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All I know is that stepping on gravel barefoot sucks, walking on hot asphalt or concrete barefoot sucks, walking across grass and stepping on one of those prickle plants barefoot sucks. All of which can be avoided with a simple pair of shoes.
i also will say that for non runners, walking in a manner where you land on the toes of your foot and slowly apply pressure to the rest of your foot is just far more stable than landing on the balls of your feet which means if you have issues balancing, learning to do what many japense swordsman learn as a basic honestly is probably the best call and speaking from my own experience, despite having a weak left ankle from repeated strains, i have only twisted my ankle once even while only wearing sandals whenever i do go outside with its been about 3 years since than.
Surprised you didn't cover the toebox problem most modern day shoes have that end up squeezing the feet (just like ballerina slippers), causing their own sorts of health problems like bunions.
That's why I switched. First of all, I'm weird in that I can't stand my toes touching each other when they get sweaty. So in the mid 2000s when Crocs became popular and I was in elementary school, all I'd wear was Crocs. They had holes so the air would help me be less sweaty, and they were much wider than anything I'd seen. I even had the boots without holes because rubber boots were heavy and squished my toes. Then one day in high school, I came home and found my mom had a surprise for me. Vibram Bikila, the first pair of toe shoes I tried. I had seen them because someone I went to summer camp with had them, but I wasn't expecting to like them so much! I've always loved toe socks and had ones with Disney characters on them as a kid, but having shoes that would fit the extra width without feeling squished was great! I now wear barefoot style shoes as much as possible, the only things I have that aren't wider, are snow boots, and rubber boots, because those are necessities in Canada, and I haven't found a better option.
@@joylox It’s not weird to not like that feeling, it can actually lead to infection if there is too much friction between skin in a damp, warm environment. Yes toe socks are a great solution, I like softstar shoes, they have some good minimalistic shoes. The problem with water proof shoes is that it sacrifices on breathability which is more important imo.
i worked in a nursing home. some of those poor womens feet. toes all squished together. i never wear shoes at home. sandals when i go out. you never know what you'll walk into around here.
I grew up like most modern Americans, feet tightly ensconced in shoes most of the time. Around the age of 30, I bought a pair of trek sandals with a toe loop before spending a year in SE Asia. They hurt like hell at first, but they totally reshaped my feet - big toes straightened, foot widened. Only problem is now searching for EEE shoes to accommodate my reformed feet.
Grew up on a native reservation, my parents worked their butts off all summer for us to have shoes during school and for boots during winter. Summer time was bare feet and cheap flip flops and we also do not wear shoes in the house (its disrespectful). I was always embarrassed for not wearing closed toe shoes during the summer and finding this out makes me feel better knowing that helped my family have healthier lives. That's awesome to know, thanks for the video!
Wearing shoes inside is disrespectful where I live as well (Sweden, but the same holds true for most of the northern world). I don't wear socks at home either since I have no problem with cold floors.
Dude what, down south EVERY kid was barefoot, by choice, during the summer lol Its unfortunate you felt embarrassed, cuz when I was a kid we all took our shoes off to run faster and would get screamed at about catching ringworm 😂
@@GlorifiedGremlin Yeah I'm from the north and flip flops was standard footwear in the 90's early 2000's growing up. Idk anyone who wanted to wear tennis shoes in the heat and humidity!
I purposely avoided wearing shoes as much as I could as a child, too. I didn't like wearing "foot coffins" at all. Credit to Xero Shoes for the term, "foot coffins".
Eh, it's okay, sandals and flipflops feel very good in summer heat. In fact, at my own house when I go outside, I usually go barefoot. I rarely use shoes in my yard. Maybe on the 4th of July or if we're working. Whenever I leave the house, unless I'm running (in which case I have running shoes) I just have flipflops.
Concrete also plays a large factor. Pavement is BRUTAL. I grew up rural and ditched my shoes whenever it was safe to do so - including woods hiking and tree climbing - and have only had issues with my feet now in my mid-thirties, citybound, walking and exercising on concrete more often than not.
Im a rural kid and shoes are only worn when going out some where i have to wear shoes and in winter but i dont even do slippers in the house in winter Silly question, have you gone bare foot in town ? I only ask because when i was a kid staying with family over the hoildays in town , id still go bare foot as much as possible, i hate shoes as a rule because i have little broad feet but still got the arches a bellet dancer would kill for and getting correct fitting shoes is still hard to this day . But no matter if its concrete or a lose stone path that would have most people hopping , i take in my stride as its that ball of your foot and the way you instinctively kind of just relax your feet to spread out the weight is the important part . Im 49 years old now and i can walk bare foot anywhere, even hot roads in summer, you just have to get the first serring of your feet out of the way and your all good ... lol The running joke in my family as im part austrailan aboriginal but im very white passing compared to the rest of my family . Well the joke is , my feet are the most aboriginal feet in the family , all my cousins may be darker than me but you want to see them city slickers sook like white fellas walking across gravel.. lol Kick them shoes off as much as posable, you dont use it , you lose it ... take ut from the barefoot old lady 👍
I think most kids remember accidentally dragging their toe along the concrete while running barefoot once or twice lmao That's a lesson you don't soon forget
Funny thing is, I found walking in the city painful in 'normal' shoes from brands like Adidas and Puma, but when I switched to barefoot, it was fine. Just before that, I'd had a pair of Campers, which I thought were _nearly_ barefoot, and my feet hurt especially in those after a lot of city walking, so I briefly thought that 'proved' barefoot was no good on concrete. Nope. Those shoes still had heel elevation and a less flexible sole. Barefoot shoes with the insole in, especially, I find way more comfortable than regular sneakers. It's sort of the feeling I was looking for from them all along.
Agreed. Tree climbing simply can't be done well with shoes on. Bare feet can grip and contour to the surface of the branches. Trying to climb trees with shoes on is like trying to type with leather mittens on.
not wearing shoes is so nice, it pisses me off so much when people see me with no shoes and act like it's gross, like oh no my feet have dirt on them, meanwhile your feet are covered and marinated in more and more sweat and bacteria every step you take in socks and shoes
You cannot underestimate the protection that shoes offer to our feet. As a child coming from a poorer country, I had worms in my stomach that enter the body from the heels.
Worms are treatable but you know what's not, the protective layering of synovial fluid and other stuff between your joints that wears as you get older and never gets better
For those of you who are inspired and are looking at barefoot or minimalist running, please be sure to take it slow in adjusting. A whole lot of people during the barefoot craze injured themselves needlessly by going straight from heel striking in well-padded foam shoes to a shoe with almost no impact dampening. Swapping slowly will let your feet strengthen, your stride change to a more natural gait, and you to mentally adjust to the sensation of less padding. For me personally going to zero drop and/or minimalist/barefoot shoes solved my shin-splints issues and improved my running endurance, but if I had dove straight in I would absolutely have injured myself.
I made the switch straight away and completely to barefoot shoes but this still doesn't stop me from heel striking 🤷🏼. Even though I was mostly barefoot as a child I simply cannot land on my midfoot, my brain and body just don't compute that as normal.
@@joking2052 Try shortening your stride or running at a faster pace. A lot of guys I knew who heel-struck were taking really long strides while running. If you try to match your pace to where your body is directly above your feet when you land with knees super slightly bent, you'll almost always land flat/forefoot.
It's worth the effort, though. My ankle pain went away the very day I switched to forefoot-strike, and then I could run in work boots on asphalt. (Not advising that, but it was an experiment that worked for me.)
As a kid, I always ran around barefoot, despite my parents wanting me to wear shoes. I feel happy to know I helped to develop my feet muscles. Eventually, it even got to the point where I could practically run on rocks with little to no pain at all.
I wish I could go out barefoot, but being autistic and some other things I never really did so my feet have it when I try to walk on gravel or even dry grass. Oh well
Even in São Paulo we largely use flip flops, especially at home, where 99% os us is either on flip flops or barefoot. Heck, I even do groceries with flip flops, after all, weather here is not kind with closed shoes.
Same here. Although now i am trying to think of any occasion that I ever wanted to fall on the ball of my foot first unless I wasn't sneaking in or trying to do precise jumps
i went to school in New Zealand and half the kids had no shoes and we were allowed to climb trees. I just assumed everyone was broke but I think the teachers were pretty wise
As an adult, I started training (weightlifting, running, calisthenics, crossfit, etc) only barefoot, and I can say it was a game changer. It's been one year since my lower back, shin or knee don't complain after training. My foot arch is stronger and my toes spread out to the point where I find uncomfortable to walk with sneakers, there is no going back hahaha 😅
You can achieve the same with shoes. Consciously redistribute most of your weight to your forefeet. People just get lazy because their feet are padded in shoes.
I think moccasins are a happy medium here. In urban areas it can be genuinely dangerous to walk around completely barefoot, cracked and broken concrete and the occasional broken glass. You want something sturdy between your feet and the ground, but moccasins don't have much cushioning, so they probably won't impair arch formation. We actually used to do that with kids in the US back in the 1800s, since they were cheaper than proper boots, and kids grow so quickly that getting them moccasins that could accommodate some amount of growth was just the most efficient choice.
For nhe longest time all shoes were like moccasins, basically leather socks with no sole. You can see them in medieval tapestries too, along with toe walking
and when I was a kid, it was the infant combat boots that were just going back out of fashion. sometimes I wonder if part of the reason they became fashionable is because it was easier to manufacture them with the manufacturing technology of the time.
I don't understand how broken concrete is a problem. Glass can be yes, so clean it up! I don't get the concrete as an issue though, it's just good foot toughening material
In New Zealand, being barefoot most of the time is the norm, especially when it comes to children, and especially in summer, when many people even go shopping, etc, in barefeet. Wearing shoes most of the time, especially when in your own home, is somewhat strange to us.
It's illegal in most places in the US to enter a store barefoot. They don't want to to step on broken glass or something and get hurt. You can't walk into a place shirtless either. "No shirt, no shoes, no service".
@@PhantomQueenOne I guess that's what comes of corporate accountability being litigation-based. I go barefoot around the house and yard, but am definitely worried about picking up infected cuts from broken god-knows-what on the streets.
@@PhantomQueenOne That's the problem with having to be on alert for any situation that might involve someone getting sued. We have a no-fault, government-funded, compensation scheme that covers all kinds of situations involving injury, which negates the need to sue for compensation.
I agree with that, perhaps the feeling in feet has become strange for people too. I like the feeling of grass between my toes and running in soft earth, but a lot of people don’t
When I was in college, one of the buildings had a portion built over a driveway. When walking along the hallway above that, I really enjoyed the difference in sensation (basically temperature) as my path transitioned from walking over offices to walking over the driveway portion. Yes, I generally went to class barefoot.
I am 14 and I switched to barefoot about 4 months ago, though it feels like a year. I used to have flat feet and very very outward facing feet as a result. Now when I walk I I have a proper gait and arches as well as a good spring in my ankle. My ankle problems have gone away, and I feel like it may have been better than physical therapy for me because it was so easy to work on compared to a routine to do everyday. I must say though, don't switch to barefoot abruptly because your feet will be very sore. Also don't go barefoot in bathrooms, buildings, or really any place where you might think that there could be disease on the floor. I also rinse/wash my feet several times a day after I go outside.
This makes a lot of sense to me. I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, and wearing closed-toed shoes always has made my knees and hips hurt worse, even as a young kid. I would always insist on sandals or bare feet. I never really figured out why. This would explain a lot! The increased impact on my knees and hips from running heel-to-toe (as I was taught to do) would make those joints hurt more as they jostled around more. And when I walk quickly (I can't really run anymore because of hip instability) I always walk on the balls of my feet.
