by some rule or cultural thing. I have vibram 5 finger shoes and crocs for such circumstances. Cannot understand how people keep questioning the comfort of the five fingers and will not believe me that they are the most comfy shoe I’ve tried. They say this standing on a tilt, with their toes squished together, their flat foot ‘arch’ puffed up by padding, their ankles immobilised and no sense of what they are standing on, BTW, for the non-thinkers, it should be Mother Earth. I’m gob smacked by their lack of willingness to question the Nike narrative.
you have to adopt your running techneque and walking techneque to the barefootshoes, shorter steps, landing on your toes, barly touching with the heal. Im not sure if humans are supposed to run at all. Especially not overweight ppl. I think in affrica they have been running when hunting, but elswhere i think they have been trapping mammuts and throwing rocks and spears at them.
At the age of 66 my transition to barefoot was quick and the best decision I,ve made in years.i think my generation basically grew up with almost zero drop footwear with limited choices.the wide toe box has changed my hiking experience for the better.really appreciate your advice and experience on all the topics you cover.cheers mate.
this guy is full of shit ! I was told if i didn"t ware orthotics i would be a cripple when I got older ! Well i"m 70 yrs old and warring VIBRAMS for 15 years now and my feet and knees lower back ,balance and strength have increased dramatically ! I think vibram is hurting the sneeker and shoe industry !
I run barefoot and the older generation seem to be the most vocal with their support. Ran a 5k recently and got I think 3 positive comments throughout the race, which I very much appreciated at a time where I was in a lot of pain from pushing so hard.
@@zeez4178 I am very experienced runner and been going barefoot over a year now. The soles of my feet didn’t hurt btw. It was every other muscle in my body from giving it 100%. Nothing different from my hundreds of other races in shoes except this one may have been the hardest I ever exerted myself. This 5k means a lot to me and my family and we narrowly got the 1st place team trophy for the first time in 12 years of trying. One year we would’ve won had every top 5 run 1 second faster. Was not gonna leave even one second on the line this year. And I had a lot to prove with taking a whole year off racing to transition to barefoot. Really wanted to impress.
Biggest reason barefoot shoes are failing is nobody wants to buy shoes for 150-200 dollars for less shoe. They are absolutely out of their minds with the prices. Then they don't even have your size in stock when you go to check.
Yes good point. Why are the barefoot shoes so expensive. Would be better if shoe companies just made shoes (same pricing) but with a wider toe box for a more natural fit.
They are more expensive than regular shoes, yes. But they are also highly quality shoes made in smaller quantities, which has some impact on the price. Please take a look at e.g. Vivobarefoot who also take back shoes to repair or “revive” them again. This is durable, which you see less for regular shoes.
All running shoes have become to expensive. I use barefoot shoes almost exclusively and don't pay above 120 and usually under 100. Plus a $10 tube of Shoe Goo keeps my barefoot shoe good for over a year, instead of have to replace a regular shoe every 3-4 month.
My experience has been that transitioning to barefoot shoes was step 1 in improving lower body health. Focusing on bellow the knee function by using barefoot shoes and doing limited exercises for that same area has been a huge game changer. I actually feel like I can balance now on foot!
I've been wearing barefoot and/or minimalist style shoes for about 8 years now, and I've found 2 huge benefits: 1. Many styles have a wider toe box. I have flat, wide feet, and it's always been a huge struggle finding “regular” shoes that fit me properly. This was a case where foot pain resulting from shoes squeezing my feet was basically gone overnight for me. No longer did I have to deal with forcing my foot into a shoe; they simply just fit. 2. Ankle stability. I had a pretty severe ankle injury in college and stretched and partially tore ligaments in my foot and ankle… the doctor said I would have been better off breaking my leg. Ever since then my ankle has felt unstable in any shoe with a thick sole. Barefoot shoes eliminated that unstable wobble because I was now planted as close to the ground as possible without actually being barefoot.
Wow that's scary... I have exactly the same! Wide, flat feet and also tore a ligament in my ankle and the doctor also told me it'd be better if I broke my leg. That's sooo weird! I think I found my triplet (I already have a twin, so welcome to the family!) But just reading your message makes me even more excited and sure to get barefoot shoes. I've been observing my feet for a year now. Got horrible cramps in my feet last year cus I walked around barefoot on a festival for 3 days straight. It was so bad it felt like I broke a bone. Got physical therapy etc. But now I notice in the gym how Much my nikes are limiting my wide, flat feet to spread out while walking, lifting and stretching. It messes up my balance and I can't get my knees above my ankles without rotating my ankles which makes me lift my big toe instead of spreading out and getting stability. I even take them off when balancing on the ballside of the bosu cus again, cramps. But reading your story makes me so much more confident that it will help me! Next week I'll get them. Very excited 😊
I'm not an athlete nor a runner nor a mountain climber, but what I can say is that I hated shoes with burning passion before using barefoot shoes. Past my 21st birthday I just couldn't find anything that didn't cause pain and that I didn't know why. Now I (mostly) know why. The toe box and the flexibility matter a lot to me now. Sure, barefoot shoes don't replace every other kind of shoe out there, but for me, a city dweller that occasionally walks and runs, they are great, and I no longer hate shoes, nor do I want to kick them off a canyon after being in them for a long time.
Well that's a breath of fresh air. As someone for whom the switch went perfectly smoothly, I still find myself cautioning beginners not to expect a footwear change to result in perfect foot function or running form.
They main aspect of the whole barefoot shoe movement are wide toe boxes and zero drop aspects for me. I don’t care for the whole proposed strengthening angle, but wearing shoes with extremely wide toe boxes and small heel drops helped my CRPS toe and forefoot area significantly.
I'm a 72 year old South African lady. My whole life I have had problems with my right foot. Then I had an open ankle fracture, by failing between two rocks , about 5 ' drop and had to have surgery and elevate my left foot for 8 weeks and I'm sure my right foot expanded even more. Now to get shoes to fit. At that time I didn't know about barefoot shoes, specially in SA. The podiatrist put me in reasonable comfortable shoes with orthoptic inner soles. I also had another accident where I fell backwards down 5 steel bus steps and the NHS did nothing because I was lucky I didn't break anything. I had to go to private physiotherapy and could only afford a few sessions. All this happened 10 years ago. I have resorted to wearing crocs at home and reasonable shoes out. If only they would make shoes with wider toeboxes and soles that looked a bit better than crocs, life would be so much easier. I'm at a stage where everything is out of balance and every day discomfort in another place. a pair of toned down trainers, preferably gray or a neutral colour would be great. So it isn't just young people, the older generation also need help. I think crocs have helped and I have only got a small bunion on the right foot, at least I can spread my toes. As a child in SA, when I had to wear shoes, I couldn't wait to get out of them and always sat and massaged between every toe.. My son also had this problem so I ended up buying him a handmade sort leather shoe. I have looked at hand made shoes with wide toe boxes and if I had £200 I might be helped, but I haven't, so crocs here I come, really not elegant. Maybe you could direct me to a type of barefoot shoes. Doing exercises is also an issue with the wonky left ankle.
In South Africa, many schools allow their children to go to school barefoot It does look funny when the prefect with their blazers and medals have bare feet, so glad for them.
@@wallabapiThe day after you move, Nike will launch a multi-pronged entry strategy that infiltrates and spreads until people like this YT guy come on and say how dangerous it is to have non-Nike or non-New Balance shoes.
Started to use minimalist shoes almost a year ago. Now I've got 4 pairs, for different purposes. Because of foot pain I was advised by an orthopedic doctor to use wide toe shoes because I have bunions. Much to my surprise, I couldn't find wide toe shoes, so I tried some Xero shoes that were on sale. What a lesson it was! I became aware my right ankle was much stiffer than my left one; I experienced back pain for the first time in my life! I noticed my big toe had no strength whatsoever and was almost "dead", relying on the stiff sole of "normal" shoes. So, yeah, I had to learn how to walk again, learn not to smash my heels into the floor (took me 2 weeks), learn to use my big toe, learn to look where I step on to. Now, not all the minimalist shoes are created equal. I do have now the Xero Mesa that compared with the Merrell Vapor Glove feel like an overbuilt shoe, while they're definitely not while compared with any hiking shoes or boots I previously owned. All in all, I became aware of my Achilles tendon stiffness and cured it and foot pain is reduced by 98% at least. Now I've "only" to fix my right knee and hip flexor...
Sorry dude, but as an avid runner for over 20 years running over 28 k a week, 1 year of trying a shoe out isn't enough klout to give your opinion on the matter , and now you have 4 pairs? Get outta heaaa champ 😂
While I agree with the main point of the video, I’m definitely one of those people who saw drastic improvements in foot health after getting barefoot shoes. I got the xero z-trek as a camping/river crossing shoe, just because they took up less volume than crocs. I always test out gear before hiking season, so wore the z treks indoors and out. I immediately realized I was heel striking, so saw videos on better barefoot walking technique and minimalist shoes/hiking (including your videos which are great). I have wide feet, and really enjoyed the wider toe box and zero drop. After a week, my stamina walking barefoot increased dramatically, and ended up purchasing several xero and vivo shoes (returning most of them, but keeping my favorites). After about two months of this, I wore some new Altra Lone Peak 7s (in wide), and couldn’t believe how cushiony they are (in a bad way), how disconnected from the ground. I wore some Common Projects for a date, that I hadn’t wore in a long time. The tiny bit of heel drop was extremely annoying. I never noticed that before. Minimalist shoes really changed my life, for the better. Foot fatigue problems shortened my hiking mileage per day. I’m confident I can go way longer and more comfortably thanks to both the shoes AND changing my walking technique. Jupiter Hiked recommend training in minimalist shoes, and I train in my z-treks and Mesa Trails. But I love them so much, I’m not sure I’ll ever go back to even medium cushion trail runners. I’m like the annoying vegan who won’t shut up about vegan. I told a nephew in college (where he’s annoyed about everybody’s obsession with pronouns) that my gender identity is “barefoot”. Really changed my whole life.
Ahaha that was an awesome ending. Anyway really thanks a lot for your comment this was exactly what I was searching for,I'm curious about the heel drop given that is , in my case, the most sensitive part especially when I'm coming back from a steep hike I obviously strike harder with the heel. Im fully aware that I've been conditioned by modern cushioned shoes and I really want to go the right way. I also have a foot with a high arch so I think I have to work on that before make the transition ? I noticed that when I have less shoe support that my knees tend to bend on the inside so I don't know if going with these shoes right away is a good idea. Would love to hear your two cents on it
@@OmicronFra Alsways build up legmuscles as wel as just the feet intrinsic ones. (I have a high arches as well). Find some good youtubers that will tell you how to train the muscles after ankle-sprain. Sounds to me you are rolling your feet (pronation) too much and are pulling your knees with them...not good, you really need to train and coordinate. (really, all the way to your butt and spine). Are you sticking your butt out when your knees roll in? Because that can give you lower back pain as well as the most humongous headaches. Stand relaxed en try tucking in your tailbone , you will find that your knees exorotate all by themselves and you will get more to the outher edge of your feet (where they touch the ground). Usually it is posture, not some weak muscle by itself, that is the root of the problem.
I see barefoot shoes as a tool, but you still have to do the work. Just like weights. Weights don't make your strong. They're a tool that you use to do work which makes you strong. Thank you for a very balanced and nuanced perspective.
Thank you for making this distinction :~) It's not the footwear that does these things, it's the way they allow or don't allow your feet to move & function that enables those changes.
I live in Brazil, lived all my life in a costal city, walked barefoot for 5 to 10km daily, in the sand for years, I ran with and without shoes for the same distances, wore sandals all my life, except in school an the office, yet I had feet and problems just the same. Footwear doesn’t seem like an answer to me, to be honest. The amount of feet training and knowledge of specific feet exercises was what made a difference. I find it really weird that people do believe that by just buying some product all their problems will disappear. I’m a big fan of minimal and large toe box shoes, but I don’t put your faith in them. Feet exercises are a must if you run barefoot or use maximalist shoes.
Glad to see someone talking about the marketing hype. Some people find that barefoot/minimalist style shoes aren't for them. With semi-flat feet and weak arches I found most standard shoes painful. Tried out a pair of Xero Shoes hiking shoes and my arches started to feel loads better. It took me almost 6 months to transition completely over as I found my feet got tired and sore quickly so I had to wear the new shoes for short intervals and be very intentional in my walking. Now, I wear them exclusively and do multi-day backpacking trips and can't imagine going back to normal shoes. I love the feel of the ground, except scree which often times is uncomfortable and makes me walk very carefully.
Thank you for this video. I fell into the barefoot/zero drop hype, bought altra lone peaks because every thru hiker recommended them. I hiked 2500+km over the next months with a pack and had no issues with foot pain and my longstanding lower back pain was hardly a problem anymore. Now I'm dealing with ongoing foot/lower body issues because I didn't train my body at all to adapt to zero drop. It all started with anterior tibialis tendinopathy, then plantar fasciitis, peroneal tendinopathy, knee pain etc etc. Your body will compensate for a sudden change in footwear and activity levels and over time it can really cause issues. Don't think just because it feels fine initially that everything is good. Build up to it! Happy hiking! Wish I saw this video before 😅
its pretty much because you didn't get used to it since birth, you have been used through all ur life to bad shoes that force all ur fingers to be squished together, which is not good for ur health
@@themonsterunderyourbed9408 slowly building intrinsic foot strength with guidance from a great physiotherapist & yoga, and yes it's much better :) wasted a lot of $ on podiatrists (insisting on mad arch support/stiff soles, ineffective stretches etc.) and shoes. E3 rehab has great vids as well.
I was about to go to barefoot shoes to fix plantar fasciitis, I had no job and couldn't afford a 200 dollar pair of shoes. I instead looked at strengthening my feet in the meantime. After I focused on that, all of that chronic pain went away. As long as I keep up with that strength training a couple times a week, I'm good. I think it's far more useful than just switching your footwear.
