Tips for Living Barefoot

In April I posted about the benefits of barefoot running and began incorporating barefoot and minimalist shoe running into my routine. After pushing through some setbacks, I’ve built up enough strength In my legs and feet that I can now comfortably manage about 15 miles a week without shoes. I’ve enjoyed the feeling of the earth under my feet so much, that I’ve begun going barefoot much more often.

I haven’t quite felt comfortable going into the grocery store without shoes yet (come on, the No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service sign is a little intimidating!), but I do go into our local health food store sans shoes and most leisurely walks around town or down to the boardwalk are done barefoot. I love the feeling of the soil between my toes when I garden and the softness of the plush grass at the park. Vibhu laughs at me and thinks it hilarious that I love to be barefoot so much, but slowly I’m converting him too. For a city boy from India who feels uncomfortable in something as open as flip-flops, the fact that he’s walked barefoot to the farmers market once and gone running without shoes twice now is a major accomplishment!

Our feet and legs evolved over millions of years to function optimally without shoes. New research is suggesting that shoes may very well be the root of so many of the injuries, aches, and pains that we experience, including plantar fasciitis, shin splints, lower back pain, and knee pain. Shoes allow the muscles in our feet and calves to become lazy because of all of the cushioning and support they provide, and thus changing the way we walk and run. A study done in China by Harvard Researchers found that Chinese laborers who wear flip flops have significantly fewer musco-skeletal injuries than their shoe-wearing counterparts.

It’s summertime, and there’s no better time to add a little barefoot goodness into your life!

1. Be Barefoot at Home

Many people don’t wear shoes at home, but if you do, leave them by the door when you walk in.  Get used to feeling the carpet, wood, and tiles beneath your feet. Walk to the mailbox and pick up the morning newspaper without your shoes and notice the sensations you feel—the cement, pebbles, dirt, and grass. Slowly your feet will adjust to the new surfaces and the tenderness you may experience at first will disappear.

2. Wear Minimalist Shoes

When I go running on the Confederation Trail or in certain areas of town where the ground is particularly rough, I’ll wear an old pair of Toms to protect my feet .  A pair of Converse or those hideously ugly aquashoes would work just as well, but the idea is to use shoes that have a thin sole that won’t interfere with your stride. If you’re running, just make sure the shoes won’t slip off your heel, otherwise your focus will be on shoes falling off your feet and not the joy of running. If you’re not running, you can’t go wrong with flip flops—just  good old fashioned, basic flip flops, nothing fancy. My personal favorite are Rainbows.

3.  Carry Shoes with You

So you’ve worked up the courage to walk around town barefoot, but are still a little concerned about what people will think. God forbid someone I know see me walking downtown without my shoes! Carry a pair of shoes with you, that way people will think your shoes were hurting, so you slipped them off. No biggie.

Give the barefoot thing a try for a couple of weeks and let me know how it goes. I love the massage my feet get when walking on sidewalks, and the joy of being feeling connected to my environment, and I bet you will too!