Hypermobility here, possible EDS. I'm with you on a lot of this. My foot wear was always high brand, because my feet couldn't deal with low quality shoes even as a kid. Pretty early in my teenhood, I started wearing heeled shoes, because those are formed in a way, that shifts weight on the front of the foot. I also usually went from winter shoes with a lot of interior stuffing to sandals. Canvas, sneaker, chucks - they were hell. I have so sensible feet, it''s ridiclious - additional to the sole thing my skin tears into blisters the moment there is a minimal pressure point made. I walked my feet bloody so many a time... I also always have "a spring in my step" because heel-to-toe just feels wrong and beliefe me, when I say my family wanted to change to that healthy habit. Now-a-days I do wear primarly one brand of sneakers, as they have arch-support and memory foam soles in combination to some flexible outerior material. Sadly my knees took a real hit during my compensating with "high"-heels phase in my teens. Still prefer heeled (2 to 4 cm) over a flat sole.
Always nice when a childhood thing finally makes sense! I'm so sorry that you all have to deal with this. Mayo Clinic says it's rare... *reading Wow, it Sucks :(
I have EDS too and always tend to walk on the balls of my feet for that exact reason! I hated Nike and preferred skate shoes as a kid and teen. I mainly wear converse when wearing a sneaker but I don't love them either because if I run my hips start to hurt. Maybe I should give those barefoot shoes a try? Have you ever tried those?
I walked barefoot as a child and I tend to walk on my toes and much more deliberately than most because of it. I have noticed I tend to walk quieter and get hurt less often then most, that combined with the fact I spent most my free time in the woods and swamps near my home as a kid probably is part of why I walk a little funny and I have a habit of staring at the ground where I walk since that's important when running barefoot through the woods and across rocky terrain. I think its important for everyone to get some time to embrace their inner stone age person at least sometimes, we arent that different from cave people after all we just think we are all civilized or whatever.
We only wear non-sandal shoes because of Northern Europeans, whose feet would freeze barefoot. Pretty much every ancient civilisation wore sandals and “uncivilised” people went barefooted
I tend to walk pretty quietly around the house as well because of that, too, so my fiancé nicknamed me "the cat", lol Being able to not walking heel first to the ground all the time has also proven to be a lot better when jumping or landing after a jump. (I found it quite impressive as I used to weigh a lot more and you could barely hear me land back on the ground. Having a good muscle tone in your legs and feet really helps - also it minimizes the risk of injuries.)
If someone should decide to start barefoot running, start very very easy on very short distances and increase slowly as if you start running for the first time... even if you already are running marathons or more. Your tendons and muscles are not used to the new landing style. I tried that already for you and it ended in a 6 weeks injury ;). Listen to your body, if it hurts you are probably landing the wrong way. Try to change something and don't think it is because you don't have build up enough cornea or something. Sure in the beginning it will feel weird and some surfaces do hurt like very large grained pavement with sharp edges. Try a smooth concrete sidewalk, it shouldnt hurt at all.
I've been trying to learn the difference between bad pain and good pain. Sometimes the body is trying to tell you something, sometimes it's just having a gripe about having to do some work. Good pain is usually dull and diffuse. Bad pain is usually sharp and intense. In my experience, at least.
Even as someone who has walked around barefoot as much as socially acceptable, the first couple of times I ran with zero drop shoes, my ankles were notably sore for a few weeks
Ditto. I bruised the entire back of my calves after switching to running on my toes. Slow and short distances are a must if switching foot landing zones.
@@Alex-bl6oi well i wouldn't recommend running really far towards your toes lol, I had that issue and it wasn't great(was pointed out by my running groups), it should be the whole ball of the foot, rather than 'on your toes' if you will.
and I've been reprimanded for not landing on my heels when running or walking, turns out that's what supposed to naturally happen if it weren't for shoes anyway.
@@CoryPchajek I had an injury that required me to relearn to walk when I was a teenager. I was trained to walk heel first by the doctors and yes my friends tell me they always know when I'm coming because they can hear the thump. I also have foot issues that require orthotics now, unsure if those things are related.
@@unknownhours It's normal for your heel to touch down about the same time as the side of your foot, but punching the ground with your heel with every step is not normal. Look at a regular shoe - the heel is raised, so when you put your foot down your foot's natural position is going to push that raised heel into the ground first. Without the raised heel, your foot's actual position wouldn't change much, but your step would be different, and more of your foot would hit the ground at the same time. It's all classic physics.
I've been told my whole life that I walk weirdly (on my toes) so it makes so much more sense now knowing that it could be related to how I spend most of the day, every day barefoot.
There's a growing amount of companies making minimalist shoes with large toe boxes. These let your feet move quite a bit more like they would if you were barefoot, while still protecting you from all the sharp/harsh/abrasive hazards of being barefoot.
I came from a rural area in South Africa and never wore shoes except for school until I started working. After teaching in Korea for 6 months I went barefoot when Spring came around. It was an amazing feeling. I hadn't realised how much I missed it
I enjoy taking walks around my large apartment complex barefoot. The connection between feet and earth is so refreshing. I walk on concrete, dirt, gravel, even mud sometimes. It just feels GOOD. People look at me weird sometimes but I don't care. I have hurt my feet before walking in sharp stones or whatnot, but mostly it works out ok.
I think it's worth noting that shoes are also protection for your feet against puncture wounds and such from rough terrain. Wearing shoes less often may be beneficial, but there is still a place for shoes as foot armour against random debris on the ground.
@@austinhernandez2716 Surely, what you say is true! However, I think no amount of skin toughness is going to protect you from standing on an upright nail or broken glass, snake fangs or other puncture hazards. Which is why shoes are important, at least in certain contexts. Using shoes less to make our feet tougher is good, as long as we're doing it in the right circumstances.
@@cloudytea3121 Sorry, this is a dumb response. Saying "use your eyes" is not a real way to manage the risk of foot injury. People make mistakes, they will still accidentally step on harmful things even if they are generally careful and observant. That's why we have crumple zones in cars, seat belts, bike helmets, Personal Protective Equipment, etc. When hazards are present, mistakes will happen. Plus, foot hazards are often hidden under grass or other ground cover, such as the infamous snek.
Many people live in areas where broken glass and other sharp objects make going barefoot risky. There are also parasites, mostly in the tropics, which can drill through the skin of feet. Barefoot walking and running is obviously good in many ways, but it also has its risks.
If you're just starting to walk barefoot, a sandy beach is a nice place to go! You have the cushion of sand and can move from the tideline (Densely packed sand by the water) up to the shoreline (Sand that is looser) It is also easier to see hazards to your feet (Generally) You'll still need to build ankle strength, that said. Be gentle and patient with yourself!
Barefoot or minimalist shoes have damn near changed my life. It's unfortunate that it wasn't mentioned in the video but, this type of foot wear can be more comfortable than a standard shoe. I noticed an immediate difference after the first day of wearing them. I can't understate how awesome barefoot shoes feel. Literally try it for the meme of it and you won't regret it.
They are the most comfortable shoe because it feels like you have no shoes on. The feel of needing to take your shoes off when arriving home doesn't exist here because they are not constraining your feet. The problem is that it is like doing exercise, you know that you are going to feel better if you do it, but it takes effort and knowledge on how to correctly transition.
Yeah, I got into them because I was developing foot pain and realised my toes were constricted. After one day in them I tried putting on an old pair of traditional sneakers. I realised right away I never wanted to wear such things again. And after about two weeks in my barefoot shoes, all my foot pain went away.
Agreed. I've been wearing minimalist "toe shoes" for over a decade. I live in Canada, so climate dictates the need to don proper winter boots every now and then (I'm on Vancouver Island, on the west coast with the mildest winters in Canada). Anytime I need to wear conventional footwear, I cringe. Barefoot shoes are so liberating; and the groundfeel is unparalleled. Added bonus - barefoot shoes can be laundered.
@@jasonarthurs3885 Do none of the many barefoot boots work for you? Some of them are very sturdy,, warm, water-proof or water-resistant, and have good treads.
My dad forced me to wear "wide" sized shoes growing up, and really they just gave me plenty of room to grow and my bones and muscles didn't get squished by shoes that were always too tight as my feet grew.
Yeah, I actively despised wearing the shoe sizes i was "supposed" to wear. It always felt like whatever i was measured at was compressing my feet and toes, and it was really overstimulating and uncomfortable for me. I can wear flip flops in what's supposed to be my size, but to this day, my everyday shoes i refuse to even purchase it's not at *least* a half size up and wide, or a full size up if I can't find a wide. I also learned how to run and walk in shoe sizes I was honestly swimming in, because i would steal my brother's never used ones just cause i liked boy's styles more, and honestly, i would still choose to continue doing that over snug shoes if I had to pick.
After I started running barefoot, the pain in my hips and knees disappeared. Barefoot running requires a shorter stride and this modification forced me into a healthier running style. With Five Finger shoes for trail running, I also saw surprising benefits. It also reduces my T2 transition time for triathlons as I skip putting on shoes and socks.
When I was a kid, most of us went barefoot the entire summer. Even some stores didn't care if you went barefoot inside. Always hated when school started and I had to scrunch my feet into shoes again.
Babysitting young ones and seeing them refuse to wear shoes always made me curious about this! Even as an adult I feel more confortable without shoes most days 😌
Clothes are a concept & social structure. It's learned...like many had to do when seatbelts became required. You get used to it. Lots of little ones LOVE to run around without a stitch on lol
@echognomecal6742 you get used to the tight fit and sometimes pain yea but it's still there (shoes specifically), in the shoe industry they've prioritised looks over shaping them like our feet, trainers like nike are an obvious example and so on. Haven't found any barefoot or wide toebox shoes for children unfortunately but I probably haven't searched enough
@echognomecal6742 actually there are groups of people that learn to tolerate said shoes, but some people just never really like/love them. Year round unless it's raining or freezing outside I'd rather wear flip-flops than shoes. As a kid I would sneak outside and run around in the streets barefooted with my sister. Overall other people as well as myself don't like it and yes I hate social structures/concepts. As a kid I was upset when I had to wear a shirt because I was maturing yet my brother's could continue to be shirtless (yes I still think this social concept is stupid).
@@houndgirl7365 Yup. LOTS of social structures & such are nonsense, absolutely! :) Diversity is a good thing...& happily, it looks like we're going in the right direction with that.
I highly recommend the book on "bad running shoes" topic: *Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen* In this book, it goes into how arch support, and memory foam, hurt your feet. People that run really long distances either run barefoot, or with very minimal footwear.
Let's not forget about the danger of stepping on sharp objects or getting fungal infections when running or walking barefoot. That being said, after moving to Brazil in my late twenties, I started wearing flip-flops constantly (as is the custom here) and it's made a significant change (mostly positive) in my walking and running. Honestly, I don't really like wearing soft shoes anymore.
I definitely argree, the soles on birkenstocks and most sandals I prefer are around 1/2 inch ish (probably a little more) and that's saved my feet more than once, glass, nails, anything sharp, and you'll thank the thick soles @@kroneexe
Habitually barefoot people can walk over broken glass and sharp rocks without harm. Fungal infections are caused by shoes. You simply don't get them in habitually barefoot cultures. It's the sweat soup of bacteria in your shoe that does it. It's an ideal breeding ground.