It’s all good and well using the “appeal to nature “ argument that we should be barefoot as our ancestors, but unfortunately we now walk around on concrete
But wouldn't the feet adapt walking on concrete? Humans walked on uneven rocks and sand .. what's so special about level cement places? The elephant in the room is shoes.. people are stuck with the comfort it provides making the legs weaker with the crutch that is
@@pjayadeep They do offer comfort but shoes do not weaked any musles, thats a myth. Otherwise pro runners would run abrefoot making world records without any shoes. Whats wrong with wanting to have more comfort while running? "barefoot" shoes are just a hype and an easy way to make money with almost no material or technology, lets face the elephant in the room^^
As an illustration of just how different and contrary things can be between one individual and another, here's what happened to me (and it largely contradicts what many podiatrists are saying on line). My Achilles tendonitis (Retrocalcaneal bursitis) in my right foot started in ordinary drop shoes (Timberlands in fact). It was probably a combination of when I started walking an extra mile to work (so double the distance), some of that being uphill, and in new/over tight/rigid shoes. These factors irritated the tendon and the then plantar. In the need to do something, rather than just put up with the pain, I switched to barefoot shoes. Now a lot of podiatrists say doing this causes the above tendon strain because of the higher compression on the tendon and the bursa). But what they don't seem to know is that soft pliable barefoot shoes put less pressure on the tendon because they flex around the foot (making the uppers super comfortable). I am hoping that with the correct level of stretching and massage, I will be able to heal the tendon. My left foot and heel have not been affected by the barefoot shoes other than the odd twinge as muscles develop etc. I haven't even touched on the massive improvement of toe comfort, and just for that alone, I cannot see how I could go back to ordinary shoes and raised heels which contributed to the problem in the first place. I hope this helps others understand the complexities and just how individual we all are.
I started my minimalist shoe journey in December 2022. I started wearing Vibram 5-fingers a month ago. Hands down best shoe I've ever worn. I have the V-Alphas and I live in Alaska. My feet don't get too cold and I love how much grip they have. I wear them everywhere, even the hospital I work at.
Thanks for making this video! I am lucky to wear barefoot shoes since I am 18, and really getting intro the topic a year later, training my feet (also thanks to your exercises) and being aware. This has changed pretty much how I walk and move and I feel how my feet get stronger. Last summer I did a alps solo hike for 5 days in barefoot shoes (after a training period of a few weeks taking barefoot walks every day), and it went amazing. The way how these shoes are advertised have always been my biggest problem with the shoes. Back when I was 18, I bought my first pair with my mother in a Leguano store in Germany, and the seller was making all these bold claims about how barefoot shoes solve every problem. They don't. Online they are often advertised as "wonder shoes". They are not. We are adapted to big chunks of material under our feet that limit movement in a major way since we are kids. Changing to a much more natural way of moving the feet takes time and effort. But it's a great process with a lot of eye opening moments. I hope the understanding of this will grow together with barefoot shoes in general in the future (I hope decathlon will make some).
Wearing 'barefoot' minimalist shoes feels really good for my mental health. Humans are supposed to actually feel and get feedback from the ground beneath them, it's how we're designed. Having said that, if you have worn bad shoes for decades then there is a genuine risk that you could have problems or even an injury making the switch.
I heard on a video something that seems to ring true here. Barefoot shoes could be exactly what you need, or exactly what you need to avoid. I went through a few years where I just didn't wear shoes, except in places I legally had to, such as electronics labs, and at work. That felt so much better. Barefoot shoes are a bit like wearing a glove compared to wearing an oven mitt.
I once had physio from a fascia expert and she was obsessed with foot contact with the ground and the benefits to the body and movement. I agree you need to look past the hype and, like most things, it's not a miracle cure, but a more natural connection with the ground has got to be ultimately beneficial.
I suffered from basically the opposite problems with my feet as compared to you. Mine were flat and I was developing bunions. This was causing my knees to fall in and gave me knee pain on a daily basis. My problems are not gone, but I definitely prefer walking around in my minimalist shoes, because it does allow me to walk in such a way that relieves stress from my knees. My toes have started splaying out more and I've developed slightly more flexibility in my calves. So basically, my point is the same as yours. Depending on your personal situation, barefoot shoes may or may not provide some benefits to you.
Been wearing since march 2022. I can't say for sure if the barefoot shoes are doing everything I thought they would do. However, I do really enjoy the added sensation of the ground and the wide toe box that barefoot shoes provide. No new pain has came up either so I do plan on continuing to wear them, but will keep this in mind when I feel the need to tell others that it will magically fix all of their issues.
my experience is that the best I can do for my feet and in general my body is simply to not be dogmatic about anything and especially not wear just one type of shoes, leave alone one exact pair. I switch usually even over the day, wearing different shoes on different walks, so my feet do not get "comfortable" with one way, thus lazy and muscles go down. Barefoot shoes are just part of it.
I’ll add to your insight… I try to walk on different terrain, up and downhill, wet and dry conditions, rocky, grassy, muddy. That’s what really greases my joints and improved balance and just feels good. I can only get that joy with minimalist shoes. Or actually going barefoot.
Yeah I'm not gonna wear terrible shit that squeezes my toes together, "supports" my arch for no reason, puts a massive marshmellow under my feet or raises my heel. Most regular shoes are literally useless/harmful trash. Alternating between different types of minimalist shoes/sandals sure. They all have their own charm and benefits.
True to a large extent. Thankfully there are lots of options for kids now, too, so at least some of the next generation will grow up with strong and healthy feet.
@@Trickydickysticky He said "if we never wore modern footwear," not "if we went completely barefoot." A thin, flat sole like those in minimalist shoes protects you from all of those things.
@@whitemakesright2177 sounds like you dont spend much time off trail. Ive made moccasins from brain tanned buckskin, and also wore zero drop "barefoot" shoes and gone barefoot plenty out in the woods. Ill take my boots over that crap anyday. If you actually want to conquer harsh mountainous terrain and travel long distances day after day boots are handsdown the best. God forbid you encounter snakes in your area like i do in mine. A properly fit boot doesnt cause any of the issues that going barefoot solves fwiw.
I got my first pair today, Merrell Vapor Glove 6. Had my first walk in them, and a very different experience indeed. A different set of muscles is pulled, for sure. But it was completely obvious how weak those muscles were as I could not walk at speed. Good to see a review done by an Aussie! 🇦🇺
Thank you for confirming that I'm not insane. Barefoot shoes kinda screwed my lower back. I was wearing them for over 2 years but the pain never got away. A few weeks after switching to normal shoes again, the pain disappeared. As a person who 99% of the time walks over concrete I think going barefoot was counteproductive.
For me I had a pretty quick transition, but I also work in an office and already walk barefoot at home. I have some pretty strange knee problems which were more pronounced in highschool track/cross country but still flared up from time to time. When I made the switch I didn't notice much untill I was forced to wear a pair of standard steel toes a few times at my current job. Almost every day I need to wear them my knee problems come back and my back is sore. Not to say everyone will have the same experience but it was very helpful for me. Also for the potential to greatly reduce back pain I'd honestly be more than willing to spend 170 bucks just to try. PT and/or time off work costs way more
Excellent information. I started having forefoot issues (metatarsalgia) in the early 2000's. I was prescribed Orthotics which were mostly awful to wear and the available shoes to accommodate them were limited. Over time the pain subsided. In about 2012 the Orthotist that made my orthotics blew my mind by telling me to ditch them and start wearing minimalist shoes. He drank the barefoot KoolAid, stopped making orthotics and opened a store selling minimalist shoes. (Note: he is now out of business) I first wore the Altra Instinct and transitioned quite easily to them. For the next 10 years I wore nothing but Altra (Instinct, Torin, Lone Peak) I loved the freedom of no orthotics and the shoes were extremely comfortable. All was well until about a year ago when pain started again in my forefoot. Now I have metatarsalgia again that is worse than before. The people I've been consulting have trashed the Altras for providing no support and steered me back to orthotics and more stable shoes (Brooks). I think I am an example of one who had faulty biomechanics and that perhaps if I had received some direction on how to improve my foot function, I could have stayed with minimalist shoes and avoided having metatarsalgia again. I'm now exploring how to get out of this mess and whether I will go back to minimalist shoes or not. Sadly, I was becoming disenchanted with Altra because their quality decreased and price skyrocketed to a point the value was questionable. Thanks for the good information you are sharing.
Thanks Chase, we learn a lot from you. Without a solid base, a performing musician isn't up to standard. From our feet to our fingers, to our vocal cords, it's all connected.
My barefoot shoes have been a positive experience, although it was a long time to learn how to walk in them and even longer to learn how to run. I have flat feet, and my arches are higher than they were. I also mostly eliminated plantar fasciitis. Probably most importantly for me, the structure of the barefoot shoe makes it almost impossible for me to sprain my ankles, a huge problem I had with normal shoes when trail running/walking.
Individual feet may need a varied combination of cushioning and support but EVERYONE'S feet need foot shaped shoes that do not squash their forefoot and toes which is a cornerstone of barefoot shoes.
A podcast with Chase and Justin?? Dreams do come true! It's the crossover we never knew we needed. Hopefully you'll get on Justin about weating those massive Hoka's...
Thank you for this balanced message. When I first tried running in barefoot shoes on pavement, years ago, I got a terrible case of plantar fasciitis. I am someone who tries to do my research, but there just wasn't much then about how to work with your feet to improve strength and mobility along with using barefoot shoes. The message was just slowly increase the amount of time you use them for. And I mean, when you are striking your foot against pavement, that's a bit of an all or nothing thing. But I'm trying barefoot shoes again and doing a lot of foot exercises and paying attention to how my feet are working and using regular shoes when my feet get fatigued. I do not plan to ever try running on pavement in barefoot shoes again, but I really like them for most other activities, paired with the exercises.
I hope no one is put off transitioning to more natural footwear due to watching this video. If transitioning is a challenge, then it is better to start sooner rather than later.
What's putting me off is all the BS. I just want a foot shaped shoe. I don't care about "minimalists" or "zero lift". I just want a normal foot shaped shoe. I don't want to buy a 250$ pair of glorified socks with a rubberized sole.
The high price is a result of low demand. Less people buying, less money for development and production, higher cost. You're flat out lying about the price top of the line shoes like Vivo are 150. My shoes of Amazon are 50
Thank you for posting this, I think it's exactly what's been happening to me. I've gone back to wearing a mix of both barefoot and normal shoes. My barefoot shoes have become mostly for training. I've realized I need support on cement, the lack of it has caused injuries for me. I appreciate your vulnerability here, many of us struggle with impostor syndrome. I think you're a great coach, putting this information out there is so important!
Doing serious mileage running 'minimal' is hard on my feet. I wear Vapor Gloves all the time. Problem is, I tried going back to regular shoes just for pavement miles but it simply does not work anymore. So now I am looking for a zero drop shoe with a bit thicker sole. I have the Trail Gloves but they do not fit nearly as good as the VG's.
@@bigbattenberg Honestly, I'm at the point where I'm just going to go see a podiatrist. I found one, through youtube of all places, he helped someone I watch here on yt avoid surgery. They flew in to see this doc, I happen to live an hour away! I have been trying to figure things out on my own for years now, hasn't worked 🤷♀
@@bloodorangemoon It works out differently for different people. I have switched over to minimal/ barefoot only about 5 years ago when I was 45. For me it has worked out great in general and even with the low mileage I do I'm in the very top of my age group in running. The only thing really holding me back is pain in several parts of only the left foot when I do too much mileage. I am very light and have never had any issues with my feet or anything else. The vast majority has issues acquired from years of neglect unfortunately and especially females often have bunions or other malformations from wearing (high) heels and very narrow toe section footwear. Not everything can be undone just by changing footwear. As a mechanical engineer I guess that is my way of looking at things - when things are mechanically broken sometimes they need to be fixed mechanically. Although the body is an absolute miracle of adaptation and healing still there are limits. I think you are right in seeking help when everything you have tried does not work out. You can still decide on a course of action after seeking advice. Good luck!
@@bigbattenberg Thanks! Yeah, I haven't worn heels since my 20's lol I watched an older roommate in her 30's go through the worst pain and bunion surgery....only to go back to wearing heels! I said, girl, I'll learn your lesson for you 🤣 I suspect my physical issues stem from a bike wreck injury I never fully addressed, I literally just got up and walked away all scrapped up passing shocked people asking if they could call 911. I rehabbed myself with a lot of lying around for a few weeks with ice and then a yoga teacher training for 3 weeks in a tent, that's fix it! So often I've just tried to tough it through and take care of things myself, largely due to being young and uninsured. I've had hours and hours of chiropractic work now but it keeps coming back every few years. I'm now seeing a different chiropractor who utilizes a technique called the cox method. I'm seeing my body come into alignment for the first time in over a decade! The older you get, don't these bodies feel like classic cars with constant maintenance? 🤣 Oh well, c'est la vie! I'll take it if it means I get to be here living life ☺
@@bloodorangemoon Quite a story! Recognizable as in being stubborn etc. and not really the first to seek aid. I must say I feel blessed that I am very fit, although obviously there's also lifestyle choices involved. The most important thing is not to let it slip, although again most people gain weight over the years and that has proven to be impossible for me, in fact not working out etc. I lose weight :). The only thing I have had recently is lower back pain (back muscle spasms) which was by far the most severe I've ever had. It has only happened a few times in my life. People have suggested I see a chiropractor but I am very reluctant to do so, especially since I read the story of Robbie Basho... Also by now the problem has subsided although I still feel I have to be a little bit careful... which I never am LOL. I tend to constantly test myself. This is also why I find it somewhat frustrating I can't run 50 or more miles a week. My guru is El Coyote Loco - Nicholas Filippazzo who used to run crazy mileage in minimal footwear AND got under 14 min. 5k. Sure he's young but I never use that as an excuse!
I don’t roll my ankles anymore because I switched to barefoot shoes. My knee and hip pain also has gone down by a lot. If you transition safely and slowly it can really help a lot of people. Even if you just got a wide toe box shoe you would be doing yourself a great service.
Back pain, knee pain, ankle drop have been corrected by using barefoot shoes and being my own orthopedic doctor. Having a great focus on my body (not just lower body) made the difference. All of my shoes are barefoot now and never want to go back.
I've ran in Nikes, Asics, New Balance, every name brand out here and always had knee problems. I did a split test with Xero Shoes and my Asics. Both brand new. One week I ran in Xero Shoes and immediately felt my muscles being more active, no knee pain, I felt more of a workout and ran longer. Already in the first week. I wore my Asics the next week thinking I'd last the whole week. I felt off balance, my lower back was sore and my knees felt swollen. I couldn't even run the full three miles I wanted I went back home and threw on the Xero Shoes. I'll never wear shoes without a zero drop or "barefoot" again. I can't even wear anything other than this type of shoe. I'm ordering EarthRunners today and can already tell they will be amazing in the summer.
Biomechanics are incredibly complex, and this becomes ever more apparent as you get older and work to maintain mobility, e.g., for backpacking, cycling, and running. I’ve actually managed to break a leg (tibia) from overuse (running too many miles), and I definitely have to select specific backpacking boots based on the load I will be carrying. I am experimenting with Vivobarefoot shoes, largely due to your wonderful videos. To their credit, the company goes out of its way, both on its website and via post-purchase emails, to instruct new users on how to slowly build up to using their shoes. I appreciate your dedication to making detailed, well thought out, honest videos.
@@ChaseMountains Right! I had to go up a couple of sizes to get the width I needed. As our feet get (naturally) wider I hope the barefoot shoe companies will keep up with their customer base and make wider shoes.
Thanks for the honesty. I got plantar fasciitis from my Xero bare foot shoes and still struggling today. Doing some of your exercises to get back in the game. Every experience can be a bit different it seems.
I had some and finally had some shin splints. Then to cure shin splints I massaged a lot my calves and strengthened them. Then my fascitis vanished. And then a lot later my shin splints. I was focusing on the feet for my fascitiis and finally it was the calves 🤣.
@@gauthierperrod4958 Tight calves contribute to fasciitis because the fascia is actually all connected throughout the body, as well as because tension in the tendons leading down under and around the heel can restrict the artery leading to the plantar fascia, resulting in pain.
Thanks for the science, I could imagine the link between calf and the feet, so it wasn't really a surprise. But still I was amazed by how quick it healed me :p
As an owner of almost all brands and models of barefoot shoes out there I must say there are minimal shoes and there are barefoot shoes. Vibram's claims would be true if they refferd only to their thinest most flexible models like the kso and the el-ex. In those shoes you are basically barefoot, you feel everything, your toes can wrap around stairstep edges and tree roots, rock ledges and uneven terrain, you feel like grabbing everything your toes touch. THAT is a true barefoot shoe and will achieve on its own through your instinct response to the environment all the claims they mentioned. Every other slightly thicker/stiffer/padded sole shoe will NOT, and I would call it minimal, not barefoot. The milisecond your foot senses a little less or has a little less mobility, it will ease off/atrophy by the same degree. I notice this every winter by wearing slightly thicker shoes to dampen the cold from the ground: my feet will hurt and tire again when swaping to summer shoes like I was new to barefoot again, even though I wore minimal all the time, just added a 2mm eva insole...
Regular shoes have hurt my feet so badly, I am forced to walk on the outside of my heel just to reduce the pain I feel. My toenails have grown sideways they look like a shape of the point of a normal shoe. Every time I work on my feet for 8 hours a day, by the end of the day the top of my arches are in such intense pain. My feet are wide, and wearing wide sizes did NOTHING. Every time I wear regular shoes my feet feel like they are bound, at the toes especially. So I am going to try out wide toe box zero drop shoes, to see if it changes anything while I work.
70 year old here, spent most of my working life on my feet. Learned how to self treat Plantar Fasciitas each time it recurred. I've worked in hiking boots, Doc Martins (the worst), Converse, Birkenstocks, zero drops, and 5mm to 12mm drop running shoes. When your feet are settled and not irritated, the best thing you can do is gently build strength in them. I found that using exercise bands (start with a flexible color) with your feet works best. Twice a day, 5 mins, am and pm. Do not do calf raises off a step, that is your whole body weight and will aggravate foot problems. Stand or lie on back, wrap band under toes, hold with resistance and push out with your foot, do circles, and side to side. Best of luck.
My new favorite! So informative, valuable educational video. I don’t currently have any foot problems, but now I know a lot more how to be more aware of my feet and hopefully avoid maladies in the future
Individual experiences vary, I run completely barefoot and it has never felt better for my flat feet, I have better foot stability and arch control along with wider more spread out feet. Helps me immensely with squats and deadlifts. Before barefeet running you need work on ankle mobility and stability if one don't they will be injured or experience pain and blame the barefeet industry rather than their own weakness.
thanks for the content. I've definitely been a proponent of barefoot shoes, but it's been a slow and long journey. I went too aggressively too quickly, and after a trip to New York City in xeroshoes sandals, and Altras , I developed an a neuroma from the excessive stress. Now that drives much of my foot health and awareness. Still at times it's difficult to wear barefoot, shoes and high-performance environments like hiking or running . They are essential tools to wear when I am training at the gym or walking or even just at work and I do take them on the trail or running on the treadmill as a training exercise. Even though I can see that my feet are getting stronger and the function is getting better with additional foot training. My only advice as a biomechanical professional is take it slow.
This video is 1 year too late for me😅 after hiking in barefoot style shoes for a month, thinking that it wouldn’t be that hard (my friend was doing it as well and seemed to have no problems) Ive been dealing with plantar fasciitis on and off for a year.. On the up side of things, I’ve learned sooo much about the complexity of my body and feet, and your vids definitely helped in that
If one cares about their feet, who do I go? Talk to about biomechanical health. I have already talked to numerous doctors about the pain or throbbing in my feet. No one has given me any answers. I love to walk, I hate to drive. The most comfortable thing I have found now is a Lowa hiking boot.
Ive worn barefoot/minimalist shoes for about a year and my feet have gotten stronger, but it required strength training and paying a lot of attention to my gait and how my feet are interacting with the ground.
Hey Chase, love listening to your content. I I'm wondering what minimalist shoes you've tried other than the vivo? (Maybe I missed a reference to that in the video). The reason I ask this is because in my opinion NOT all vivo models are minimalist (aka barefoot)! The reason is because they don't have a wide enough toe box for fingers to spread freely. In my opinion, THE most important trait for a shoe is to allow the toes to function freely.
I always have liked going barefoot. But in recent years, I was spending more of my time barefoot. I'd jog with no shoes at all. And that is when my problems began. For some reason, my feet started having pain when I did wear shoes. I eventually came to the conclusion that my feet had spread out too much. And my feet were already too wide for most shoes. I was forced to wear barefoot shoes. Then all my foot problems went away. Wearing normal shoes is simply not a choice for me at this point. I had zero need for transition to barefoot shoes. After all, being barefoot is how most humans were for most of human existence. And most shoes even in centuries past were basically more similar to barefoot shoes. Look at medieval shoes, for example. A barefoot shoe is simply a historically normal shoe. But what goes for a normal shoe today deranges the bone and muscle development of feet. For those of us who never stopped going barefoot on a regular basis, it's less of a problem.
Yep, Romans marched in sandals. Sandals don't elevate the heel, constrict the toes, nor do they make TH-cam videos about how New Balance shoes proves that Vibram sucks.
I have been training barefoot for a few years now - I had to make the drastic change to wear barefoot shoes only to accommodate my ‘new’ feet. That is how it should be. Plus wearing converse for 2 decades has helped the transition! Normal trainers just don’t fit me anymore, especially ‘wide’ trainers 😂
I've had to change all my shoes as they don't fit any more (too narrow and short) because of wearing barefoot shoes. I'm fine with this and am enjoying seeing my feet take their natural (very wide!) shape.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge. It is always good to hear another's introspective thoughts of their personal journey. You are the only "wellness" mentor I subscribe to now because you've remained authentic throughout your growth. Cheers
I’m all too quickly approaching my late 60s; I’m retired Navy and retired federal wildlife LEO…active all my life. When I fully retired, I attempted the AT….but I failed due to a flare up of a back injury from a Navy aircraft accident in the late 1970s. About a year prior to attempting the hike, I adopted zero drop, wide toe box, minimalist shoes. I was fully acclimated to minimalist footwear…..I attribute my failure during the hike carrying 25-30 lbs on my back day after day, up and down hills, causing the back pain to reoccur….not the zero drop minimalist shoes (Altra Lone Peaks). That was over three years ago….now, I hike 4-8 miles, 5-6 days a week (with my Aussie…she’s a great inspiration getting me out there). I sprint, to exhaustion, intermittently, during those hikes. I know for a fact my balance AND my posture are improved….as is my gait (no longer heel striking!). So, I guess I’m one of those fortunate souls that zero drop has been the right answer. I will say, brother, your points were well made….so Bravo-Zulu…..well done! I wish you only the best! Oh! My Aussie? I hope you knew I meant my Australian Shepherd, Sailor. (I’m retired Navy….for Gods sake, man, I was going to name her Marine, Airman or Soldier--all honorable occupations--so Sailor she is! Best of luck to you! I do enjoy your low key approach to producing informative videos!
The message need to be wearing barefoot shoes is just one part of restoring natural movement and not to be thought of as a stand alone fix for any ailments.
Exercises that (a) you can do barefoot (b) while standing (c) without picking your feet up off the ground. It will take some time for your toes to naturally have a splayed posture, until then you need to be able to plant them in a good position and leave them there. I would suggest kettlebell swings (ideally one handed), kettlebell around-the-worlds and, if you can do them, pistol squats. Don't worry about heavy weights and don't overdo it, just focus on feeling all the different muscles in your feet activate to grip the ground. I would hold off on running if it's not that important to you
if you have access to a running track, go for a "real" bare foot jog on it. those tracks are cushiony. and they will encourage your feet to exercise those muscles that are kept weak by normal shoes. the idea is to go slow, you don''t want to overwhelm weak muscles.
When I switched to barefoot shoes years ago (around the time they got popular), I did experience so many of those hyped results. I was also a ballet dancer taking class en pointe, doing lots of yoga, and doing a lot of hiking, running, and specific foot strengthening exercises. The barefoot shoes helped facilitate the work I was already doing. They are not a silver bullet on their own.
Great video. You present a very balanced and thoughtful picture. Barefoot shoes have really changed my life for the better, but their adoption didn't happen in a vacuum. They were part of a larger change of being more in tune with my mind and body, and taking better care of both of them. In truth, I can't separate out one component. I will say though, that barefoot shoes quickly changed my gait and foot strike for the better. I immediately adapted to the pain of impact by becoming much lighter on my feet, which I figure is much better for avoiding stress injuries. I'm still amazed that I can do a 20+ mile trail run and feel great afterwards. The old me in those old constrictive padded shoes would have been hobbling around for days with intense joint pain and swollen knees.
So... I'm going to be real, I've worn wushu shoes (feiyues which are basically barefoot shoes) my whole life, and I'm the only person I know without foot and knee pain. So yeah, I'd recommend it.
Barefoot/minimalist shoes has been the best thing I ever did. Plantar fasciitis gone, low back pain gone. Going back to the way humans evolved for millions of years is probably the way to go imo.
I wanted to jump on the fence immediately, but what you say is totally fair! Don't just follow the trend without investigating time on research and training. If you don't want to invest in the transition, it's probaly better not to wear barefoot shoes. I know I won't be able to run untill I'm old in "normal" shoes, so I decided to give barefootstyle-shoes a go- I have nothing to loose and everything to win - and If at any point I want to switch back to more supportive shoes, nothing is stopping me.
I don't think that those claims are necessarily wrong, through I agree with you on the fact that there is no size fits all, and different people will have different results with the same approach.
Great video! I've been using barefoot shoes for the past 3 years now. I've definitely noticed some improvements, but one thing I was hoping for was to fix my left arch issue as it has been destroyed by years of injuries.. unfortunately this hasn't been solved, but still love the shoes! They are the best for the types of workouts I do - primal/animalistic movements, so having such a low heel is great
What you went through sounds a lot like what I'm going through now. I have a high arch and heel pain even though I've been wearing barefoot shoes, and shoes with zero drop for most of my life. Do you have a video on that? I have been doing the exercises you show in your plantar fasciitis video.
Get some experts to look at your foot. A high arch (extreme one) is a very rigid foot, so your (smaller) muscles are either working overtime to get some semblance of movement or you have been stretching but not strenghtening (always a recepy for problems) / or even both!
This video is very nice. Since i begin to learn about mobility and fix my problems with a professional, things change a lot. Also lost some KG's wes crucial for me. Learn how to proper stand, walk and train helps a lot. Now I do use normal, running or no shoes in different occasions. For me a mix of usage have been very good for the improvement. As super expensive and technologic comfy running shoes will not fix anything, same will happened barefoot. Thanks for sharing this!
One key thing is how mechanically out your walk is to start. If you are a heel to toe walker with tight feet then just simply changing will work wonders! Especially for lower back ad glutes get back to full activation
Personally , I switched to minimalist shoes a few years ago and never looked back. I was pain at first, but after my body adjusted, I have indeed experienced the claims! I don't get back pain, knee pain, arch pain, etc. I'm a big guy (290+lb male) and I like to walk, hike, heavy weight lifting, and ride my bike, on top of working long hours and then keeping up with my three young children. They aren't magic, and require you to adjust the way you control your foot steps (like you would if you were actually barefoot) so you aren't slamming your heels into the ground. My one TRUE problem with the barefoot shoes industry is the price! You're purposefully buying a shoe with less material, hence the minimalist name, yet most of these companies charge the same or way more than normal shoes. Ridiculous!