I've got fallen arches/flat feet, despite being Australian, which means I was bare foot until starting school & from then on, only in shoes while at school & barefoot the rest of the time, so it's not foolproof. Quite normal in much of Australia for people to be barefoot while not at work/school, whether it's supermarket shopping or hanging out at home or whatever - exception being in the heat of summer, when the ground is so hot that roads literally melt. In those situations we tend to wear thongs (unless there's a garden hose handy that we can use to spray cool each spot in the concrete before stepping onto it). A girl at my school btw, who was competing internationally in athletics, was forced to wear shoes to run in a school sports carnival & suffered stress fractures from doing so. School got a pretty severe mauling from the press over that, who pointed out that even the Olympics didn't require the wearing of shoes, so it wasn't appropriate they did
Being out at sea a lot as a kid, it wasn't practical to always have shoes, in fact, most of the time it was more of a burden as you had to worry about getting the shoes wet. Walking, running and especially jumping barefoot is also just so much more precise because you have that tactile aspect. I have a well defined arch, thought it felt weird, good to know it's a positive sign. My mother always used to say that it is healthy to at least spend some of the time during summer barefoot, seems like she'll love this video.
I've been a fan of going barefoot forever! When I was a kid, I went barefoot as much as my mom would let me, and as an adult I NEVER wear shoes at home and sometimes outside. After watching this video, I think I may understand why I tend to land on the ball of my foot when I'm walking. And I prefer shoes with as thin a sole as possible and no heel. Thanks for explaining the benefits of barefooting!
@@ArawnOfAnnwn The barefoot shoes I've seen don't seem to be too much like socks. Do you have particular socks in mind that someone could consider that would perform similarly?
I wear swim shoes a lot because they have very thin soles with absolutely no heel. They aren't very expensive, so they fit my budget. If my feet are cold indoors, I wear slippers that I've crocheted
@@Reepecheep If you're used to walking barefoot outside on hard ground, glass shards and stuff isn't as dangerous as it seems if. You'll develop a thick sole to the point that if there's something that's actually dangerous it's going to hurt you even if you wear thin shoes. Though I still wouldn't recommend it, since the risk is still higher than using hard-soled shoes.
I'd be interested in a video about the concerns around flatworms and other parasites for kids running around barefoot (ie. are they overblown or reasonable)... especially for those of us who raise chickens or other animals in our backyards.
Its overblown for most people but it a real concern on farms. Thankgod barefoot shoes exist and give most benefits of being barefoot while also protecting your feet.
Not saying this as an "uhm akshully", and I recognize this is entirely anecdotal, but I grew up without wearing shoes on our chicken farm. I went inside the coop all the time, I got a lot of splinters but not really any parasites. Was I just... really lucky?
Much to my mother's annoyance, I grew up barefoot. I had shoes, I just hated them. I'm 57 now and still spend all indoor time barefoot (except in other people's houses. Though my kids don't mind. I let them choose what they wanted when they were growing up). As a kid, during the warmer and dryer weather, I'd try to escape the house without shoes (in the UK - it was on typically paved paths; hardly soft, warm ground!) My third child (adult...) is as bad as me for hating shoes!
I am a tip toe walker, always have been, my calves are huge due to it and a lot of biking. My toes are more spread out than others. My only warning is that stretching the calf is important, I haven't and am paying for it as of now, and currently working on more flexibility in the opposite direction
I will caution; I switched to zero drop shoes, and within 6 months got achilles tendinitis. If you want to adjust to bare feet, go slow and be very careful about how you're working your muscles and tendons
Ironically I used to have plantar fasciitis after I started my internship as a doctor Turns out as someone raised in Asia (Arabian, not Asian) I am not used to my foot squished in a shoe all day Because from age 0 to 25 my shoes are limited to school and college, where I am mostly sitting “ and of course occasions like visiting someone, holidays or weddings” While in the hospital I need to walk and walk and walk in those shoes so as someone who been barefooted my entire life I found myself squishing and crushing my foot inside those shoes so that give me a PF that didn’t heal until I switch to barefoot shoes. Since the first day I put them in they felt so right. Didn’t have feet pain ever since
If I wear any height heel at all, my knees get very sad. And if my knees get sad, it's not long after that my hips get sad. To the point of debilitating pain. So I wear zero-drop or barefoot style shoes everywhere and for everything now. Going barefoot at home or wearing barefoot style shoes has not restored the arches in my feet - they are still VERY flat - but I feel so much better. In fact, I've avoided plantar fasciitis returning, and all my joints love it! I'm in my 50's and barefoot / zero drop shoes are a key part of my strategies to avoid the knee replacement surgeries that my mom had in her 60's.
As someone with calluses on her feet from being used to walking around barefoot, I would like to point out that also in this case, you should look for a healthy middle ground. Not too little and not too much. Calluses can develop such sharp edges that you may end up hurting yourself or others or you may even cause tears in fabric touching your feet 'cus they grow so rough. Take care of yourself, y'all. :)
In high school I had a friend who had foot issues, even tho she only weighed about 95 pounds. She wore shoes ALL THE TIME she was awake; sneakers laced all the way up. I went barefoot or sockfoot any chance I got and at 54 still don't have much foot trouble.
My mom would yell at us if we went out without shoes if we had socks still on. “ if you’re going outside either put shoes on or take your socks off” she didn’t want to have to by new socks all the time.
@@ecospider5valid reasoning. I ruined a nice pair of socks this past winter thanks to not bothering with shoes on my concrete basement floor. Fixed the issue by tiling said floor.
I've often wondered how they came up with the idea to put arches in shoes. Here we've evolved for millions of years, and all of a sudden we need arch supports. It's a little like putting your arm in a cast BEFORE it gets broken. If you prop up something weak, it only gets weaker.
I've been bothered by this too, but decided we have to adapt to our technology and that going full Unabomber "Back to Monke" about it simply isn't feasible. The damage is done, it's too late to reverse it, the best we can do is find the happy mediums between extremes
@@DavyCDiamondback I'm old , and I thought like that too. Then I developed serious circulation problems in one foot, largely due to pressure on a blood vessel by the large bunion that had formed because of a lifetime of wearing narrow toebox shoes. I didn't have much choice - I switched to wide toebox, zero drop heel (flat soled) shoes, to give my toes room to spread and improve the circulation at that spot,, and have done exercises to help strengthen my feet and ankles. It is working - I can walk again (the pain the bad circulation caused made that very difficult), and my feet have strengthened enough to be comfortable wearing minimalist shoes, finally. It has taken nearly 6 months, but now I'm through it, I'm glad I did. I didn't think my feet could change as much as they have - I even have some arches in my feet now.
I have naturally extremely high arches. Also flat feet is not natural and causes health problems. As they detail in this video. I can't walk long times without arch support, never have. not every foot is the same.
@@yeetghostrat i bet your ancestors even a few hundred years ago were able to. Unless you are 50+ years of age, it is not too late to develop your body.
As someone who can grab things with their toes wearing shoes always felt like wearing mittens. You can't grab anything! It's frustrating. Having to bend over to pick things up yikes. So needless to say I was barefoot frequently as a child and I only wear shoes as an adult when I have to.
Joining in on team prehensile foot... I regularly open the fridge that way because the handle runs all the way down the length of the door. Sometimes even if I technically don't need to cause my hands aren't full.
when they start talking about gate and they show the beach runner around 3:30 or so you can see that the beach runner lands on their forefoot only twice and only on their right foot while every other step is on their heel or slightly in front of their hips. I know they're on the beach and it doesn't matter a whole lot but its a weird example to use.
I've found that running with as few clothes as possible really helps my workout. The cops provide a lot of motivation for me to keep running and improvise.
I loved being barefoot as a kid (and still do), but it does still come with perils. My list of foot injuries include slicing a gash so big my pinky toe needed to be stitched back in place, treading on nails, and getting a toothpick embedded under my big toe. So go barefoot, but also watch where you step
I remember the first time I decided to go barefoot outside as a kid (apart from beaches) was when my daycare was visiting a field and kids were taking their shoes and socks off and rolling down the hill.. I did the same and low and behold I was the one that got a bee sting on the bottom of my foot just minutes after I joined in!... Wasn't fun XD After that the daycare employees made everyone put their shoes back on so no one else got stung.
Been wearing barefoot shoes for ten years - after seeing some proprioception research - and I’ll never go back. My oldest daughter has always hated shoes and can walk on *anything*, but I’m personally still not going barefoot over sharp rocks. Barefoot / minimalist shoes are a great compromise. I also have six horses that I slowly transitioned away from steel shoes. (Some were fine, some needed temporary “barefoot shoes” on certain surfaces, as years of steel shoes had greatly reduced the natural capacities of their hoof). There are many compelling reasons to spend more time barefoot - or barefoot shoes - and for both myself and my horses, it was studying mechanoreceptors that actually pushed me over the edge to get rid of “normal” shoes here. My husband needed more convincing, but then some famous golfer commented that he wore only barefoot style shoes, and that was that 💁♀️. No normal shoes in our home, and our living room includes trays of river rocks to stand on.
Steel hooves are really only necessary if you intend to take those horses on rocks, hard gravel, or above all else paved roads. The natural wear of hooves on dirt, assuming they have a wide pasture to run in, is more than healthy. It's how they evolved to function. Just got to keep an eye on them. :v
That's interesting because the only time I don't wear barefoot shoes is when I'm around horses so I get that extra protection, and it's a lot harder to ride a horse without a heel (unless you're riding bareback, but most horses I know aren't used to that and would struggle). I do remember a relative of mine getting in trouble for not wearing shoes, even as an adult, but he was so tough, and could climb any tree. I like my Vibram Spyridon MR (now discontinued) for anything that's more rough, like hiking in areas with lots of rocks, gravel, or even if I'm in the city where there's frequently broken glass. I don't know what I'll do when they wear out, because I like the sole, and I don't think they make that specific type anymore. It's a chunky grip rather than the more minimal type. I find they're a good middle ground between the extremely minimal 2-3mm thick soles, and a more conventional shoe. I also find Xero shoes to be a good middle ground because they look like regular shoes so I don't get the weird comments, and they're a bit more protective, while still allowing you to feel the ground and have that extra width that helps a lot.
@@AimlessSavant I know in my area, the police horses obviously need metal, but I've seen some different options when in rural areas. Unfortunately I didn't really keep up with horses because a disability I'm still waiting for testing on made it too hard to care for them, or even have proper posture. I'm hoping to ride again this year after I've done lots of physio.
@@joylox tbh I do think sometimes about whether I should still *ride* in boots-with-heel…it’s been so drilled into me from childhood. And sometimes if I remember, I’ll put them on to ride. But I don’t worry about working on the ground and being stepped on (which ofc happens and OUCH 😣), because unless I’m in steel-toed boots- which I never was - my heavy-duty Vivo insulated trail runners offer just as much protection on top of my foot as my Ariat paddock boots. I do know a lot of riders today who are also riding in Vivo/Xero, but some do use front cages on their stirrups. I’m quite safety-conscious (helmet 100%), but I’m still making a calculation that for the riding I do, it’s extremely unlikely that I’ll be in a situation for which a heel would be the thing that saved me.
@@AimlessSavantThere are certainly reasons a horse might need shoes, I agree, but nothing that justifies *steel*; thankfully composite nail-on (or glue-on) shoes are now becoming more widely available and more farriers are trained/willing to use them. I still have *boots* for one of mine for gravel, but he was in composite shoes for a couple years. Just like the human barefoot shoe market is growing and we will all have more options (and not have to spend a fortune), the non-steel horseshoe market is growing, albeit way too slowly. The only friends of mine with horses still in steel shoes simply cannot find a farrier willing to use even the nail-on composites. But that’s slowly changing…
I've been wearing barefoot style shoes for years. Ultimately it's more comfortable, but I can understand if making the switch could be hard if you've been wearing beefy shoes for a while, or if you are flat footed.
I was told I had flat feet back in high school, was given special insoles to use in my flat shoes, but eventually I stopped wearing them, and switched to flat shoes all the time and once I got used to it, felt much better. Now I mostly wear Xero Shoes or Vibram Fivefingers depending on the weather, and I feel so much better. I noticed when I wore rain boots for a couple days last summer, my feet hurt a lot more, but unfortunately when you need waterproof boots with heels (for being around horses and walking through puddles to get there), I suppose there's no better option. But that makes sense because raised heels on shoes were designed for riding horses so the rider's feet stay in the stirrup.
Where do you get barefoot shoes? I would like to try some just for casual use but they are super expensive from what I can find. I would especially like ones that look similar to normal shoes from the outside.. mostly because of social anxiety :P Edit: Something like Lems would be something I would like.
@@ArawnOfAnnwn "Foot-shaped shoes" might be a better search term for people who want a toebox that has the same shape as their forefoot, not separate toes.
I'm more or less flat-footed myself (sometimes my feet land in an arch, sometimes they don't) and my vibram kso toe shoes are the most comfortable shoes I own, second only to my xero shoes sandals diy kit, or, if the terrain is right for it, really barefoot. In fact ever since I started wearing those toe shoes I could swear my feet have started landing in an arch more often and I seem to have more balance in my gait, idk if there's anything to that or coincidence but it sure seems to help
Growing up in the Upper-Midwest in the 50,s, I often went barefoot in the summer. Then we moved to Southern California where I could do it out of school. Even now in a center, I go without shoes when the weather permits, I carry a pair of sandals in case I want to go into a store. People in the neighborhood think I am odd about that.
What was not mentioned was the terrain, it is pretty clear from other sources that running on grassy / off trail surfaces favors a lack of shoes or shoes that are lighter / sandal like, whereas running on concrete, asphalt, or other paved and generally flat surfaces is better done with tennis shoes or other heavier footwear
When I was a kid, I hated to wear shoes (I still do, but I tolerate it more) and in gym class I always complained about my feet hurting rather quickly, something that didn't happen when doing activities barefoot at home. I kept being told that it was safer for me, that the heat of the pavement and the random pieces of broken glass and tin shards could cut me open and it would be really bad. With that level of fear mongering I reluctantly agreed to wear shoes outside. I wish I hadn't.
When at home not outside wtf, I always lift my feet up in a heel like fashion and walked, ran with it too and I grew up to have large penguin feet which is pretty good at running -40% decreased stamina consumption🏃♂🏃♂
could always look into "barefoot" or minimalist shoes like merrell vapor gloves. Still have protection from the ground, but it's basically a durable sock with a rubber sole and wide toebox.
Yeah, I'd second looking into barfoot shoes. They're the next best thing to being barefoot. The big brands are Xero, Vivobarefoot, Wildling, and Feelgrounds. Lems kinda sorta as some of their shoes fall into the category of barefoot shoes, and others don't. They give your feet all the protection they need, but still give you most of the benefits of walking barefoot.
For getting used to minimalist shoes with a wide toebox and a flat sole (zero drop heel), I found a Whitin running shoe that has those characteristics but a somewhat more cushioned sole. And they're inexpensive. It helped me transition to "barefoot" shoes by giving me extra cushioning while my feet were building the extra strength barefoot walking requires.
I walk around barefoot at home and wear thin-soled minimalist shoes outside the home. I'm a walking paraplegic and it's just easier for me to walk with bare feet or minimal footwear because I can better feel the ground and it let's me feel "rooted". Regular shoe soles feel like balancing on wobbly pillows to me and I hate them.
My older brother had very flat feet, he found some sort of shoe that makes it feel like barefoot, it only protects your foot from stepping in glass etc when you walk. His foot arch is much better now. I don’t have a flat foot but I might look into those kinda shoes anyway if it’s better for your feet!
I can remember being 6-9 and able.to.walk on the blacktop parking lots of se Florida beaches barefoot, were talking 140f+ went around mostly barefoot and hardly ever got sick and my toes were more like fingers. I later went to go work in almost cryogenic enviroments -32f 64 below freezing and it dropped my immune response by 75% and left my feet with a very large amount micro fractures. My body forgot how to handle bacteria and fungal infections and my feet almost rotted off, I was left with a few options take a medication that would damage my liver but save my feet or risk losing my feet and let nature do what it was gonna do, took almost 3 years but saved my feet and liver.
I walk around barefoot in my neighborhood a lot. I feel a little bad 'cause I know some people get really uncomfortable, but I remind myself that it's physical therapy! And it definitely helps! I'm 30 years old, been going on these barefoot walks maybe 1-3 times a week (during the warm months) for the last two years, and it's not dramatic or anything but it is noticeable, the extra arch in my arch and the extra strength in my ankles and the small muscles between the tarsals.
If they get uncomfortable walking barefoot, that's on them, they can choose to either gradually strengthen their feet, like you are doing, or wear shoes, but that's their choice, it's not on you, you do what's right for you!
As someone who just felt this primal, natural feeling of running barefoot and would do it all the time and it helps because it greatly improves my ankles which I need for ice hockey. Also, it helps widen the foot which gives a deeper arch, hence more support in skates
For parents who want to protect their toddlers or young children's feet, but also want the benefits from going barefooted, a pair of real moccasins are the go to. They are a bit difficult to find, but will hopefully find mainstream markets once again.
No need to ask. Both my kids can wAlk barefoot anywhere anyday indoors outdoors and both my kids hate socks!! I could tell they both took it after me because i hate socks and prefer barefoot and i grew up in Africa we were encouraged to play without shoes from young. Thats why when babys are born you dont wear them shoes until they are atleast a year old
A missed opportunity here, not mentioning how wearing shoes has reshaped near enough everyone's feet for the worse. Your big toe? Its supposed to point straight, an extension of the bone inside the foot to which it is attached capable of footing some serious force. Your Achilles tendons? Should look straight and vertical from behind, not bowed inwards. Shoes make feet weak, prompting specialist recommendations for even more expensive shoes meant to provide the support shoes robbed the feet of in the first place.
My big toes do point straight, but my achilles tendon does bow in a little. I went barefoot as often as allowed as a child...and still do as a 50+ year old
I've been wearing Vibram FiveFingers for over ten years now. I'm in my mid fifties. I have hypermobility and used to wear orthotics to correct my fallen arches. Never again! I have arches now and can't bear to wear constricting "conventional" shoes with stiff soles and raised heels. Three years ago I took up running. I regularly run half marathons. I have run shorter distances barefoot. It's actually liberating. I prefer to run barefoot on harder surfaces like cement, concrete and tarmac, but you do have to be vigilant for sharp stones. But for anyone thinking of switching, do it very gradually over many weeks.
I'm also hypermobile, waiting to get tested for EDS. I think it's been slightly less than 10 years since I got my first VIbram Fivefingers, but I'm glad I started wearing them in my last few years of high school. I've never been good at running, but for grade 11-12 gym class, the teacher made us run about 1k a day across the field and through the woods down to a specific tree, and then back. I found the difference to be amazing! I could feel the angle of the rocks and roots along the way, and use those to push myself forward, I could run longer because of the light weight, and it really helped my feet act as a spring taking the strain off my knees which are hypermobile and caused some hip pain. A lot of articles I read say that the more cushion the better for hypermobility, but the people I've talked to all said otherwise, so I'm glad I'm not alone. I'm also glad I found ToeSox compression socks because I often need the extra ankle support, but don't want to wear boots or normal shoes with stockings. Plus, they're great at keeping my feet less stinky, and avoiding blisters.
When I grew up my mom was adament that I was not going to wear shoes until I could walk on my own. I credit my barefoot childhood for giving me strong feet and legs.
really? That's not normal there? I'm in Australia, used to work in childcare, we were trained & passed on to parents that no baby should be put into shoes until after they were fully walking. In winter, sure, buy them the little sock/shoe hybrid things with grippy bottoms but sock like on the rest, but nothing hard on their feet until after their gait is fully developed & then, only for special occasions
@@mehere8038 Australia is clearly awesome in this way--my son (he's 4 now) runs around barefoot in the US, ppl always ask him where his shoes are. In trader Joe's, an employee told me he has to put on shoes or ride in the cart, and while I was putting him into the cart, a sweet woman said, "I think it's wonderful that he is barefoot, just like we do in Australia."
@@erinaa9486 that's weird & would be SO annoying to have that pretend "concerned community parenting" telling your child to put shoes on! Love that the Aussie spoke out to support you! Wish you had more doing that there! It's just so much better for their feet, like this video explains, sad you're being discouraged from doing it :( What happens if you tell them it's about "freedom"? I don't know, but I'm wondering if that is a line that would cut through & make people accept your choice there? & if so, you could maybe even get a t-shirt printed that said something like "my feet live in a free country" to "say" that to them without needing to say it/endure their comments before "saying it". I think this is why we like barefoot in Australia, cause we rebel against authority, so if authority want us to wear shoes, we want to make a point about refusing - and we are forced to wear them to school & mostly to work, so it is an authority thing, so our society sees it as our mission to resist :). I feel like there should be a way you can rebel against it by using your society's claimed "freedom" stance & have people support you, rather than attack you for it. Sadly though, I guess with what you're describing there, your son's going to feel the pressure to conform & eventually will want to wear shoes when going out, but that's really sad :( & good on you for being a great Mum & actually looking after his feet & body development! He'll thank you for it when he's older :)
@@erinaa9486 Another idea I just thought of, in Australia, as part of wearing no shoes, we're also strict on littering & we have a "clean up Australia Day" once a year (first Sunday in March) when everyone gets out there & cleans up rubbish, so as to make our country more beautiful & safer for bare feet. It wouldn't be uncommon here for Mums to go around a local park with a garbage bag & pick up the litter if needed. Not really needed here, but there's the occasional spot where it still happens & it used to be a thing when we were switching to a no litter society back in the 1970's. I wonder what would happen if that was your routine each time you went to your local park with your barefoot son, if you took him to the equipment to play, along with your little litter bag & you removed any litter from it & then expanded to clean the whole park, while he was playing & when other parents commented on it, if you said "I'm not going to let inconsiderate people take away my son's freedom to go barefoot. I'd rather change society than force my son to comply with a lack of freedom". I wonder if you would actually start a movement, if other parents would actually start doing the same as you, both in picking up the litter & also then trusting it was safe for their children to play barefoot inside that park. Might be worth a shot if it's not too inconvenient for you to try. Just sad imo that that freedom to be barefoot is being taken away from him & your right to choose his footwear, as his Mum, is being taken from you too! Not right imo
wear nonslip socks In nursing we are taught foot edema is best fixed with two methods, socks and walking. Socks squeeze your foot, thus helping push the blood back into the vascular system it was pushed from due to issues pumping the blood. Walking helps the veins in your legs and feet pump blood back into your torso and to your heart, thus preventing the pooling that causes most edema. You also can get that same edema due to simply not walking enough in a day. This happened to me in Nursing school because I spent most of my days sitting in the classroom or at home studying. I fixed it in mere days by wearing extra socks and going for walks around the school on our breaks.