I had foot pain for a period of about a year and really it was caused by suddenly being very sedentary when I started a new job. Just standing in one place for a few minutes hurt my feet. And it wasn't minor, it was really bad. The solution that fixed it right away? Simply exercising more. At one point it was so bad I worried it might be permanent. Many years later I'm relieved to say it wasn't permanent and it wasn't even difficult or long to completely get rid of. A few weeks of exercise did the trick. I think before people buy a new product, they should first improve their routine and drop bad habits and develop a few good ones. We're made to move. I've learned that moving and exercising fixes about 50% of my aches and pains. And sleep fixes the rest.
I ride an electric unicycle which requires constant minor adjustments with your feet and heavily relys on balance. I am also at high risk for ankle injuries when crashing doing off-road nonsense. So switching to barefoot shoes was a natural for me and I love them and immediately started doing 6 to 8 mile walks without any pain or soreness in my feet. I will continue to use them because I want to constantly improve my balance and strengthen my ankles with the hopes of preventing injury when I'm riding like an idiot in the dirt.
Thanks for this info. I have been trying to wear minimalist shoes, because all the information I found regarding plantar fasciitis. Strengthening the feet and all. I also just had an X-ray of my foot, and I have a heel spur. This pain has been going on for the last 7 months, and seems to be getting worse. New subscriber. I will be watching many more of your videos. 👍🏼
I agree, I believe it's a misconception that these shoes are going to help for low movement activities. My barefoot shoes + going for walks/runs has helped to develop my arches. I believe you need to create the same environment your feet developed in, which is running and walking around when you were a child
Been wearing barefooot shoes for about 12 years. Started wearing Lems and Joe Nimbles and haven’t looked back. The sneakerfication of these products is unfortunate but there’s more options out there.
Thx buddy, a realistic view with experience makes for a more pragmatic approach. I'm in my senior decades and found the 5 fingers has helped in some areas, but tough in others.
60 years old have been training barefoot and spending time barefoot whenever possible most of my life and would never have it any other way! I do all forms of natural/primal movements barefoot eg run,walk,jump,climb,lift etc, simple primal parkour in nature, ground movement etc ALL barefoot where possible, as a result barefoot shoes suit me perfectly and work really well with me!
For me it’s horses for courses . I run well , healthy and happily in barefoot shoes for up to about 10 miles . Beyond that I prefer more cushion because as the rest of my body tires it no longer benefits from the posturing and contacting barefoot running enjoys . I would sum it up like this . Although not faster competitive times , I do enjoy the feeling and presence of running barefoot for trail distances shorter than half marathon more than I do in other more engineered shoes .
I've been wearing Xero's Denver canvas shoes for about six months. Wear them almost all the time, seems to have helped my knee pain a bit and more if my sciatic pain is gone. I wear them hiking, cutting wood, and work. Not waterproof or warming but comfortable.
With a severely damaged left foot as a result of a motorcycle crash in my 20's (I'm 64 now) I absolutely have to have a firm, supportive sole unit, as found in a solidly built, traditional boot. I have damaged and fused joints in my toes with no or limited movement in some of them so my toes don't flex normally. The guy who set my foot described it as a "bag of meat with bits of bone in it". At the time, amputation was discussed as a possibility if things didn't work out. I later broke my right foot, albeit less severely. Lightweight footwear is a nightmare. I did try some a few years back and found the lack of underfoot support was causing severe issues that took months to put right. I find a gel insole in hefty boots gives me good results for someone who's lucky to still have both feet.
I am using Hykes Pinnacle barefoot shoes, best shoes I have ever owned and will never go back to restricted regular shoes. My feet are so much stronger and love the feeling once you get used to them.
Why do people have foot issues? Where did they come from? I never recall having any. I have been exclusively wearing barefoot shoes for many many years, and never noticed any improvement, but then I didn’t have anything wrong in the first place. But I love the feeling of walking in minimalist shoes. It just feels right.
@@ChaseMountains one cause is simply the modern sitting style, we aren't squatting anymore, or just sitting on the floor which forces us to actually use our feet personally, did a number on my feet by wearing restrictive soccer shoes in my teens
4 years of service and came out with plantar fasciitis, hip pain, and back pain. Once I switched to barefoot it took about 4-6 months but my plantar fasciitis is almost unnoticeable now, my back doesn’t hurt when standing for only a couple hours, my heel doesn’t hurt anymore when walking in dress shoes. The shoes I wear are Z-Trek brown for casual wear in hot weather, Black VivoBarefoot Primus lite for running or working out in the gym, Black Peerko Go for casual combat boot wear, and Carets Oxfords for formal occasions and I just order a pair of Brown Caret Dress Boots to add on my casual boot wear but a little more dressy. I also want to get a pair of Splays for another casual low top shoes that looks like converse or vans. But overall my feet have less pain and I love how light they feel on my feet. Probably never going back to “normal” foot wear. I like to have different fits and having variety with so many brands made the switch great. But make the transition slow, start with being barefoot around the house, doing a couple chores barefoot or with socks. I would never suggest running in barefoot shoes unless you’ve got the fundamentals down, start by walking, jogging, and then running. I still have issues running long distances with barefoot shoes but that’s because it take time (months to years) for your feet to becomes strong.
Yes, my therapist has me doing a set of exercises to strengthen my arches! Also my left foot is more off than the right. Nice job explaining the issues with these barefoot shoes!
Barefoot shoes were a hard transition for me but now they've helped get rid of knee and lower back pain. They are worth it. I also never get ingrown toenails anymore
I got my first pair in 2009 when the U.S. Air Force went hard on fitness. After many people getting hurt, someone in the squadron passed around an artical call Kick Off Your Shoes and Run a While. It was touting the viability of barefoot running which wasn't an option for me. I still have a pair today and it is the only way I can run. I run using a Pose Method type running style that I cannot pull off in any other type of shoe. That what works for me, your results may vary.
I've been transitioning to barefoot running. It has been a slightly mixed experience with more positives than negatives. On the negative side, I pulled my right calf muscle. That sucked. But it was just a sign that I was too impatient--I have a long history of being impatient and rushing things. On the positive side, my knees, my hips, my lower back, even my arches, are all good to go. This is not what I'm used to. I'm used to running and getting a nagging knee issue pop up about 2 or 3 miles in. I'm used to my back tightening up or feeling PF creep along in my arches. None of these issues present themselves in barefoot running.
Some of these barefoot shoes might work for sports like soccer because soccer shoes tend to squish the toes and are generally narrow. However, barefoot shoes generally have a thin sole, which can result in foot pain if you play soccer in those shoes. Some Altra shoes have more support so Altra shoes might work for those of you who play sports like soccer and basketball. I haven't tried them yet in a game setting but I can easily juggle a soccer ball with Altra shoes.
Hey Justin, I just caught two moments in your video, one of you running on the treadmill and the other about being "your own scientist" and in the spirit of the latter I have a quick share here with you; hope you find it useful especially as you're a coach. I'm in my late middle age now but when I was younger, I did 13 years of running 12km a day for 6 to 7 days a week. Halfway through that period, I moved across the world and couldn't find a natural running path in a park. After a couple of years of unfruitful hunting for the elusive natural running track, I ended up running for more than 6 years on a treadmill. I rapidly started to experience aches in a couple of locations in the lower half of my body including plantar fasciitis. Then I figured out why. The treadmill. I could not find anything on the internet to confirm my suspicion, not even to this day, and I'm half suspecting that the exercise equipment industry would go some ways to snuffing out any unsavouring opinions on their industry. Here's the lowdown (my own insight) about the treadmill - never run on it over the long-term, certainly not as a substitute for regular runs on an outdoor natural track (or even on an indoor track in our local gym/YMCA). My reasoning is straightforward. Whenever you run, there's a host of friction and impacts that your body encounters. Much, if not all, of them are inevitable. So what you don't want to do is to introduce even more friction/impact than you otherwise would when you run on a natural track. (Remember: when you run on a natural track, the only source of friction/impact that your body experiences is 100% from you - hence, any portion of that friction/impact can be mitigated, you would want to be 100% in control in order to best mitigate all that friction or impact.) The problem with the treadmill is that it's essentially a conveyor belt that's running in counter direction to your own body when you're running. Unlike running on a natural track, on a treadmill you DON'T have a 100% control over the sources of friction/impact. So, in order for your body to experience minimum friction/impact from your forward running, you should ideally be running forward at the identical speed as the conveyor belt is running backwards. Which, of course, we know is impossible to do - to maintain an identical speed (in opposite direction) to the treadmill's conveyor belt floor. Hence, the end result is that with every step astride the treadmill, you're subjecting your legs and feet to a disproportionate amount of friction/impact when compared to running on a natural track. For someone who runs 6 to 7 times a week, that 8km or 12 km run on a treadmill translates to the high tens of thousands of instances (i.e. strides) of additional friction/impact a week! After a couple of years, your legs/feet would have been subject to a staggering amount of additional, wholly avoidable, beating. I learnt that the hard way. I hope you, your followers and your students don't have to. Hope this helps. Apologies for being long-winded.
Like you, I also have high arches, and barefoot shoes have done nothing for my ankle mobility. That said, I do feel like transitioning to minimalist shoes helped with my plantar fasciitis. It didn't free me of all foot pain specially if I walk 10km+ in a given day in minimalist shoes on concrete, which happens on at least a semi-weekly basis. But I do greatly enjoy feeling more of the ground, feeling more stable and most certainly wider toeboxes for my wide feet.... Though unfortunately it still seems a lot of shoes I've tried seem to still be geared towards people with normal width feet.
Curious, did you grow up wearing shoes indoors (heard that wearing shoes at home is a norm in some western countries)? I suspect that might have some effect on the way feet develop and whether or not barefoot shoes will feel natural or solve one's issues with feet/back/etc. I grew up spending >50% of time barefoot. And now switching to barefoot felt like breath of fresh air with no adjustment period (except for running).
![Top 5 Barefoot Shoes LIES! [Plantar Fasciitis, Bunions & Flat Feet]](/img/n.gif)
The problem with people saying that they put on barefoot shoes and all their problems were fixed is that they dont tell you what they did in those shoes
Personally, when I fully transitioned to barefoot shoes, I completely stopped having chronic foot and lower back pain and increased my ankle mobility
that's a true statement, but that ignores all of the physical therapy and mobility training and intentional changes I made to my posture and how I walk that it took to complete that transition
Same here :)
Yup! I, additionally to switching to toe shoes and barefoot shoes I focus on overall hip / leg/ knee and ankle stability and flexibility as well as rolling and massaging my feet etc!
Exactly! It's not like you change shoes and magically everything is better just because of the switch, there's a lot more that goes into it, the shoes are just one step.
what do you mean by "chronic foot"? also i want to ask a barefoot community - do you wear socks? Why nobody's talking about socks?
@@Zeratsu chronic just means ongoing or repetitive.
And I agree, not nearly enough people talk about socks.
Personally, I swear by wool socks.
So there isn't a big lie, barefoot shoes aren't in themselves magic, and individual results will vary? I'm stunned.
@@cantthinkof totally. Every company that helps people improve health should be sued because individual results vary.
I will never go back to conventional shoes and I'm amazed I kept wondering why we actually have feet on our legs because I as 99% of most people still believe we run basically as one of those silly ai-robots looking like computer game bots trying out riverdance. I believed this altho I loved being barefoot all my life. I understand why people got pissed and sued Vibram because at my second of three pairs of fivefingers got me into a fucking nasty period of pain. I had gotten an advice from a doctor to not run for two months and then I ran for a bus about 50 meters and that felt like jumping into a shredder. I had to massage myself like crazy for many many weeks like sometime ber day and after that I started actually long story short transitioning. I hear in this clip your take is the body has limitations and that we should listen to it but let's just get out of that idea for a moment. And no we people are not unique snowflakes. Homo Sapiens is 7.000.000 millions old as a hominid upright walker, runner. I gave my mother a valuable advice when she complained about constant foot pain and her "flat feet". I said "I have seen you in Birkenstock sandals for 47 years, how do you think your muscles in your feet feels after having had maximum support all that time? Take them of little at first, massage, try extending the periods and then call me. Guess what happened? She "can walk again". Voila! Five fingers offers a very interesting reflection on modern lifestyle and humankind as a species. I remember the feel of running on different surfaces and how stopping and starting became less of a problem. It's a typical shoe psychosis thing when jogging people stop at a red light and they keep running on the spot because they experience stopping is something that pulls energy. Thats because in very plush trainer always the lower legs has limited stability (speaking about usual people not the ones doing marathons, they have the muscles regardless because they run so often.. I guess!?). As soon as we start listening to our limitations we have started accepting our aging basically. For me running is about the slowing of my ageing. It's me fighting back. Against, gravity, immobility, metabolism, bone density, cognitive deterioration. I could have given in a long time ago as I broke my neck in 1995 an in an accident landed on a sawn off tree and a HK-G3 (a 5kg assault rifle). I must train my back constantly to hold back the pain and because I'm lazy and have a sedentary job I always feel the presence of that trauma in the back on half marathons. I always run my 2.1:s in zero drop shoes but not five fingers because they are too hard core. But everyone should grab a pair and experience the connection to our 7.000.000 years past and to understand that tilting the foot just ever so slightly towards the ground as the foot comes forward when running will open up for a plethora of ways we are able to take a step/ land, and how we can propulse ourself forward with a slight hip movement pushing backwards and slightly sideways as we extend the arm and elbow on that side forward. Everyone knows how to run uphill and downhill. Five fingers shows us how we can be stronger and utilize that toolbox. Ofcourse it will hurt to suddenly start doing that. (harrassment red alert) Everyone outside america understands that. Hi from Sweden. Good luck everyone.
The problem is that they made it out to be best for everyone and didn’t warn people of the risk of switching to fast. They also made claims that they couldn’t back up at the time.
I will add though that normal shoes did this as well and still do this. They make a claims that their shoes are better for you, but they’ve never had to prove that that is true. So honestly, this is kind of a double standard. They should hold normal shoe companies to the same standards that they held this barefoot shoe company.
@@RemarkableSean I am barefoot, unless I’m in a situation where I have to wear shoes by some rule or cultural thing. I have vibram 5 finger shoes and crocs for such circumstances. Cannot understand how people keep questioning the comfort of the five fingers and will not believe me that they are the most comfy shoe I’ve tried. They say this standing on a tilt, with their toes squished together, their flat foot ‘arch’ puffed up by padding, their ankles immobilised and no sense of what they are standing on, BTW, for the non-thinkers, it should be Mother Earth. I’m gob smacked by their lack of willingness to question the Nike narrative.
you have to adopt your running techneque and walking techneque to the barefootshoes, shorter steps, landing on your toes, barly touching with the heal. Im not sure if humans are supposed to run at all. Especially not overweight ppl. I think in affrica they have been running when hunting, but elswhere i think they have been trapping mammuts and throwing rocks and spears at them.
At the age of 66 my transition to barefoot was quick and the best decision I,ve made in years.i think my generation basically grew up with almost zero drop footwear with limited choices.the wide toe box has changed my hiking experience for the better.really appreciate your advice and experience on all the topics you cover.cheers mate.
this guy is full of shit ! I was told if i didn"t ware orthotics i would be a cripple when I got older ! Well i"m 70 yrs old and warring VIBRAMS for 15 years now and my feet and knees lower back ,balance and strength have increased dramatically ! I think vibram is hurting the sneeker and shoe industry !
I run barefoot and the older generation seem to be the most vocal with their support. Ran a 5k recently and got I think 3 positive comments throughout the race, which I very much appreciated at a time where I was in a lot of pain from pushing so hard.
@@TheAmazingHuman-Man2 that doesn't seem very intelligent if you ran it on asphalt and where in pain as a sole would have definately helped !
@@zeez4178 I am very experienced runner and been going barefoot over a year now. The soles of my feet didn’t hurt btw. It was every other muscle in my body from giving it 100%. Nothing different from my hundreds of other races in shoes except this one may have been the hardest I ever exerted myself. This 5k means a lot to me and my family and we narrowly got the 1st place team trophy for the first time in 12 years of trying. One year we would’ve won had every top 5 run 1 second faster. Was not gonna leave even one second on the line this year. And I had a lot to prove with taking a whole year off racing to transition to barefoot. Really wanted to impress.
@@TheAmazingHuman-Man25k is a 5 kilometers or what?
Biggest reason barefoot shoes are failing is nobody wants to buy shoes for 150-200 dollars for less shoe. They are absolutely out of their minds with the prices. Then they don't even have your size in stock when you go to check.
Yes good point. Why are the barefoot shoes so expensive. Would be better if shoe companies just made shoes (same pricing) but with a wider toe box for a more natural fit.
@@sue-lou-star yes
yes i agree they are WAAAAAYYYY! too expensive for what they are
They are more expensive than regular shoes, yes. But they are also highly quality shoes made in smaller quantities, which has some impact on the price. Please take a look at e.g. Vivobarefoot who also take back shoes to repair or “revive” them again. This is durable, which you see less for regular shoes.
All running shoes have become to expensive. I use barefoot shoes almost exclusively and don't pay above 120 and usually under 100. Plus a $10 tube of Shoe Goo keeps my barefoot shoe good for over a year, instead of have to replace a regular shoe every 3-4 month.
My experience has been that transitioning to barefoot shoes was step 1 in improving lower body health. Focusing on bellow the knee function by using barefoot shoes and doing limited exercises for that same area has been a huge game changer. I actually feel like I can balance now on foot!
That’s great man. That’s what we call progress! Solid
I've been wearing barefoot and/or minimalist style shoes for about 8 years now, and I've found 2 huge benefits:
1. Many styles have a wider toe box. I have flat, wide feet, and it's always been a huge struggle finding “regular” shoes that fit me properly. This was a case where foot pain resulting from shoes squeezing my feet was basically gone overnight for me. No longer did I have to deal with forcing my foot into a shoe; they simply just fit.
2. Ankle stability. I had a pretty severe ankle injury in college and stretched and partially tore ligaments in my foot and ankle… the doctor said I would have been better off breaking my leg. Ever since then my ankle has felt unstable in any shoe with a thick sole. Barefoot shoes eliminated that unstable wobble because I was now planted as close to the ground as possible without actually being barefoot.
What brand of barefoot shoes have you used? I also have flat, wide feet and have found some pairs still have too narrow of a toe box.
@@GregStenson be lenka tiene calzado de horma ancha
Did you seek the opinions of other medical professionals? This one sounds like a Debbie Downer
Wow that's scary... I have exactly the same! Wide, flat feet and also tore a ligament in my ankle and the doctor also told me it'd be better if I broke my leg. That's sooo weird! I think I found my triplet (I already have a twin, so welcome to the family!)
But just reading your message makes me even more excited and sure to get barefoot shoes. I've been observing my feet for a year now. Got horrible cramps in my feet last year cus I walked around barefoot on a festival for 3 days straight. It was so bad it felt like I broke a bone. Got physical therapy etc. But now I notice in the gym how Much my nikes are limiting my wide, flat feet to spread out while walking, lifting and stretching. It messes up my balance and I can't get my knees above my ankles without rotating my ankles which makes me lift my big toe instead of spreading out and getting stability. I even take them off when balancing on the ballside of the bosu cus again, cramps. But reading your story makes me so much more confident that it will help me! Next week I'll get them. Very excited 😊
Literally EVERYONE has flat wide feet. You aren't special and you don't need special attention or special shoes.
I'm not an athlete nor a runner nor a mountain climber, but what I can say is that I hated shoes with burning passion before using barefoot shoes. Past my 21st birthday I just couldn't find anything that didn't cause pain and that I didn't know why. Now I (mostly) know why. The toe box and the flexibility matter a lot to me now.
Sure, barefoot shoes don't replace every other kind of shoe out there, but for me, a city dweller that occasionally walks and runs, they are great, and I no longer hate shoes, nor do I want to kick them off a canyon after being in them for a long time.
u run in ur barefoot shoes? what distance?
i always thought barefoot shoes were for people on countryside or beaches and all that type of ground. don't you have any issues walking on concrete?
I am just so glad that more options are open for "foot shaped" shoes that don't squish the toes.
Well that's a breath of fresh air. As someone for whom the switch went perfectly smoothly, I still find myself cautioning beginners not to expect a footwear change to result in perfect foot function or running form.
They main aspect of the whole barefoot shoe movement are wide toe boxes and zero drop aspects for me. I don’t care for the whole proposed strengthening angle, but wearing shoes with extremely wide toe boxes and small heel drops helped my CRPS toe and forefoot area significantly.
I'm a 72 year old South African lady.
My whole life I have had problems with my right foot.
Then I had an open ankle fracture, by failing between two rocks , about 5 ' drop and had to have surgery and elevate my left foot for 8 weeks and I'm sure my right foot expanded even more.
Now to get shoes to fit. At that time I didn't know about barefoot shoes, specially in SA.
The podiatrist put me in reasonable comfortable shoes with orthoptic inner soles.
I also had another accident where I fell backwards down 5 steel bus steps and the NHS did nothing because I was lucky I didn't break anything.
I had to go to private physiotherapy and could only afford a few sessions.
All this happened 10 years ago.
I have resorted to wearing crocs at home and reasonable shoes out.
If only they would make shoes with wider toeboxes and soles that looked a bit better than crocs, life would be so much easier.
I'm at a stage where everything is out of balance and every day discomfort in another place.
a pair of toned down trainers, preferably gray or a neutral colour would be great.
So it isn't just young people, the older generation also need help.
I think crocs have helped and I have only got a small bunion on the right foot, at least I can spread my toes.
As a child in SA, when I had to wear shoes, I couldn't wait to get out of them and always sat and massaged between every toe..
My son also had this problem so I ended up buying him a handmade sort leather shoe.
I have looked at hand made shoes with wide toe boxes and if I had £200 I might be helped, but I haven't, so crocs here I come, really not elegant.
Maybe you could direct me to a type of barefoot shoes.
Doing exercises is also an issue with the wonky left ankle.
In South Africa, many schools allow their children to go to school barefoot
It does look funny when the prefect with their blazers and medals have bare feet, so glad for them.
@@anitaswart. Alright, time to move to South Africa then
@@wallabapiThe day after you move, Nike will launch a multi-pronged entry strategy that infiltrates and spreads until people like this YT guy come on and say how dangerous it is to have non-Nike or non-New Balance shoes.
@@wallabapimany schools in New Zealand allow that too
Started to use minimalist shoes almost a year ago. Now I've got 4 pairs, for different purposes. Because of foot pain I was advised by an orthopedic doctor to use wide toe shoes because I have bunions. Much to my surprise, I couldn't find wide toe shoes, so I tried some Xero shoes that were on sale.
What a lesson it was! I became aware my right ankle was much stiffer than my left one; I experienced back pain for the first time in my life! I noticed my big toe had no strength whatsoever and was almost "dead", relying on the stiff sole of "normal" shoes. So, yeah, I had to learn how to walk again, learn not to smash my heels into the floor (took me 2 weeks), learn to use my big toe, learn to look where I step on to.
Now, not all the minimalist shoes are created equal. I do have now the Xero Mesa that compared with the Merrell Vapor Glove feel like an overbuilt shoe, while they're definitely not while compared with any hiking shoes or boots I previously owned.
All in all, I became aware of my Achilles tendon stiffness and cured it and foot pain is reduced by 98% at least. Now I've "only" to fix my right knee and hip flexor...
You've had a hell of a lot of problems ....Didn't you ever walk barefoot that only when you bought Sr barefoot shoes you discovered your deficiencies?
@@July-A7 I didn't walk barefoot on hard surfaces and for long enough to highlight the issues. Most of my barefoot walking is done on the beach
Sorry dude, but as an avid runner for over 20 years running over 28 k a week, 1 year of trying a shoe out isn't enough klout to give your opinion on the matter , and now you have 4 pairs? Get outta heaaa champ 😂
While I agree with the main point of the video, I’m definitely one of those people who saw drastic improvements in foot health after getting barefoot shoes. I got the xero z-trek as a camping/river crossing shoe, just because they took up less volume than crocs. I always test out gear before hiking season, so wore the z treks indoors and out. I immediately realized I was heel striking, so saw videos on better barefoot walking technique and minimalist shoes/hiking (including your videos which are great). I have wide feet, and really enjoyed the wider toe box and zero drop. After a week, my stamina walking barefoot increased dramatically, and ended up purchasing several xero and vivo shoes (returning most of them, but keeping my favorites). After about two months of this, I wore some new Altra Lone Peak 7s (in wide), and couldn’t believe how cushiony they are (in a bad way), how disconnected from the ground. I wore some Common Projects for a date, that I hadn’t wore in a long time. The tiny bit of heel drop was extremely annoying. I never noticed that before. Minimalist shoes really changed my life, for the better. Foot fatigue problems shortened my hiking mileage per day. I’m confident I can go way longer and more comfortably thanks to both the shoes AND changing my walking technique. Jupiter Hiked recommend training in minimalist shoes, and I train in my z-treks and Mesa Trails. But I love them so much, I’m not sure I’ll ever go back to even medium cushion trail runners. I’m like the annoying vegan who won’t shut up about vegan. I told a nephew in college (where he’s annoyed about everybody’s obsession with pronouns) that my gender identity is “barefoot”. Really changed my whole life.
LOL@ pronoun "barefoot" , love it
(I always opt for "hey, you!" but that pisses people off somehow, so you made the better choice)
Common projects, a man of taste 🍻
Ahaha that was an awesome ending. Anyway really thanks a lot for your comment this was exactly what I was searching for,I'm curious about the heel drop given that is , in my case, the most sensitive part especially when I'm coming back from a steep hike I obviously strike harder with the heel. Im fully aware that I've been conditioned by modern cushioned shoes and I really want to go the right way. I also have a foot with a high arch so I think I have to work on that before make the transition ? I noticed that when I have less shoe support that my knees tend to bend on the inside so I don't know if going with these shoes right away is a good idea. Would love to hear your two cents on it
@@OmicronFra Alsways build up legmuscles as wel as just the feet intrinsic ones. (I have a high arches as well).
Find some good youtubers that will tell you how to train the muscles after ankle-sprain. Sounds to me you are rolling your feet (pronation) too much and are pulling your knees with them...not good, you really need to train and coordinate. (really, all the way to your butt and spine).
Are you sticking your butt out when your knees roll in? Because that can give you lower back pain as well as the most humongous headaches.
Stand relaxed en try tucking in your tailbone , you will find that your knees exorotate all by themselves and you will get more to the outher edge of your feet (where they touch the ground). Usually it is posture, not some weak muscle by itself, that is the root of the problem.
Hey, take a look at Sense Of Motion (SOM) shoes. Handmade in Colorado for over 12 years. Great company and shoes. And they're vegan approved.
I see barefoot shoes as a tool, but you still have to do the work. Just like weights. Weights don't make your strong. They're a tool that you use to do work which makes you strong. Thank you for a very balanced and nuanced perspective.
Thank you for making this distinction :~) It's not the footwear that does these things, it's the way they allow or don't allow your feet to move & function that enables those changes.
I live in Brazil, lived all my life in a costal city, walked barefoot for 5 to 10km daily, in the sand for years, I ran with and without shoes for the same distances, wore sandals all my life, except in school an the office, yet I had feet and problems just the same. Footwear doesn’t seem like an answer to me, to be honest. The amount of feet training and knowledge of specific feet exercises was what made a difference. I find it really weird that people do believe that by just buying some product all their problems will disappear. I’m a big fan of minimal and large toe box shoes, but I don’t put your faith in them. Feet exercises are a must if you run barefoot or use maximalist shoes.