I fixed my hip en knee issues with barefoot shoes. It re-taught me to walk properly, it turned me into a middel/fore-foot walker. (Instead of heel). My joint pain hurt so bad I had to pull myself up on something if I had to squat or pick something off te floor. Today I have no issues at all even its been a couple of years since I wore my barefoot shoes. I just got around to buying a new pair. It take a while to get used to the sensitivity as I can feel everything under the soles, but I feel more connected with nature, and it makes traversing mountain paths easier. I have more grip and can better feel the stability of the surface. I have rekindled my love for barefoot shoes!❤
I went barefoot as a kid. I stepped on the bottom of a broken bottle while wading in a pond. I nearly bled to death running home with a 4-inch slice through my arch and haven't walked right since. Just a reminder of why we wear shoes.
As someone who got ringworm on the bottom of my feet from running around barefoot in the wood which eventually required surgery to remove, I can confirm you should really wear shoes 👟 👟
When I was a kid I remember my mom scolding me for running around my grandma's house barefoot. My grandma never saw the issue with it. For her, it was natural for kids to be like that.
Maybe this explains my high arches, I was barefoot at every opportunity when I was a kid! Even up through my teenage years, I preferred being barefoot outside.
I've had a preference for being barefoot all my life, even into adulthood. If I'm not wearing flipflops, I'm barefoot (unless the weather is really bad) I've also hated socks ever since I was born! My mom would put a pair of socks on me and I'd immediately kick them off. The only type of socks that I can tolerate (and even say that I like) are yoga socks, which are open at the top and have the toes exposed. My feet have also never smelled bad unless I was forced to wear sneakers or any other type of close-toed shoes. It also helps that I'm VERY meticulous about my footcare 😂 I'm turning 30 next year and the only issue I've had that was somewhat foot-related was a twisted ankle, which healed pretty quickly!
I had athletes foot once as a kid because I was wearing rubber boots all the time. It might have actually been my Crocs boots, because they had the wider toe box I loved, but no airflow. It's so hard to find waterproof barefoot shoes, but so far a pair of Xero Shoes boots I washed in waterproof treatment is doing the job okay. In summer I'm fine, but rain and snow are not ideal for wearing minimal or separate toe shoes.
@@joylox water proof treating and rubber is bad for airflow which can lead to problems like that. also not everywhere gets cold winters so I don’t ever have a need for insulation.
Shoes absolutely wreck your feet. We really need to go barefoot a LOT more, and reduce shoe use as much as possible. Especially as children. Going barefoot makes your feet a LOT stronger, and lets you run and walk over nearly anything. It made me TWICE as fast at running. The "short term stress" thing is purely because of that 'hasty transition'. Habitual barefoot people don't get that. Or most foot problems.
When I'm at home, I'm entirely barefoot. Even outside gardening, there's something therapeutic with being able to feel the ground. I'll wear shoes for protection when needed (ex, mowing the lawn) but otherwise, these toes are seeing sun.
I've been using barefoot / minimalist shoes almost exclusively for the last 8-9 months or so. They were uncomfortable at first, but once I got used to wearing them for a few hours a day while just walking around, I started using them to go for walks and jogs. I've been trying not to 'placebo' myself, but they do seem to have strengthened some lacking muscles in my feet.
Its no placebo here my toes used to be shaped like / \ now theyre shaped like \ / i switched to barefoot shoes because my pinky toes were feeling numb.
Just what I needed to hear after getting weird looks from other parents at the playground while my barefoot preschoolers were using their grippy bare feet to climb up the slides.
Happy to read this! My son is usually barefoot on the playground, and other kids see that and take off their shoes, then their mothers insist on putting their kids' shoes back on. I'm just like, why? Clearly there is no danger for kids to be barefoot, and there are so many benefits!!
I would’ve liked a comparison of non-movement injury risk vs barefoot reward. Like running and landing on a sharp rock or even things like acorn tops. Or considerations like public barefootness in places the movie theaters and gas stations. This seems really understudied past the development of the foot arch. And even then- how much barefoot time do kids need to develop healthy arches and foot muscles?
Shoes also add a crucial layer of protection against injuries resulting from road rash, thorned plants, rusted nails, broken glass and in some places, even parasites. It would be a lot safer to go barefoot on a treadmill or a carpeted floor than say, a thick brush forest or a construction site for example. Also, here in Canada, half the year the ground is covered in half a meter of snow. Walking barefoot in THAT is a great way to get frostbite.
I lived in a rural town with dirt streets and very few sidewalks. Some sidewalks were wood. I sent the girls to the grocery store barefoot many times. Got into Divorce Court and I found out I was ABUSING my children by letting them run around without shoes. So who's right, Sci Show, or my psycho ex and her Minneapolis Lawyer?
People will cry abuse at the most ridiculous things. Then when actual abuse happens, they'll cower off and say its none of their business. Child runs around without shoes? Abuse. Child walks in rain without an umbrella? God forbid they melt or something, abuse! Child smells like they haven't bathed in 2 months, is covered in rashes, and is emotionally unstable? Kids these days act so helpless and sensitive, they're probably fine!
I grew up playing barefoot and with sandals. I've always notice my toes have good spread and I need wider shoes. Meanwhile my peers have their pink toes squeezed into or under their feet/ toes. I'd like to see this being addressed because I think too many people wear shoes way too narrow
My feet are really arched and now I know why. I grew up in the suburbs but didn't wear shoes when I didn't have to and mostly wore flip flops to school even in winter. Free the foot! 👣 Edit: hmm or maybe it's partly genetic after reading some comments of people with flat feet regardless
Footballers and cricketers use shoes and that to with spikes when they can play barefoot, barefoot is fine if it's soft grass or beach/river sand not hard or jagged surface.
Vibram's Five Fingers FTW! I only wish that somebody could make a similar style shoe but higher quality, more durable, and waterproof. Vibram's essentially has a monopoly in this specific category of shoes. Without competition there is less incentive to improve. Having some with differently size toe pockets would be nice too. The four lesser toes are made longer for people with gross feet. I have short stubby toes that don't fit too will in their pockets. But I still love them. I've had them since the end of high school, or for 14 years. Before that I largely walked barefoot whenever I could. I hated regular shoes that would cram in all the toes and restrict their movement. When I found Vibrams it was like a dream come true. They were everything I wanted in a shoe.
I had to wear shoes as a young child. I was born with crooked legs and needed orthopedic shoes with weird sole things. After that, at age six I started practicing Tae Kwon Do. Barefoot of course. I haven't stopped and I'm almost 40 💜
It has been proven that flat feet or not flat feet has nothing to do with the healthiness of the feet. It is simply a variation like differently formed ear lobes.
Growing up in Australia I only wore shoes to school and then later to work when I got a job. Perfectly socially acceptable to run errands go shopping etc. In bare feet.
Late Spring to Early Fall is usually still warm enough for barefoot unless you are up North a ways, so most of us get about 1/3 of the year to enjoy it. 🇨🇦
I find it hard with snow too. But I got a pair of boots from Xero Shoes, and soaked them in waterproof treatment I found at the fabric store, and so far so good as long as it's not slush. Although I'm also one of those weird people who wears 5 toe shoes, and the Vibram Trek Ascent is the single best shoe I've ever tried for walking on solid ice. Unfortunately they do get wet if I walk in snow, so that's not good. Even after I switched to barefoot shoes, the two things I can't replace are my giant Timberland snow boots, and my Canadian made rubber boots.
0:15 a fuzzy pair of slipper 0:18 flip-flops 0:30 non-shoe wearer 0:36 footwear see (someone or something) in a new light 1:13 robust 1:44 spring 1:51 get flat feet 1:53 arch 2:03 toddler 2:15 pediatrician 2:21 flat-footed children 2:50 city slicker 3:03 have fallen arches Wear closed-toed shoes 3:10 pinpoint 3:20 au naturel 3:24 ditch sth 3:26 clear -cut 3:28 a contingent of 3:41 elevated and cushioned heels 3:52 land on the ball of your foot 3:57 ankle Spring 4:10 gait 4:14 totally risk-free 4:20 body mass 4:24 foot edema 4:27 tissue 4:33 swell up A whole bunch 4:34 hasty transition to running 4:44 puff up 4:53 curb
Your feet aren't reptiles, they don't stop growing because they're in a tiny cage. Your dad deserves a clip round the ear because that could be taken as child abuse
Pulled a little rock out of the sole of my shoe yesterday that was the shape of an axe head but smaller than a thumbtack. Would have 100% been an ER visit for bare feet. This kind of thing happens a lot. Bare feet simply aren’t even close to an option anywhere I’ve ever lived. And whether they should be is a whole separate debate, but I’m not even going to wonder about it as things are.
Nothing is my favourite thing to have on my feet. On holidays at the cost of Wales, I've basically spent the whole week bar foot, walking down the road to the beach, on the beach, over the cliffs. And I love it.
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0:47 years of age has 😅😮
All I know is that stepping on gravel barefoot sucks, walking on hot asphalt or concrete barefoot sucks, walking across grass and stepping on one of those prickle plants barefoot sucks.
All of which can be avoided with a simple pair of shoes.
i also will say that for non runners, walking in a manner where you land on the toes of your foot and slowly apply pressure to the rest of your foot is just far more stable than landing on the balls of your feet which means if you have issues balancing, learning to do what many japense swordsman learn as a basic honestly is probably the best call and speaking from my own experience, despite having a weak left ankle from repeated strains, i have only twisted my ankle once even while only wearing sandals whenever i do go outside with its been about 3 years since than.
Surprised you didn't cover the toebox problem most modern day shoes have that end up squeezing the feet (just like ballerina slippers), causing their own sorts of health problems like bunions.
same, it definitely causes problems like disfigurement, mortons neuroma, ingrown nails, etc…
That's why I switched. First of all, I'm weird in that I can't stand my toes touching each other when they get sweaty. So in the mid 2000s when Crocs became popular and I was in elementary school, all I'd wear was Crocs. They had holes so the air would help me be less sweaty, and they were much wider than anything I'd seen. I even had the boots without holes because rubber boots were heavy and squished my toes. Then one day in high school, I came home and found my mom had a surprise for me. Vibram Bikila, the first pair of toe shoes I tried. I had seen them because someone I went to summer camp with had them, but I wasn't expecting to like them so much! I've always loved toe socks and had ones with Disney characters on them as a kid, but having shoes that would fit the extra width without feeling squished was great! I now wear barefoot style shoes as much as possible, the only things I have that aren't wider, are snow boots, and rubber boots, because those are necessities in Canada, and I haven't found a better option.
@@joylox It’s not weird to not like that feeling, it can actually lead to infection if there is too much friction between skin in a damp, warm environment. Yes toe socks are a great solution, I like softstar shoes, they have some good minimalistic shoes. The problem with water proof shoes is that it sacrifices on breathability which is more important imo.
i worked in a nursing home. some of those poor womens feet. toes all squished together. i never wear shoes at home. sandals when i go out. you never know what you'll walk into around here.
I grew up like most modern Americans, feet tightly ensconced in shoes most of the time. Around the age of 30, I bought a pair of trek sandals with a toe loop before spending a year in SE Asia. They hurt like hell at first, but they totally reshaped my feet - big toes straightened, foot widened. Only problem is now searching for EEE shoes to accommodate my reformed feet.
Grew up on a native reservation, my parents worked their butts off all summer for us to have shoes during school and for boots during winter. Summer time was bare feet and cheap flip flops and we also do not wear shoes in the house (its disrespectful). I was always embarrassed for not wearing closed toe shoes during the summer and finding this out makes me feel better knowing that helped my family have healthier lives. That's awesome to know, thanks for the video!
Wearing shoes inside is disrespectful where I live as well (Sweden, but the same holds true for most of the northern world). I don't wear socks at home either since I have no problem with cold floors.