Glad to see someone talking about the marketing hype. Some people find that barefoot/minimalist style shoes aren't for them. With semi-flat feet and weak arches I found most standard shoes painful. Tried out a pair of Xero Shoes hiking shoes and my arches started to feel loads better. It took me almost 6 months to transition completely over as I found my feet got tired and sore quickly so I had to wear the new shoes for short intervals and be very intentional in my walking. Now, I wear them exclusively and do multi-day backpacking trips and can't imagine going back to normal shoes. I love the feel of the ground, except scree which often times is uncomfortable and makes me walk very carefully.
Thank you for this video. I fell into the barefoot/zero drop hype, bought altra lone peaks because every thru hiker recommended them. I hiked 2500+km over the next months with a pack and had no issues with foot pain and my longstanding lower back pain was hardly a problem anymore. Now I'm dealing with ongoing foot/lower body issues because I didn't train my body at all to adapt to zero drop. It all started with anterior tibialis tendinopathy, then plantar fasciitis, peroneal tendinopathy, knee pain etc etc. Your body will compensate for a sudden change in footwear and activity levels and over time it can really cause issues. Don't think just because it feels fine initially that everything is good. Build up to it! Happy hiking! Wish I saw this video before 😅
So what did you do? Did it get better?
its pretty much because you didn't get used to it since birth, you have been used through all ur life to bad shoes that force all ur fingers to be squished together, which is not good for ur health
@@themonsterunderyourbed9408 slowly building intrinsic foot strength with guidance from a great physiotherapist & yoga, and yes it's much better :) wasted a lot of $ on podiatrists (insisting on mad arch support/stiff soles, ineffective stretches etc.) and shoes. E3 rehab has great vids as well.
I was about to go to barefoot shoes to fix plantar fasciitis, I had no job and couldn't afford a 200 dollar pair of shoes. I instead looked at strengthening my feet in the meantime. After I focused on that, all of that chronic pain went away. As long as I keep up with that strength training a couple times a week, I'm good. I think it's far more useful than just switching your footwear.
It’s all good and well using the “appeal to nature “ argument that we should be barefoot as our ancestors, but unfortunately we now walk around on concrete
In cities *
Exactly. Cushioned shoes are better suited walking on concrete.
But wouldn't the feet adapt walking on concrete? Humans walked on uneven rocks and sand .. what's so special about level cement places? The elephant in the room is shoes.. people are stuck with the comfort it provides making the legs weaker with the crutch that is
@@pjayadeep They do offer comfort but shoes do not weaked any musles, thats a myth. Otherwise pro runners would run abrefoot making world records without any shoes.
Whats wrong with wanting to have more comfort while running?
"barefoot" shoes are just a hype and an easy way to make money with almost no material or technology, lets face the elephant in the room^^
@@MaxPiefke pro runners train calves in bent position and striaghtened position as well as tibs and quads. They address muscle imbalances…
As an illustration of just how different and contrary things can be between one individual and another, here's what happened to me (and it largely contradicts what many podiatrists are saying on line). My Achilles tendonitis (Retrocalcaneal bursitis) in my right foot started in ordinary drop shoes (Timberlands in fact). It was probably a combination of when I started walking an extra mile to work (so double the distance), some of that being uphill, and in new/over tight/rigid shoes. These factors irritated the tendon and the then plantar. In the need to do something, rather than just put up with the pain, I switched to barefoot shoes. Now a lot of podiatrists say doing this causes the above tendon strain because of the higher compression on the tendon and the bursa). But what they don't seem to know is that soft pliable barefoot shoes put less pressure on the tendon because they flex around the foot (making the uppers super comfortable). I am hoping that with the correct level of stretching and massage, I will be able to heal the tendon. My left foot and heel have not been affected by the barefoot shoes other than the odd twinge as muscles develop etc. I haven't even touched on the massive improvement of toe comfort, and just for that alone, I cannot see how I could go back to ordinary shoes and raised heels which contributed to the problem in the first place. I hope this helps others understand the complexities and just how individual we all are.
I started my minimalist shoe journey in December 2022. I started wearing Vibram 5-fingers a month ago. Hands down best shoe I've ever worn. I have the V-Alphas and I live in Alaska. My feet don't get too cold and I love how much grip they have. I wear them everywhere, even the hospital I work at.
Thanks for making this video! I am lucky to wear barefoot shoes since I am 18, and really getting intro the topic a year later, training my feet (also thanks to your exercises) and being aware. This has changed pretty much how I walk and move and I feel how my feet get stronger. Last summer I did a alps solo hike for 5 days in barefoot shoes (after a training period of a few weeks taking barefoot walks every day), and it went amazing.
The way how these shoes are advertised have always been my biggest problem with the shoes. Back when I was 18, I bought my first pair with my mother in a Leguano store in Germany, and the seller was making all these bold claims about how barefoot shoes solve every problem. They don't. Online they are often advertised as "wonder shoes". They are not. We are adapted to big chunks of material under our feet that limit movement in a major way since we are kids. Changing to a much more natural way of moving the feet takes time and effort. But it's a great process with a lot of eye opening moments. I hope the understanding of this will grow together with barefoot shoes in general in the future (I hope decathlon will make some).
Wearing 'barefoot' minimalist shoes feels really good for my mental health. Humans are supposed to actually feel and get feedback from the ground beneath them, it's how we're designed. Having said that, if you have worn bad shoes for decades then there is a genuine risk that you could have problems or even an injury making the switch.
I heard on a video something that seems to ring true here. Barefoot shoes could be exactly what you need, or exactly what you need to avoid. I went through a few years where I just didn't wear shoes, except in places I legally had to, such as electronics labs, and at work. That felt so much better. Barefoot shoes are a bit like wearing a glove compared to wearing an oven mitt.
I once had physio from a fascia expert and she was obsessed with foot contact with the ground and the benefits to the body and movement. I agree you need to look past the hype and, like most things, it's not a miracle cure, but a more natural connection with the ground has got to be ultimately beneficial.
I suffered from basically the opposite problems with my feet as compared to you. Mine were flat and I was developing bunions. This was causing my knees to fall in and gave me knee pain on a daily basis.
My problems are not gone, but I definitely prefer walking around in my minimalist shoes, because it does allow me to walk in such a way that relieves stress from my knees. My toes have started splaying out more and I've developed slightly more flexibility in my calves.
So basically, my point is the same as yours. Depending on your personal situation, barefoot shoes may or may not provide some benefits to you.
Been wearing since march 2022. I can't say for sure if the barefoot shoes are doing everything I thought they would do. However, I do really enjoy the added sensation of the ground and the wide toe box that barefoot shoes provide. No new pain has came up either so I do plan on continuing to wear them, but will keep this in mind when I feel the need to tell others that it will magically fix all of their issues.
my experience is that the best I can do for my feet and in general my body is simply to not be dogmatic about anything and especially not wear just one type of shoes, leave alone one exact pair. I switch usually even over the day, wearing different shoes on different walks, so my feet do not get "comfortable" with one way, thus lazy and muscles go down. Barefoot shoes are just part of it.
Can’t argue with that logic. Good move
Same here, but only since I introduced barefoot shoes to my weekly pattern, my chronic foot pain decreased. FYI I don't run, just walk.
I’ll add to your insight… I try to walk on different terrain, up and downhill, wet and dry conditions, rocky, grassy, muddy. That’s what really greases my joints and improved balance and just feels good. I can only get that joy with minimalist shoes. Or actually going barefoot.
I do stick to wide toe boxes, but drop and sole thickness varies based on need
Yeah I'm not gonna wear terrible shit that squeezes my toes together, "supports" my arch for no reason, puts a massive marshmellow under my feet or raises my heel.
Most regular shoes are literally useless/harmful trash.
Alternating between different types of minimalist shoes/sandals sure. They all have their own charm and benefits.
If we never wore modern footwear we wouldn’t have foot dysfunction to correct
True to a large extent. Thankfully there are lots of options for kids now, too, so at least some of the next generation will grow up with strong and healthy feet.
Just cuts, bruises, splinters and infections from unprotected feet.
Not true, the problems would just be different
@@Trickydickysticky He said "if we never wore modern footwear," not "if we went completely barefoot." A thin, flat sole like those in minimalist shoes protects you from all of those things.
@@whitemakesright2177 sounds like you dont spend much time off trail. Ive made moccasins from brain tanned buckskin, and also wore zero drop "barefoot" shoes and gone barefoot plenty out in the woods.
Ill take my boots over that crap anyday. If you actually want to conquer harsh mountainous terrain and travel long distances day after day boots are handsdown the best. God forbid you encounter snakes in your area like i do in mine.
A properly fit boot doesnt cause any of the issues that going barefoot solves fwiw.
I got my first pair today, Merrell Vapor Glove 6. Had my first walk in them, and a very different experience indeed. A different set of muscles is pulled, for sure. But it was completely obvious how weak those muscles were as I could not walk at speed. Good to see a review done by an Aussie! 🇦🇺
Thank you for confirming that I'm not insane. Barefoot shoes kinda screwed my lower back. I was wearing them for over 2 years but the pain never got away. A few weeks after switching to normal shoes again, the pain disappeared.
As a person who 99% of the time walks over concrete I think going barefoot was counteproductive.
When you where using barefoot shoes, where you heel striking when walking and running?
For me I had a pretty quick transition, but I also work in an office and already walk barefoot at home. I have some pretty strange knee problems which were more pronounced in highschool track/cross country but still flared up from time to time.
When I made the switch I didn't notice much untill I was forced to wear a pair of standard steel toes a few times at my current job. Almost every day I need to wear them my knee problems come back and my back is sore. Not to say everyone will have the same experience but it was very helpful for me.
Also for the potential to greatly reduce back pain I'd honestly be more than willing to spend 170 bucks just to try. PT and/or time off work costs way more
Excellent information. I started having forefoot issues (metatarsalgia) in the early 2000's. I was prescribed Orthotics which were mostly awful to wear and the available shoes to accommodate them were limited. Over time the pain subsided. In about 2012 the Orthotist that made my orthotics blew my mind by telling me to ditch them and start wearing minimalist shoes. He drank the barefoot KoolAid, stopped making orthotics and opened a store selling minimalist shoes. (Note: he is now out of business) I first wore the Altra Instinct and transitioned quite easily to them. For the next 10 years I wore nothing but Altra (Instinct, Torin, Lone Peak) I loved the freedom of no orthotics and the shoes were extremely comfortable. All was well until about a year ago when pain started again in my forefoot. Now I have metatarsalgia again that is worse than before. The people I've been consulting have trashed the Altras for providing no support and steered me back to orthotics and more stable shoes (Brooks). I think I am an example of one who had faulty biomechanics and that perhaps if I had received some direction on how to improve my foot function, I could have stayed with minimalist shoes and avoided having metatarsalgia again. I'm now exploring how to get out of this mess and whether I will go back to minimalist shoes or not. Sadly, I was becoming disenchanted with Altra because their quality decreased and price skyrocketed to a point the value was questionable. Thanks for the good information you are sharing.
Thanks Chase, we learn a lot from you. Without a solid base, a performing musician isn't up to standard. From our feet to our fingers, to our vocal cords, it's all connected.
Very true!
My barefoot shoes have been a positive experience, although it was a long time to learn how to walk in them and even longer to learn how to run. I have flat feet, and my arches are higher than they were. I also mostly eliminated plantar fasciitis. Probably most importantly for me, the structure of the barefoot shoe makes it almost impossible for me to sprain my ankles, a huge problem I had with normal shoes when trail running/walking.
„No two feet are the same!“ this is so true. I actually realized this through my vivos. Never felt it before. 😬
Individual feet may need a varied combination of cushioning and support but EVERYONE'S feet need foot shaped shoes that do not squash their forefoot and toes which is a cornerstone of barefoot shoes.
A podcast with Chase and Justin?? Dreams do come true! It's the crossover we never knew we needed.
Hopefully you'll get on Justin about weating those massive Hoka's...
Thank you for this balanced message. When I first tried running in barefoot shoes on pavement, years ago, I got a terrible case of plantar fasciitis. I am someone who tries to do my research, but there just wasn't much then about how to work with your feet to improve strength and mobility along with using barefoot shoes. The message was just slowly increase the amount of time you use them for. And I mean, when you are striking your foot against pavement, that's a bit of an all or nothing thing. But I'm trying barefoot shoes again and doing a lot of foot exercises and paying attention to how my feet are working and using regular shoes when my feet get fatigued. I do not plan to ever try running on pavement in barefoot shoes again, but I really like them for most other activities, paired with the exercises.
I hope no one is put off transitioning to more natural footwear due to watching this video. If transitioning is a challenge, then it is better to start sooner rather than later.
What's putting me off is all the BS. I just want a foot shaped shoe. I don't care about "minimalists" or "zero lift". I just want a normal foot shaped shoe.
I don't want to buy a 250$ pair of glorified socks with a rubberized sole.
The high price is a result of low demand. Less people buying, less money for development and production, higher cost. You're flat out lying about the price top of the line shoes like Vivo are 150. My shoes of Amazon are 50
Gee, you mean if I'm 400lbs barefoot shoes won't eliminate my foot and back pain?
😂😂😂
Thank you for posting this, I think it's exactly what's been happening to me. I've gone back to wearing a mix of both barefoot and normal shoes. My barefoot shoes have become mostly for training. I've realized I need support on cement, the lack of it has caused injuries for me. I appreciate your vulnerability here, many of us struggle with impostor syndrome. I think you're a great coach, putting this information out there is so important!
Doing serious mileage running 'minimal' is hard on my feet. I wear Vapor Gloves all the time. Problem is, I tried going back to regular shoes just for pavement miles but it simply does not work anymore. So now I am looking for a zero drop shoe with a bit thicker sole. I have the Trail Gloves but they do not fit nearly as good as the VG's.
@@bigbattenberg Honestly, I'm at the point where I'm just going to go see a podiatrist. I found one, through youtube of all places, he helped someone I watch here on yt avoid surgery. They flew in to see this doc, I happen to live an hour away! I have been trying to figure things out on my own for years now, hasn't worked 🤷♀
@@bloodorangemoon It works out differently for different people. I have switched over to minimal/ barefoot only about 5 years ago when I was 45. For me it has worked out great in general and even with the low mileage I do I'm in the very top of my age group in running. The only thing really holding me back is pain in several parts of only the left foot when I do too much mileage. I am very light and have never had any issues with my feet or anything else. The vast majority has issues acquired from years of neglect unfortunately and especially females often have bunions or other malformations from wearing (high) heels and very narrow toe section footwear. Not everything can be undone just by changing footwear. As a mechanical engineer I guess that is my way of looking at things - when things are mechanically broken sometimes they need to be fixed mechanically. Although the body is an absolute miracle of adaptation and healing still there are limits. I think you are right in seeking help when everything you have tried does not work out. You can still decide on a course of action after seeking advice. Good luck!
@@bigbattenberg Thanks! Yeah, I haven't worn heels since my 20's lol I watched an older roommate in her 30's go through the worst pain and bunion surgery....only to go back to wearing heels! I said, girl, I'll learn your lesson for you 🤣
I suspect my physical issues stem from a bike wreck injury I never fully addressed, I literally just got up and walked away all scrapped up passing shocked people asking if they could call 911. I rehabbed myself with a lot of lying around for a few weeks with ice and then a yoga teacher training for 3 weeks in a tent, that's fix it! So often I've just tried to tough it through and take care of things myself, largely due to being young and uninsured. I've had hours and hours of chiropractic work now but it keeps coming back every few years. I'm now seeing a different chiropractor who utilizes a technique called the cox method. I'm seeing my body come into alignment for the first time in over a decade!
The older you get, don't these bodies feel like classic cars with constant maintenance? 🤣
Oh well, c'est la vie! I'll take it if it means I get to be here living life ☺
@@bloodorangemoon Quite a story! Recognizable as in being stubborn etc. and not really the first to seek aid. I must say I feel blessed that I am very fit, although obviously there's also lifestyle choices involved. The most important thing is not to let it slip, although again most people gain weight over the years and that has proven to be impossible for me, in fact not working out etc. I lose weight :). The only thing I have had recently is lower back pain (back muscle spasms) which was by far the most severe I've ever had. It has only happened a few times in my life. People have suggested I see a chiropractor but I am very reluctant to do so, especially since I read the story of Robbie Basho... Also by now the problem has subsided although I still feel I have to be a little bit careful... which I never am LOL. I tend to constantly test myself. This is also why I find it somewhat frustrating I can't run 50 or more miles a week. My guru is El Coyote Loco - Nicholas Filippazzo who used to run crazy mileage in minimal footwear AND got under 14 min. 5k. Sure he's young but I never use that as an excuse!
I don’t roll my ankles anymore because I switched to barefoot shoes. My knee and hip pain also has gone down by a lot. If you transition safely and slowly it can really help a lot of people. Even if you just got a wide toe box shoe you would be doing yourself a great service.
Back pain, knee pain, ankle drop have been corrected by using barefoot shoes and being my own orthopedic doctor. Having a great focus on my body (not just lower body) made the difference. All of my shoes are barefoot now and never want to go back.
I've ran in Nikes, Asics, New Balance, every name brand out here and always had knee problems. I did a split test with Xero Shoes and my Asics. Both brand new. One week I ran in Xero Shoes and immediately felt my muscles being more active, no knee pain, I felt more of a workout and ran longer. Already in the first week. I wore my Asics the next week thinking I'd last the whole week. I felt off balance, my lower back was sore and my knees felt swollen. I couldn't even run the full three miles I wanted I went back home and threw on the Xero Shoes. I'll never wear shoes without a zero drop or "barefoot" again. I can't even wear anything other than this type of shoe. I'm ordering EarthRunners today and can already tell they will be amazing in the summer.
Biomechanics are incredibly complex, and this becomes ever more apparent as you get older and work to maintain mobility, e.g., for backpacking, cycling, and running. I’ve actually managed to break a leg (tibia) from overuse (running too many miles), and I definitely have to select specific backpacking boots based on the load I will be carrying. I am experimenting with Vivobarefoot shoes, largely due to your wonderful videos. To their credit, the company goes out of its way, both on its website and via post-purchase emails, to instruct new users on how to slowly build up to using their shoes. I appreciate your dedication to making detailed, well thought out, honest videos.
Yeah they are doing it better than anyone. That’s a big part of why I love them. Although shoes could be wider hahaha
Yes, I noticed that (toe width) too. I bought the Primus Trail FG as a first pair to try out. So far, so good.
@@ChaseMountains Right! I had to go up a couple of sizes to get the width I needed. As our feet get (naturally) wider I hope the barefoot shoe companies will keep up with their customer base and make wider shoes.
Thanks for the honesty. I got plantar fasciitis from my Xero bare foot shoes and still struggling today. Doing some of your exercises to get back in the game. Every experience can be a bit different it seems.
You got this! ❤ keep working on it!
I had some and finally had some shin splints. Then to cure shin splints I massaged a lot my calves and strengthened them. Then my fascitis vanished. And then a lot later my shin splints. I was focusing on the feet for my fascitiis and finally it was the calves 🤣.
@@gauthierperrod4958 Tight calves contribute to fasciitis because the fascia is actually all connected throughout the body, as well as because tension in the tendons leading down under and around the heel can restrict the artery leading to the plantar fascia, resulting in pain.
Thanks for the science, I could imagine the link between calf and the feet, so it wasn't really a surprise. But still I was amazed by how quick it healed me :p
As an owner of almost all brands and models of barefoot shoes out there I must say there are minimal shoes and there are barefoot shoes. Vibram's claims would be true if they refferd only to their thinest most flexible models like the kso and the el-ex. In those shoes you are basically barefoot, you feel everything, your toes can wrap around stairstep edges and tree roots, rock ledges and uneven terrain, you feel like grabbing everything your toes touch. THAT is a true barefoot shoe and will achieve on its own through your instinct response to the environment all the claims they mentioned. Every other slightly thicker/stiffer/padded sole shoe will NOT, and I would call it minimal, not barefoot. The milisecond your foot senses a little less or has a little less mobility, it will ease off/atrophy by the same degree. I notice this every winter by wearing slightly thicker shoes to dampen the cold from the ground: my feet will hurt and tire again when swaping to summer shoes like I was new to barefoot again, even though I wore minimal all the time, just added a 2mm eva insole...
Regular shoes have hurt my feet so badly, I am forced to walk on the outside of my heel just to reduce the pain I feel. My toenails have grown sideways they look like a shape of the point of a normal shoe. Every time I work on my feet for 8 hours a day, by the end of the day the top of my arches are in such intense pain. My feet are wide, and wearing wide sizes did NOTHING. Every time I wear regular shoes my feet feel like they are bound, at the toes especially. So I am going to try out wide toe box zero drop shoes, to see if it changes anything while I work.
70 year old here, spent most of my working life on my feet. Learned how to self treat Plantar Fasciitas each time it recurred. I've worked in hiking boots, Doc Martins (the worst), Converse, Birkenstocks, zero drops, and 5mm to 12mm drop running shoes. When your feet are settled and not irritated, the best thing you can do is gently build strength in them. I found that using exercise bands (start with a flexible color) with your feet works best. Twice a day, 5 mins, am and pm. Do not do calf raises off a step, that is your whole body weight and will aggravate foot problems. Stand or lie on back, wrap band under toes, hold with resistance and push out with your foot, do circles, and side to side. Best of luck.
My new favorite! So informative, valuable educational video. I don’t currently have any foot problems, but now I know a lot more how to be more aware of my feet and hopefully avoid maladies in the future
Individual experiences vary, I run completely barefoot and it has never felt better for my flat feet, I have better foot stability and arch control along with wider more spread out feet. Helps me immensely with squats and deadlifts. Before barefeet running you need work on ankle mobility and stability if one don't they will be injured or experience pain and blame the barefeet industry rather than their own weakness.
thanks for the content. I've definitely been a proponent of barefoot shoes, but it's been a slow and long journey. I went too aggressively too quickly, and after a trip to New York City in xeroshoes sandals, and Altras , I developed an a neuroma from the excessive stress. Now that drives much of my foot health and awareness. Still at times it's difficult to wear barefoot, shoes and high-performance environments like hiking or running . They are essential tools to wear when I am training at the gym or walking or even just at work and I do take them on the trail or running on the treadmill as a training exercise. Even though I can see that my feet are getting stronger and the function is getting better with additional foot training. My only advice as a biomechanical professional is take it slow.
This video is 1 year too late for me😅 after hiking in barefoot style shoes for a month, thinking that it wouldn’t be that hard (my friend was doing it as well and seemed to have no problems) Ive been dealing with plantar fasciitis on and off for a year.. On the up side of things, I’ve learned sooo much about the complexity of my body and feet, and your vids definitely helped in that
Same thing happened to me
If one cares about their feet, who do I go? Talk to about biomechanical health. I have already talked to numerous doctors about the pain or throbbing in my feet. No one has given me any answers. I love to walk, I hate to drive. The most comfortable thing I have found now is a Lowa hiking boot.
Ive worn barefoot/minimalist shoes for about a year and my feet have gotten stronger, but it required strength training and paying a lot of attention to my gait and how my feet are interacting with the ground.
Hey Chase, love listening to your content. I I'm wondering what minimalist shoes you've tried other than the vivo? (Maybe I missed a reference to that in the video). The reason I ask this is because in my opinion NOT all vivo models are minimalist (aka barefoot)! The reason is because they don't have a wide enough toe box for fingers to spread freely. In my opinion, THE most important trait for a shoe is to allow the toes to function freely.
I always have liked going barefoot. But in recent years, I was spending more of my time barefoot. I'd jog with no shoes at all. And that is when my problems began. For some reason, my feet started having pain when I did wear shoes. I eventually came to the conclusion that my feet had spread out too much. And my feet were already too wide for most shoes. I was forced to wear barefoot shoes. Then all my foot problems went away. Wearing normal shoes is simply not a choice for me at this point. I had zero need for transition to barefoot shoes.
After all, being barefoot is how most humans were for most of human existence. And most shoes even in centuries past were basically more similar to barefoot shoes. Look at medieval shoes, for example. A barefoot shoe is simply a historically normal shoe. But what goes for a normal shoe today deranges the bone and muscle development of feet. For those of us who never stopped going barefoot on a regular basis, it's less of a problem.
Yep, Romans marched in sandals. Sandals don't elevate the heel, constrict the toes, nor do they make TH-cam videos about how New Balance shoes proves that Vibram sucks.
I have been training barefoot for a few years now - I had to make the drastic change to wear barefoot shoes only to accommodate my ‘new’ feet. That is how it should be. Plus wearing converse for 2 decades has helped the transition! Normal trainers just don’t fit me anymore, especially ‘wide’ trainers 😂
I've had to change all my shoes as they don't fit any more (too narrow and short) because of wearing barefoot shoes. I'm fine with this and am enjoying seeing my feet take their natural (very wide!) shape.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge. It is always good to hear another's introspective thoughts of their personal journey. You are the only "wellness" mentor I subscribe to now because you've remained authentic throughout your growth. Cheers
I’m all too quickly approaching my late 60s; I’m retired Navy and retired federal wildlife LEO…active all my life. When I fully retired, I attempted the AT….but I failed due to a flare up of a back injury from a Navy aircraft accident in the late 1970s. About a year prior to attempting the hike, I adopted zero drop, wide toe box, minimalist shoes. I was fully acclimated to minimalist footwear…..I attribute my failure during the hike carrying 25-30 lbs on my back day after day, up and down hills, causing the back pain to reoccur….not the zero drop minimalist shoes (Altra Lone Peaks). That was over three years ago….now, I hike 4-8 miles, 5-6 days a week (with my Aussie…she’s a great inspiration getting me out there). I sprint, to exhaustion, intermittently, during those hikes. I know for a fact my balance AND my posture are improved….as is my gait (no longer heel striking!). So, I guess I’m one of those fortunate souls that zero drop has been the right answer. I will say, brother, your points were well made….so Bravo-Zulu…..well done! I wish you only the best! Oh! My Aussie? I hope you knew I meant my Australian Shepherd, Sailor. (I’m retired Navy….for Gods sake, man, I was going to name her Marine, Airman or Soldier--all honorable occupations--so Sailor she is! Best of luck to you! I do enjoy your low key approach to producing informative videos!
The message need to be wearing barefoot shoes is just one part of restoring natural movement and not to be thought of as a stand alone fix for any ailments.
For flat footers, what are the exercises to transition into wearing minimalist shoes?
Exercises that (a) you can do barefoot (b) while standing (c) without picking your feet up off the ground. It will take some time for your toes to naturally have a splayed posture, until then you need to be able to plant them in a good position and leave them there. I would suggest kettlebell swings (ideally one handed), kettlebell around-the-worlds and, if you can do them, pistol squats. Don't worry about heavy weights and don't overdo it, just focus on feeling all the different muscles in your feet activate to grip the ground. I would hold off on running if it's not that important to you
if you have access to a running track, go for a "real" bare foot jog on it. those tracks are cushiony. and they will encourage your feet to exercise those muscles that are kept weak by normal shoes. the idea is to go slow, you don''t want to overwhelm weak muscles.
When I switched to barefoot shoes years ago (around the time they got popular), I did experience so many of those hyped results. I was also a ballet dancer taking class en pointe, doing lots of yoga, and doing a lot of hiking, running, and specific foot strengthening exercises. The barefoot shoes helped facilitate the work I was already doing. They are not a silver bullet on their own.