Dude what, down south EVERY kid was barefoot, by choice, during the summer lol Its unfortunate you felt embarrassed, cuz when I was a kid we all took our shoes off to run faster and would get screamed at about catching ringworm 😂
@@GlorifiedGremlin Yeah I'm from the north and flip flops was standard footwear in the 90's early 2000's growing up. Idk anyone who wanted to wear tennis shoes in the heat and humidity!
I purposely avoided wearing shoes as much as I could as a child, too. I didn't like wearing "foot coffins" at all.
Credit to Xero Shoes for the term, "foot coffins".
Eh, it's okay, sandals and flipflops feel very good in summer heat. In fact, at my own house when I go outside, I usually go barefoot. I rarely use shoes in my yard. Maybe on the 4th of July or if we're working. Whenever I leave the house, unless I'm running (in which case I have running shoes) I just have flipflops.
Concrete also plays a large factor. Pavement is BRUTAL. I grew up rural and ditched my shoes whenever it was safe to do so - including woods hiking and tree climbing - and have only had issues with my feet now in my mid-thirties, citybound, walking and exercising on concrete more often than not.
Im a rural kid and shoes are only worn when going out some where i have to wear shoes and in winter but i dont even do slippers in the house in winter
Silly question, have you gone bare foot in town ?
I only ask because when i was a kid staying with family over the hoildays in town , id still go bare foot as much as possible, i hate shoes as a rule because i have little broad feet but still got the arches a bellet dancer would kill for and getting correct fitting shoes is still hard to this day .
But no matter if its concrete or a lose stone path that would have most people hopping , i take in my stride as its that ball of your foot and the way you instinctively kind of just relax your feet to spread out the weight is the important part .
Im 49 years old now and i can walk bare foot anywhere, even hot roads in summer, you just have to get the first serring of your feet out of the way and your all good ... lol
The running joke in my family as im part austrailan aboriginal but im very white passing compared to the rest of my family .
Well the joke is , my feet are the most aboriginal feet in the family , all my cousins may be darker than me but you want to see them city slickers sook like white fellas walking across gravel.. lol
Kick them shoes off as much as posable, you dont use it , you lose it ... take ut from the barefoot old lady 👍
I think most kids remember accidentally dragging their toe along the concrete while running barefoot once or twice lmao That's a lesson you don't soon forget
Funny thing is, I found walking in the city painful in 'normal' shoes from brands like Adidas and Puma, but when I switched to barefoot, it was fine. Just before that, I'd had a pair of Campers, which I thought were _nearly_ barefoot, and my feet hurt especially in those after a lot of city walking, so I briefly thought that 'proved' barefoot was no good on concrete. Nope. Those shoes still had heel elevation and a less flexible sole.
Barefoot shoes with the insole in, especially, I find way more comfortable than regular sneakers. It's sort of the feeling I was looking for from them all along.
@@JadedGenXer But aboriginal ppl never wore footwear before the the " white fella ' came?
Agreed. Tree climbing simply can't be done well with shoes on. Bare feet can grip and contour to the surface of the branches. Trying to climb trees with shoes on is like trying to type with leather mittens on.
not wearing shoes is so nice, it pisses me off so much when people see me with no shoes and act like it's gross, like oh no my feet have dirt on them, meanwhile your feet are covered and marinated in more and more sweat and bacteria every step you take in socks and shoes
You cannot underestimate the protection that shoes offer to our feet.
As a child coming from a poorer country, I had worms in my stomach that enter the body from the heels.
really!? damn
Damn
And those worms can be treated and later on your foot hardens to wear that's not a problem
Worms are treatable but you know what's not, the protective layering of synovial fluid and other stuff between your joints that wears as you get older and never gets better
I mostly walked barefoot on gravel so maybe thats why i never had to deal eith unwanted passengers
For those of you who are inspired and are looking at barefoot or minimalist running, please be sure to take it slow in adjusting. A whole lot of people during the barefoot craze injured themselves needlessly by going straight from heel striking in well-padded foam shoes to a shoe with almost no impact dampening.
Swapping slowly will let your feet strengthen, your stride change to a more natural gait, and you to mentally adjust to the sensation of less padding.
For me personally going to zero drop and/or minimalist/barefoot shoes solved my shin-splints issues and improved my running endurance, but if I had dove straight in I would absolutely have injured myself.
Walk before you run!
running barefoot without letting my heels touch the ground is actually really comfortable. almost all the impact gets absorbed smoothly.
I made the switch straight away and completely to barefoot shoes but this still doesn't stop me from heel striking 🤷🏼. Even though I was mostly barefoot as a child I simply cannot land on my midfoot, my brain and body just don't compute that as normal.
@@joking2052 Try shortening your stride or running at a faster pace. A lot of guys I knew who heel-struck were taking really long strides while running. If you try to match your pace to where your body is directly above your feet when you land with knees super slightly bent, you'll almost always land flat/forefoot.
It's worth the effort, though. My ankle pain went away the very day I switched to forefoot-strike, and then I could run in work boots on asphalt. (Not advising that, but it was an experiment that worked for me.)
As a kid, I always ran around barefoot, despite my parents wanting me to wear shoes. I feel happy to know I helped to develop my feet muscles. Eventually, it even got to the point where I could practically run on rocks with little to no pain at all.
same but I got unlimited stamina cheat
@@thefirstsin huge miss ❌
I wish I could go out barefoot, but being autistic and some other things I never really did so my feet have it when I try to walk on gravel or even dry grass.
Oh well
Not just the muscles, the whole architecture (bones, tendons, ligaments) 💟
Same by the time I got to high school I had one quarter inch calluses lol
As a Brazilian (that doesn’t live in São Paulo) I can confirm that almost everyone grows up barefoot or in flip flops
I grew up in the United States and barely wore shoes all summer long!
Even in São Paulo we largely use flip flops, especially at home, where 99% os us is either on flip flops or barefoot.
Heck, I even do groceries with flip flops, after all, weather here is not kind with closed shoes.
@@durrwooddude same. I am 64.
Same here. Although now i am trying to think of any occasion that I ever wanted to fall on the ball of my foot first unless I wasn't sneaking in or trying to do precise jumps
Ditto. Grew up in South Africa.
i went to school in New Zealand and half the kids had no shoes and we were allowed to climb trees. I just assumed everyone was broke but I think the teachers were pretty wise
As an adult, I started training (weightlifting, running, calisthenics, crossfit, etc) only barefoot, and I can say it was a game changer. It's been one year since my lower back, shin or knee don't complain after training. My foot arch is stronger and my toes spread out to the point where I find uncomfortable to walk with sneakers, there is no going back hahaha 😅
Gotta look up softstar shoes man, for when you gotta go outside its the best choice in my opinion of the barefoot shoes on the market
xero shoes! ive been buying for years, best sneaker type barefoot shoes imo
You can achieve the same with shoes. Consciously redistribute most of your weight to your forefeet. People just get lazy because their feet are padded in shoes.
I think moccasins are a happy medium here. In urban areas it can be genuinely dangerous to walk around completely barefoot, cracked and broken concrete and the occasional broken glass. You want something sturdy between your feet and the ground, but moccasins don't have much cushioning, so they probably won't impair arch formation. We actually used to do that with kids in the US back in the 1800s, since they were cheaper than proper boots, and kids grow so quickly that getting them moccasins that could accommodate some amount of growth was just the most efficient choice.
For nhe longest time all shoes were like moccasins, basically leather socks with no sole. You can see them in medieval tapestries too, along with toe walking
and when I was a kid, it was the infant combat boots that were just going back out of fashion. sometimes I wonder if part of the reason they became fashionable is because it was easier to manufacture them with the manufacturing technology of the time.
I don't understand how broken concrete is a problem. Glass can be yes, so clean it up! I don't get the concrete as an issue though, it's just good foot toughening material
@@mehere8038just dont kick the broken concrete. I broke my toe that way.
In New Zealand, being barefoot most of the time is the norm, especially when it comes to children, and especially in summer, when many people even go shopping, etc, in barefeet. Wearing shoes most of the time, especially when in your own home, is somewhat strange to us.
It's illegal in most places in the US to enter a store barefoot. They don't want to to step on broken glass or something and get hurt. You can't walk into a place shirtless either. "No shirt, no shoes, no service".
@@PhantomQueenOne I guess that's what comes of corporate accountability being litigation-based.
I go barefoot around the house and yard, but am definitely worried about picking up infected cuts from broken god-knows-what on the streets.
@@PhantomQueenOne That's the problem with having to be on alert for any situation that might involve someone getting sued. We have a no-fault, government-funded, compensation scheme that covers all kinds of situations involving injury, which negates the need to sue for compensation.
Bro. I literally only put on shoes when I wanna get into a bar or club
So basically Hobbits 😂
Feeling the ground barefoot is like a whole extra sense that so many people give up. I go barefoot whenever I can
I agree with that, perhaps the feeling in feet has become strange for people too. I like the feeling of grass between my toes and running in soft earth, but a lot of people don’t
When I was in college, one of the buildings had a portion built over a driveway. When walking along the hallway above that, I really enjoyed the difference in sensation (basically temperature) as my path transitioned from walking over offices to walking over the driveway portion. Yes, I generally went to class barefoot.
Found Toph
I’d rather be barefoot too
Minimalist sandals are the best of both worlds. I can't wear anything else now!
I am 14 and I switched to barefoot about 4 months ago, though it feels like a year. I used to have flat feet and very very outward facing feet as a result. Now when I walk I I have a proper gait and arches as well as a good spring in my ankle. My ankle problems have gone away, and I feel like it may have been better than physical therapy for me because it was so easy to work on compared to a routine to do everyday. I must say though, don't switch to barefoot abruptly because your feet will be very sore. Also don't go barefoot in bathrooms, buildings, or really any place where you might think that there could be disease on the floor. I also rinse/wash my feet several times a day after I go outside.
This makes a lot of sense to me. I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, and wearing closed-toed shoes always has made my knees and hips hurt worse, even as a young kid. I would always insist on sandals or bare feet. I never really figured out why. This would explain a lot! The increased impact on my knees and hips from running heel-to-toe (as I was taught to do) would make those joints hurt more as they jostled around more. And when I walk quickly (I can't really run anymore because of hip instability) I always walk on the balls of my feet.
i have eds too! do you also find walking in heels (not a stiletto, just like a boot with a 1" heel or smth) MUCH more comfortable than flat shoes?
@@Kelly_C Yup! But anything with high arches makes me unable to walk at all. I can do heeled boots, but not Nikes
Hypermobility here, possible EDS. I'm with you on a lot of this. My foot wear was always high brand, because my feet couldn't deal with low quality shoes even as a kid. Pretty early in my teenhood, I started wearing heeled shoes, because those are formed in a way, that shifts weight on the front of the foot. I also usually went from winter shoes with a lot of interior stuffing to sandals. Canvas, sneaker, chucks - they were hell. I have so sensible feet, it''s ridiclious - additional to the sole thing my skin tears into blisters the moment there is a minimal pressure point made. I walked my feet bloody so many a time...
I also always have "a spring in my step" because heel-to-toe just feels wrong and beliefe me, when I say my family wanted to change to that healthy habit.
Now-a-days I do wear primarly one brand of sneakers, as they have arch-support and memory foam soles in combination to some flexible outerior material. Sadly my knees took a real hit during my compensating with "high"-heels phase in my teens. Still prefer heeled (2 to 4 cm) over a flat sole.
Always nice when a childhood thing finally makes sense!
I'm so sorry that you all have to deal with this. Mayo Clinic says it's rare...
*reading
Wow, it Sucks :(
I have EDS too and always tend to walk on the balls of my feet for that exact reason! I hated Nike and preferred skate shoes as a kid and teen. I mainly wear converse when wearing a sneaker but I don't love them either because if I run my hips start to hurt. Maybe I should give those barefoot shoes a try? Have you ever tried those?
I walked barefoot as a child and I tend to walk on my toes and much more deliberately than most because of it. I have noticed I tend to walk quieter and get hurt less often then most, that combined with the fact I spent most my free time in the woods and swamps near my home as a kid probably is part of why I walk a little funny and I have a habit of staring at the ground where I walk since that's important when running barefoot through the woods and across rocky terrain. I think its important for everyone to get some time to embrace their inner stone age person at least sometimes, we arent that different from cave people after all we just think we are all civilized or whatever.
I was raised the same way. An because I am so quiet on my feet I have been gifted many bells A’s joke gifts; best was a cow bell from my parents.
Great to know I'm not the only weirdo, lol.
We only wear non-sandal shoes because of Northern Europeans, whose feet would freeze barefoot. Pretty much every ancient civilisation wore sandals and “uncivilised” people went barefooted
I didn’t have shoes in the summer when I was a kid. I find I walk on my toes too.
I tend to walk pretty quietly around the house as well because of that, too, so my fiancé nicknamed me "the cat", lol
Being able to not walking heel first to the ground all the time has also proven to be a lot better when jumping or landing after a jump. (I found it quite impressive as I used to weigh a lot more and you could barely hear me land back on the ground. Having a good muscle tone in your legs and feet really helps - also it minimizes the risk of injuries.)
If someone should decide to start barefoot running, start very very easy on very short distances and increase slowly as if you start running for the first time... even if you already are running marathons or more. Your tendons and muscles are not used to the new landing style. I tried that already for you and it ended in a 6 weeks injury ;). Listen to your body, if it hurts you are probably landing the wrong way. Try to change something and don't think it is because you don't have build up enough cornea or something. Sure in the beginning it will feel weird and some surfaces do hurt like very large grained pavement with sharp edges. Try a smooth concrete sidewalk, it shouldnt hurt at all.
my recommendation is to stroll and walk. you can choose this over running. your freer will become strong from walking too
I've been trying to learn the difference between bad pain and good pain. Sometimes the body is trying to tell you something, sometimes it's just having a gripe about having to do some work. Good pain is usually dull and diffuse. Bad pain is usually sharp and intense. In my experience, at least.
Even as someone who has walked around barefoot as much as socially acceptable, the first couple of times I ran with zero drop shoes, my ankles were notably sore for a few weeks
Ditto. I bruised the entire back of my calves after switching to running on my toes. Slow and short distances are a must if switching foot landing zones.
@@Alex-bl6oi well i wouldn't recommend running really far towards your toes lol, I had that issue and it wasn't great(was pointed out by my running groups), it should be the whole ball of the foot, rather than 'on your toes' if you will.
and I've been reprimanded for not landing on my heels when running or walking, turns out that's what supposed to naturally happen if it weren't for shoes anyway.
Walking heel first is a very natural thing to do. It's really running or jogging where it's an issue.
Heelstriking is faster, but palm striking is more efficient, and safe.
@@CoryPchajek I had an injury that required me to relearn to walk when I was a teenager. I was trained to walk heel first by the doctors and yes my friends tell me they always know when I'm coming because they can hear the thump. I also have foot issues that require orthotics now, unsure if those things are related.
@@unknownhours It's normal for your heel to touch down about the same time as the side of your foot, but punching the ground with your heel with every step is not normal. Look at a regular shoe - the heel is raised, so when you put your foot down your foot's natural position is going to push that raised heel into the ground first. Without the raised heel, your foot's actual position wouldn't change much, but your step would be different, and more of your foot would hit the ground at the same time. It's all classic physics.
I've been told my whole life that I walk weirdly (on my toes) so it makes so much more sense now knowing that it could be related to how I spend most of the day, every day barefoot.
There's a growing amount of companies making minimalist shoes with large toe boxes. These let your feet move quite a bit more like they would if you were barefoot, while still protecting you from all the sharp/harsh/abrasive hazards of being barefoot.
Even so, it's better to spend more time actually barefoot if you can. Your feet do get stronger & adapt to harsh ground so they aren't damaged.
I came from a rural area in South Africa and never wore shoes except for school until I started working. After teaching in Korea for 6 months I went barefoot when Spring came around. It was an amazing feeling. I hadn't realised how much I missed it
Both of those countries have parasitic worms in the soil that can burrow into your bloodstream through bare feet.
I enjoy taking walks around my large apartment complex barefoot. The connection between feet and earth is so refreshing. I walk on concrete, dirt, gravel, even mud sometimes. It just feels GOOD. People look at me weird sometimes but I don't care. I have hurt my feet before walking in sharp stones or whatnot, but mostly it works out ok.
It's great to see Rose again! She's got a busy life, involved in many projects, but she takes time to do Sci Show videos. Yay Rose!
I think it's worth noting that shoes are also protection for your feet against puncture wounds and such from rough terrain. Wearing shoes less often may be beneficial, but there is still a place for shoes as foot armour against random debris on the ground.
But your feet get tougher over time, so too much protection makes your feet weaker.
@@austinhernandez2716 Surely, what you say is true! However, I think no amount of skin toughness is going to protect you from standing on an upright nail or broken glass, snake fangs or other puncture hazards. Which is why shoes are important, at least in certain contexts. Using shoes less to make our feet tougher is good, as long as we're doing it in the right circumstances.
Use your eyes to not walk on glass, nails, dog poop...
@@cloudytea3121 Sorry, this is a dumb response. Saying "use your eyes" is not a real way to manage the risk of foot injury. People make mistakes, they will still accidentally step on harmful things even if they are generally careful and observant. That's why we have crumple zones in cars, seat belts, bike helmets, Personal Protective Equipment, etc. When hazards are present, mistakes will happen. Plus, foot hazards are often hidden under grass or other ground cover, such as the infamous snek.
@@liamcullen3035 minimalist foot wear. Aka flipflops, sandals, and many more
Many people live in areas where broken glass and other sharp objects make going barefoot risky. There are also parasites, mostly in the tropics, which can drill through the skin of feet.
Barefoot walking and running is obviously good in many ways, but it also has its risks.
If you're just starting to walk barefoot, a sandy beach is a nice place to go! You have the cushion of sand and can move from the tideline (Densely packed sand by the water) up to the shoreline (Sand that is looser) It is also easier to see hazards to your feet (Generally) You'll still need to build ankle strength, that said. Be gentle and patient with yourself!
Have you ever gone to a beach in a southern nation in summer?
The sole of your feet will burn off trying to get around.
@@FutureChaosTV That's why you go at dawn or dusk, or when it's lightly raining! It also means you get the whole beach to yourself, muhuahhaha
Barefoot or minimalist shoes have damn near changed my life. It's unfortunate that it wasn't mentioned in the video but, this type of foot wear can be more comfortable than a standard shoe. I noticed an immediate difference after the first day of wearing them. I can't understate how awesome barefoot shoes feel. Literally try it for the meme of it and you won't regret it.
They are the most comfortable shoe because it feels like you have no shoes on. The feel of needing to take your shoes off when arriving home doesn't exist here because they are not constraining your feet.
The problem is that it is like doing exercise, you know that you are going to feel better if you do it, but it takes effort and knowledge on how to correctly transition.
Yeah, I got into them because I was developing foot pain and realised my toes were constricted. After one day in them I tried putting on an old pair of traditional sneakers. I realised right away I never wanted to wear such things again. And after about two weeks in my barefoot shoes, all my foot pain went away.
Agreed. I've been wearing minimalist "toe shoes" for over a decade. I live in Canada, so climate dictates the need to don proper winter boots every now and then (I'm on Vancouver Island, on the west coast with the mildest winters in Canada). Anytime I need to wear conventional footwear, I cringe. Barefoot shoes are so liberating; and the groundfeel is unparalleled. Added bonus - barefoot shoes can be laundered.
@@jasonarthurs3885 Do none of the many barefoot boots work for you? Some of them are very sturdy,, warm, water-proof or water-resistant, and have good treads.
Theyre the perfect solution
Theyre great for your feet because of how little invasive they are but you still get the protection of shoes
if you’re raising them above your head just make sure they don’t squirm around or you’ll drop them.
@@UndulatingOlive it’s a pun. Raising kids … raising
You win the dad joke for today
@@J.T...It's a pun. Raising kids... raising
@@J.T...why do u care if someone explains jokes? Sounds gatekeep-ey and toxic
@@FastSickle explaining the joke just ruins the joke.
My dad forced me to wear "wide" sized shoes growing up, and really they just gave me plenty of room to grow and my bones and muscles didn't get squished by shoes that were always too tight as my feet grew.
Yeah, I actively despised wearing the shoe sizes i was "supposed" to wear. It always felt like whatever i was measured at was compressing my feet and toes, and it was really overstimulating and uncomfortable for me. I can wear flip flops in what's supposed to be my size, but to this day, my everyday shoes i refuse to even purchase it's not at *least* a half size up and wide, or a full size up if I can't find a wide. I also learned how to run and walk in shoe sizes I was honestly swimming in, because i would steal my brother's never used ones just cause i liked boy's styles more, and honestly, i would still choose to continue doing that over snug shoes if I had to pick.
After I started running barefoot, the pain in my hips and knees disappeared. Barefoot running requires a shorter stride and this modification forced me into a healthier running style. With Five Finger shoes for trail running, I also saw surprising benefits. It also reduces my T2 transition time for triathlons as I skip putting on shoes and socks.
When I was a kid, most of us went barefoot the entire summer. Even some stores didn't care if you went barefoot inside. Always hated when school started and I had to scrunch my feet into shoes again.
Did you or your friends get worms because of this?
@@derp7738 HaHa! Nope! I think that is more common when around farm animals.
@@derp7738 hygiene and using a toilet .. not going under a bush 💀
Babysitting young ones and seeing them refuse to wear shoes always made me curious about this! Even as an adult I feel more confortable without shoes most days 😌
Clothes are a concept & social structure. It's learned...like many had to do when seatbelts became required. You get used to it. Lots of little ones LOVE to run around without a stitch on lol
@echognomecal6742 you get used to the tight fit and sometimes pain yea but it's still there (shoes specifically), in the shoe industry they've prioritised looks over shaping them like our feet, trainers like nike are an obvious example and so on. Haven't found any barefoot or wide toebox shoes for children unfortunately but I probably haven't searched enough
@echognomecal6742 actually there are groups of people that learn to tolerate said shoes, but some people just never really like/love them. Year round unless it's raining or freezing outside I'd rather wear flip-flops than shoes. As a kid I would sneak outside and run around in the streets barefooted with my sister.
Overall other people as well as myself don't like it and yes I hate social structures/concepts. As a kid I was upset when I had to wear a shirt because I was maturing yet my brother's could continue to be shirtless (yes I still think this social concept is stupid).
Yees this all makes sense! Walking barefoot or just something like sandals feels more natural 👌🏽
@@houndgirl7365 Yup. LOTS of social structures & such are nonsense, absolutely! :)
Diversity is a good thing...& happily, it looks like we're going in the right direction with that.
I highly recommend the book on "bad running shoes" topic: *Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen*
In this book, it goes into how arch support, and memory foam, hurt your feet. People that run really long distances either run barefoot, or with very minimal footwear.
Yes! This is an amazingly written book.
Let's not forget about the danger of stepping on sharp objects or getting fungal infections when running or walking barefoot.