Great video. You present a very balanced and thoughtful picture. Barefoot shoes have really changed my life for the better, but their adoption didn't happen in a vacuum. They were part of a larger change of being more in tune with my mind and body, and taking better care of both of them. In truth, I can't separate out one component. I will say though, that barefoot shoes quickly changed my gait and foot strike for the better. I immediately adapted to the pain of impact by becoming much lighter on my feet, which I figure is much better for avoiding stress injuries. I'm still amazed that I can do a 20+ mile trail run and feel great afterwards. The old me in those old constrictive padded shoes would have been hobbling around for days with intense joint pain and swollen knees.
So... I'm going to be real, I've worn wushu shoes (feiyues which are basically barefoot shoes) my whole life, and I'm the only person I know without foot and knee pain. So yeah, I'd recommend it.
Barefoot/minimalist shoes has been the best thing I ever did. Plantar fasciitis gone, low back pain gone. Going back to the way humans evolved for millions of years is probably the way to go imo.
I wanted to jump on the fence immediately, but what you say is totally fair!
Don't just follow the trend without investigating time on research and training.
If you don't want to invest in the transition, it's probaly better not to wear barefoot shoes.
I know I won't be able to run untill I'm old in "normal" shoes, so I decided to give barefootstyle-shoes a go- I have nothing to loose and everything to win - and If at any point I want to switch back to more supportive shoes, nothing is stopping me.
So I should consider what's my problem with my joints and work on that instead of buying new shoes?
I don't think that those claims are necessarily wrong, through I agree with you on the fact that there is no size fits all, and different people will have different results with the same approach.
Great video! I've been using barefoot shoes for the past 3 years now. I've definitely noticed some improvements, but one thing I was hoping for was to fix my left arch issue as it has been destroyed by years of injuries.. unfortunately this hasn't been solved, but still love the shoes! They are the best for the types of workouts I do - primal/animalistic movements, so having such a low heel is great
What you went through sounds a lot like what I'm going through now. I have a high arch and heel pain even though I've been wearing barefoot shoes, and shoes with zero drop for most of my life. Do you have a video on that? I have been doing the exercises you show in your plantar fasciitis video.
Get some experts to look at your foot.
A high arch (extreme one) is a very rigid foot, so your (smaller) muscles are either working overtime to get some semblance of movement or you have been stretching but not strenghtening (always a recepy for problems) / or even both!
@@muurrarium9460 thanks for the info. I probably haven’t been strengthening at the same level as massage it and stretching.
This video is very nice.
Since i begin to learn about mobility and fix my problems with a professional, things change a lot. Also lost some KG's wes crucial for me.
Learn how to proper stand, walk and train helps a lot. Now I do use normal, running or no shoes in different occasions. For me a mix of usage have been very good for the improvement.
As super expensive and technologic comfy running shoes will not fix anything, same will happened barefoot.
Thanks for sharing this!
One key thing is how mechanically out your walk is to start. If you are a heel to toe walker with tight feet then just simply changing will work wonders! Especially for lower back ad glutes get back to full activation
Personally , I switched to minimalist shoes a few years ago and never looked back. I was pain at first, but after my body adjusted, I have indeed experienced the claims! I don't get back pain, knee pain, arch pain, etc. I'm a big guy (290+lb male) and I like to walk, hike, heavy weight lifting, and ride my bike, on top of working long hours and then keeping up with my three young children.
They aren't magic, and require you to adjust the way you control your foot steps (like you would if you were actually barefoot) so you aren't slamming your heels into the ground.
My one TRUE problem with the barefoot shoes industry is the price! You're purposefully buying a shoe with less material, hence the minimalist name, yet most of these companies charge the same or way more than normal shoes. Ridiculous!
I had foot pain for a period of about a year and really it was caused by suddenly being very sedentary when I started a new job. Just standing in one place for a few minutes hurt my feet. And it wasn't minor, it was really bad. The solution that fixed it right away? Simply exercising more. At one point it was so bad I worried it might be permanent. Many years later I'm relieved to say it wasn't permanent and it wasn't even difficult or long to completely get rid of. A few weeks of exercise did the trick. I think before people buy a new product, they should first improve their routine and drop bad habits and develop a few good ones. We're made to move. I've learned that moving and exercising fixes about 50% of my aches and pains. And sleep fixes the rest.
I ride an electric unicycle which requires constant minor adjustments with your feet and heavily relys on balance. I am also at high risk for ankle injuries when crashing doing off-road nonsense. So switching to barefoot shoes was a natural for me and I love them and immediately started doing 6 to 8 mile walks without any pain or soreness in my feet. I will continue to use them because I want to constantly improve my balance and strengthen my ankles with the hopes of preventing injury when I'm riding like an idiot in the dirt.
Thanks for this info. I have been trying to wear minimalist shoes, because all the information I found regarding plantar fasciitis. Strengthening the feet and all. I also just had an X-ray of my foot, and I have a heel spur. This pain has been going on for the last 7 months, and seems to be getting worse. New subscriber. I will be watching many more of your videos. 👍🏼
The main reason I don't use barefoot shoes is that their evangelists are the most annoying people on earth.
I agree, I believe it's a misconception that these shoes are going to help for low movement activities. My barefoot shoes + going for walks/runs has helped to develop my arches. I believe you need to create the same environment your feet developed in, which is running and walking around when you were a child
Been wearing barefooot shoes for about 12 years. Started wearing Lems and Joe Nimbles and haven’t looked back. The sneakerfication of these products is unfortunate but there’s more options out there.
Thx buddy, a realistic view with experience makes for a more pragmatic approach. I'm in my senior decades and found the 5 fingers has helped in some areas, but tough in others.
60 years old have been training barefoot and spending time barefoot whenever possible most of my life and would never have it any other way! I do all forms of natural/primal movements barefoot eg run,walk,jump,climb,lift etc, simple primal parkour in nature, ground movement etc ALL barefoot where possible, as a result barefoot shoes suit me perfectly and work really well with me!
"Be a skeptic, become you're own scientist." -Chase Mountains
For me it’s horses for courses . I run well , healthy and happily in barefoot shoes for up to about 10 miles . Beyond that I prefer more cushion because as the rest of my body tires it no longer benefits from the posturing and contacting barefoot running enjoys .
I would sum it up like this .
Although not faster competitive times , I do enjoy the feeling and presence of running barefoot for trail distances shorter than half marathon more than I do in other more engineered shoes .
I've been wearing Xero's Denver canvas shoes for about six months. Wear them almost all the time, seems to have helped my knee pain a bit and more if my sciatic pain is gone. I wear them hiking, cutting wood, and work. Not waterproof or warming but comfortable.
My case bro
With a severely damaged left foot as a result of a motorcycle crash in my 20's (I'm 64 now) I absolutely have to have a firm, supportive sole unit, as found in a solidly built, traditional boot. I have damaged and fused joints in my toes with no or limited movement in some of them so my toes don't flex normally. The guy who set my foot described it as a "bag of meat with bits of bone in it". At the time, amputation was discussed as a possibility if things didn't work out. I later broke my right foot, albeit less severely. Lightweight footwear is a nightmare. I did try some a few years back and found the lack of underfoot support was causing severe issues that took months to put right. I find a gel insole in hefty boots gives me good results for someone who's lucky to still have both feet.
I am using Hykes Pinnacle barefoot shoes, best shoes I have ever owned and will never go back to restricted regular shoes. My feet are so much stronger and love the feeling once you get used to them.
Why do people have foot issues? Where did they come from? I never recall having any. I have been exclusively wearing barefoot shoes for many many years, and never noticed any improvement, but then I didn’t have anything wrong in the first place. But I love the feeling of walking in minimalist shoes. It just feels right.
Some are genetic, most are from poor footwear choices. IMO, poor fitting, overly supportive, restrictive, heel boosted shoes.
@@ChaseMountains one cause is simply the modern sitting style, we aren't squatting anymore, or just sitting on the floor which forces us to actually use our feet
personally, did a number on my feet by wearing restrictive soccer shoes in my teens
4 years of service and came out with plantar fasciitis, hip pain, and back pain. Once I switched to barefoot it took about 4-6 months but my plantar fasciitis is almost unnoticeable now, my back doesn’t hurt when standing for only a couple hours, my heel doesn’t hurt anymore when walking in dress shoes.
The shoes I wear are Z-Trek brown for casual wear in hot weather, Black VivoBarefoot Primus lite for running or working out in the gym, Black Peerko Go for casual combat boot wear, and Carets Oxfords for formal occasions and I just order a pair of Brown Caret Dress Boots to add on my casual boot wear but a little more dressy. I also want to get a pair of Splays for another casual low top shoes that looks like converse or vans. But overall my feet have less pain and I love how light they feel on my feet. Probably never going back to “normal” foot wear.
I like to have different fits and having variety with so many brands made the switch great. But make the transition slow, start with being barefoot around the house, doing a couple chores barefoot or with socks. I would never suggest running in barefoot shoes unless you’ve got the fundamentals down, start by walking, jogging, and then running. I still have issues running long distances with barefoot shoes but that’s because it take time (months to years) for your feet to becomes strong.
Yes, my therapist has me doing a set of exercises to strengthen my arches! Also my left foot is more off than the right. Nice job explaining the issues with these barefoot shoes!
Barefoot shoes were a hard transition for me but now they've helped get rid of knee and lower back pain. They are worth it. I also never get ingrown toenails anymore
I got my first pair in 2009 when the U.S. Air Force went hard on fitness. After many people getting hurt, someone in the squadron passed around an artical call Kick Off Your Shoes and Run a While. It was touting the viability of barefoot running which wasn't an option for me. I still have a pair today and it is the only way I can run. I run using a Pose Method type running style that I cannot pull off in any other type of shoe. That what works for me, your results may vary.
Appreciate your honesty and sharing your feelings. It is not an easy thing to do.
I've been transitioning to barefoot running. It has been a slightly mixed experience with more positives than negatives. On the negative side, I pulled my right calf muscle. That sucked. But it was just a sign that I was too impatient--I have a long history of being impatient and rushing things. On the positive side, my knees, my hips, my lower back, even my arches, are all good to go. This is not what I'm used to. I'm used to running and getting a nagging knee issue pop up about 2 or 3 miles in. I'm used to my back tightening up or feeling PF creep along in my arches. None of these issues present themselves in barefoot running.
Some of these barefoot shoes might work for sports like soccer because soccer shoes tend to squish the toes and are generally narrow. However, barefoot shoes generally have a thin sole, which can result in foot pain if you play soccer in those shoes. Some Altra shoes have more support so Altra shoes might work for those of you who play sports like soccer and basketball. I haven't tried them yet in a game setting but I can easily juggle a soccer ball with Altra shoes.
Hey Justin,
I just caught two moments in your video, one of you running on the treadmill and the other about being "your own scientist" and in the spirit of the latter I have a quick share here with you; hope you find it useful especially as you're a coach.
I'm in my late middle age now but when I was younger, I did 13 years of running 12km a day for 6 to 7 days a week. Halfway through that period, I moved across the world and couldn't find a natural running path in a park. After a couple of years of unfruitful hunting for the elusive natural running track, I ended up running for more than 6 years on a treadmill. I rapidly started to experience aches in a couple of locations in the lower half of my body including plantar fasciitis. Then I figured out why. The treadmill. I could not find anything on the internet to confirm my suspicion, not even to this day, and I'm half suspecting that the exercise equipment industry would go some ways to snuffing out any unsavouring opinions on their industry. Here's the lowdown (my own insight) about the treadmill - never run on it over the long-term, certainly not as a substitute for regular runs on an outdoor natural track (or even on an indoor track in our local gym/YMCA). My reasoning is straightforward. Whenever you run, there's a host of friction and impacts that your body encounters. Much, if not all, of them are inevitable. So what you don't want to do is to introduce even more friction/impact than you otherwise would when you run on a natural track. (Remember: when you run on a natural track, the only source of friction/impact that your body experiences is 100% from you - hence, any portion of that friction/impact can be mitigated, you would want to be 100% in control in order to best mitigate all that friction or impact.) The problem with the treadmill is that it's essentially a conveyor belt that's running in counter direction to your own body when you're running. Unlike running on a natural track, on a treadmill you DON'T have a 100% control over the sources of friction/impact. So, in order for your body to experience minimum friction/impact from your forward running, you should ideally be running forward at the identical speed as the conveyor belt is running backwards. Which, of course, we know is impossible to do - to maintain an identical speed (in opposite direction) to the treadmill's conveyor belt floor. Hence, the end result is that with every step astride the treadmill, you're subjecting your legs and feet to a disproportionate amount of friction/impact when compared to running on a natural track. For someone who runs 6 to 7 times a week, that 8km or 12 km run on a treadmill translates to the high tens of thousands of instances (i.e. strides) of additional friction/impact a week! After a couple of years, your legs/feet would have been subject to a staggering amount of additional, wholly avoidable, beating. I learnt that the hard way. I hope you, your followers and your students don't have to. Hope this helps. Apologies for being long-winded.
Like you, I also have high arches, and barefoot shoes have done nothing for my ankle mobility. That said, I do feel like transitioning to minimalist shoes helped with my plantar fasciitis. It didn't free me of all foot pain specially if I walk 10km+ in a given day in minimalist shoes on concrete, which happens on at least a semi-weekly basis. But I do greatly enjoy feeling more of the ground, feeling more stable and most certainly wider toeboxes for my wide feet.... Though unfortunately it still seems a lot of shoes I've tried seem to still be geared towards people with normal width feet.
Great video. A sensible take on the barefoot shoes topic. Not all unicorns and rainbows.
Curious, did you grow up wearing shoes indoors (heard that wearing shoes at home is a norm in some western countries)? I suspect that might have some effect on the way feet develop and whether or not barefoot shoes will feel natural or solve one's issues with feet/back/etc.
I grew up spending >50% of time barefoot. And now switching to barefoot felt like breath of fresh air with no adjustment period (except for running).
Not inside the house but just shitty shoes at school :(