That being said, after moving to Brazil in my late twenties, I started wearing flip-flops constantly (as is the custom here) and it's made a significant change (mostly positive) in my walking and running. Honestly, I don't really like wearing soft shoes anymore.
Yep that’s why barefoot shoes are great. They offer protection and warmth (in winter) while also making you feel like you are walking barefoot.
I started wearing birkenstocks for orthopedic reasons and I've never gone back. I despise closed toe shoes
Thicker soles stop you from getting injured so easily. Gungal infections come as a result of sweaty, warm, and close up shoes.
I definitely argree, the soles on birkenstocks and most sandals I prefer are around 1/2 inch ish (probably a little more) and that's saved my feet more than once, glass, nails, anything sharp, and you'll thank the thick soles @@kroneexe
Habitually barefoot people can walk over broken glass and sharp rocks without harm. Fungal infections are caused by shoes. You simply don't get them in habitually barefoot cultures. It's the sweat soup of bacteria in your shoe that does it. It's an ideal breeding ground.
I've got fallen arches/flat feet, despite being Australian, which means I was bare foot until starting school & from then on, only in shoes while at school & barefoot the rest of the time, so it's not foolproof.
Quite normal in much of Australia for people to be barefoot while not at work/school, whether it's supermarket shopping or hanging out at home or whatever - exception being in the heat of summer, when the ground is so hot that roads literally melt. In those situations we tend to wear thongs (unless there's a garden hose handy that we can use to spray cool each spot in the concrete before stepping onto it).
A girl at my school btw, who was competing internationally in athletics, was forced to wear shoes to run in a school sports carnival & suffered stress fractures from doing so. School got a pretty severe mauling from the press over that, who pointed out that even the Olympics didn't require the wearing of shoes, so it wasn't appropriate they did
Being out at sea a lot as a kid, it wasn't practical to always have shoes, in fact, most of the time it was more of a burden as you had to worry about getting the shoes wet. Walking, running and especially jumping barefoot is also just so much more precise because you have that tactile aspect. I have a well defined arch, thought it felt weird, good to know it's a positive sign. My mother always used to say that it is healthy to at least spend some of the time during summer barefoot, seems like she'll love this video.
Get well soon Hank ❤️
Ya man. U know too? Poor guy got cancer. Was devastated when I saw his vlog channel.
Cancer. So sad
I've been a fan of going barefoot forever! When I was a kid, I went barefoot as much as my mom would let me, and as an adult I NEVER wear shoes at home and sometimes outside. After watching this video, I think I may understand why I tend to land on the ball of my foot when I'm walking. And I prefer shoes with as thin a sole as possible and no heel. Thanks for explaining the benefits of barefooting!
Try barefoot shoes for outside the house activities, you will thank me
@@ArawnOfAnnwn Also nothing separating your feet from glass, needles, or other nasties you'll find randomly in city fields or streets.
@@ArawnOfAnnwn The barefoot shoes I've seen don't seem to be too much like socks. Do you have particular socks in mind that someone could consider that would perform similarly?
I wear swim shoes a lot because they have very thin soles with absolutely no heel. They aren't very expensive, so they fit my budget. If my feet are cold indoors, I wear slippers that I've crocheted
@@Reepecheep If you're used to walking barefoot outside on hard ground, glass shards and stuff isn't as dangerous as it seems if. You'll develop a thick sole to the point that if there's something that's actually dangerous it's going to hurt you even if you wear thin shoes. Though I still wouldn't recommend it, since the risk is still higher than using hard-soled shoes.
I'd be interested in a video about the concerns around flatworms and other parasites for kids running around barefoot (ie. are they overblown or reasonable)... especially for those of us who raise chickens or other animals in our backyards.
I got ringworm on my feet because I went into the coop barefoot.
@@megmcguireme Thanks for pointing that out. Luckily ringworm is relatively easy to identify and treat.
Its overblown for most people but it a real concern on farms.
Thankgod barefoot shoes exist and give most benefits of being barefoot while also protecting your feet.
Highly dependent on what part of the country/world you're in as well. But yeah, anywhere around livestock is going to have a lot more parasites.
Not saying this as an "uhm akshully", and I recognize this is entirely anecdotal, but I grew up without wearing shoes on our chicken farm. I went inside the coop all the time, I got a lot of splinters but not really any parasites. Was I just... really lucky?
Much to my mother's annoyance, I grew up barefoot. I had shoes, I just hated them. I'm 57 now and still spend all indoor time barefoot (except in other people's houses. Though my kids don't mind. I let them choose what they wanted when they were growing up). As a kid, during the warmer and dryer weather, I'd try to escape the house without shoes (in the UK - it was on typically paved paths; hardly soft, warm ground!) My third child (adult...) is as bad as me for hating shoes!
I am a tip toe walker, always have been, my calves are huge due to it and a lot of biking. My toes are more spread out than others. My only warning is that stretching the calf is important, I haven't and am paying for it as of now, and currently working on more flexibility in the opposite direction
The big toe, ball of foot, and heel are meant to form a straight line naturally. Good on you for keeping that alignment
I will caution; I switched to zero drop shoes, and within 6 months got achilles tendinitis. If you want to adjust to bare feet, go slow and be very careful about how you're working your muscles and tendons
Seriously. This is a big change, take it slowly!
Ironically I used to have plantar fasciitis after I started my internship as a doctor
Turns out as someone raised in Asia (Arabian, not Asian) I am not used to my foot squished in a shoe all day
Because from age 0 to 25 my shoes are limited to school and college, where I am mostly sitting “ and of course occasions like visiting someone, holidays or weddings”
While in the hospital I need to walk and walk and walk in those shoes so as someone who been barefooted my entire life I found myself squishing and crushing my foot inside those shoes so that give me a PF that didn’t heal until I switch to barefoot shoes.
Since the first day I put them in they felt so right. Didn’t have feet pain ever since
If I wear any height heel at all, my knees get very sad. And if my knees get sad, it's not long after that my hips get sad. To the point of debilitating pain. So I wear zero-drop or barefoot style shoes everywhere and for everything now. Going barefoot at home or wearing barefoot style shoes has not restored the arches in my feet - they are still VERY flat - but I feel so much better. In fact, I've avoided plantar fasciitis returning, and all my joints love it! I'm in my 50's and barefoot / zero drop shoes are a key part of my strategies to avoid the knee replacement surgeries that my mom had in her 60's.
*All the barefoot shoes people emerge from the shadows, snapping rhythmically*
As someone with calluses on her feet from being used to walking around barefoot, I would like to point out that also in this case, you should look for a healthy middle ground. Not too little and not too much. Calluses can develop such sharp edges that you may end up hurting yourself or others or you may even cause tears in fabric touching your feet 'cus they grow so rough. Take care of yourself, y'all. :)
In high school I had a friend who had foot issues, even tho she only weighed about 95 pounds. She wore shoes ALL THE TIME she was awake; sneakers laced all the way up. I went barefoot or sockfoot any chance I got and at 54 still don't have much foot trouble.
My mom would yell at us if we went out without shoes if we had socks still on.
“ if you’re going outside either put shoes on or take your socks off” she didn’t want to have to by new socks all the time.
Even socks are bad, if you have a slippery floor you will use your foot muscles and placement totally different 💟
I wear my shoes to sleep so… yikes
@@eSKAone- but then how would you slide across the hardwood floors?
@@ecospider5valid reasoning. I ruined a nice pair of socks this past winter thanks to not bothering with shoes on my concrete basement floor. Fixed the issue by tiling said floor.
I've often wondered how they came up with the idea to put arches in shoes. Here we've evolved for millions of years, and all of a sudden we need arch supports. It's a little like putting your arm in a cast BEFORE it gets broken. If you prop up something weak, it only gets weaker.
I've been bothered by this too, but decided we have to adapt to our technology and that going full Unabomber "Back to Monke" about it simply isn't feasible. The damage is done, it's too late to reverse it, the best we can do is find the happy mediums between extremes
@@DavyCDiamondback I'm old , and I thought like that too. Then I developed serious circulation problems in one foot, largely due to pressure on a blood vessel by the large bunion that had formed because of a lifetime of wearing narrow toebox shoes. I didn't have much choice - I switched to wide toebox, zero drop heel (flat soled) shoes, to give my toes room to spread and improve the circulation at that spot,, and have done exercises to help strengthen my feet and ankles. It is working - I can walk again (the pain the bad circulation caused made that very difficult), and my feet have strengthened enough to be comfortable wearing minimalist shoes, finally. It has taken nearly 6 months, but now I'm through it, I'm glad I did. I didn't think my feet could change as much as they have - I even have some arches in my feet now.
I have naturally extremely high arches. Also flat feet is not natural and causes health problems. As they detail in this video. I can't walk long times without arch support, never have. not every foot is the same.
Yeah shoes were great and make sense but why the arches ? I get shoes but arch support I don't
@@yeetghostrat i bet your ancestors even a few hundred years ago were able to. Unless you are 50+ years of age, it is not too late to develop your body.
As someone who can grab things with their toes wearing shoes always felt like wearing mittens. You can't grab anything! It's frustrating. Having to bend over to pick things up yikes. So needless to say I was barefoot frequently as a child and I only wear shoes as an adult when I have to.
Yeah,
Yeah, it's great having monkey feet when you have butter fingers
Joining in on team prehensile foot... I regularly open the fridge that way because the handle runs all the way down the length of the door. Sometimes even if I technically don't need to cause my hands aren't full.
Grabbing things with your feet is cool and all, but really really unsanitary.
@@carterhicks7441 Remember that the thing you pick up was laying on the floor. So it most likely wasn't all that clean in the first place
I've had back pain from a young age. So I've often picked stuff up with my feet instead of bending over.
when they start talking about gate and they show the beach runner around 3:30 or so you can see that the beach runner lands on their forefoot only twice and only on their right foot while every other step is on their heel or slightly in front of their hips. I know they're on the beach and it doesn't matter a whole lot but its a weird example to use.
I've found that running with as few clothes as possible really helps my workout. The cops provide a lot of motivation for me to keep running and improvise.
I loved being barefoot as a kid (and still do), but it does still come with perils. My list of foot injuries include slicing a gash so big my pinky toe needed to be stitched back in place, treading on nails, and getting a toothpick embedded under my big toe. So go barefoot, but also watch where you step
I remember the first time I decided to go barefoot outside as a kid (apart from beaches) was when my daycare was visiting a field and kids were taking their shoes and socks off and rolling down the hill.. I did the same and low and behold I was the one that got a bee sting on the bottom of my foot just minutes after I joined in!... Wasn't fun XD
After that the daycare employees made everyone put their shoes back on so no one else got stung.
Been wearing barefoot shoes for ten years - after seeing some proprioception research - and I’ll never go back. My oldest daughter has always hated shoes and can walk on *anything*, but I’m personally still not going barefoot over sharp rocks. Barefoot / minimalist shoes are a great compromise.
I also have six horses that I slowly transitioned away from steel shoes. (Some were fine, some needed temporary “barefoot shoes” on certain surfaces, as years of steel shoes had greatly reduced the natural capacities of their hoof).
There are many compelling reasons to spend more time barefoot - or barefoot shoes - and for both myself and my horses, it was studying mechanoreceptors that actually pushed me over the edge to get rid of “normal” shoes here.
My husband needed more convincing, but then some famous golfer commented that he wore only barefoot style shoes, and that was that 💁♀️. No normal shoes in our home, and our living room includes trays of river rocks to stand on.
Steel hooves are really only necessary if you intend to take those horses on rocks, hard gravel, or above all else paved roads. The natural wear of hooves on dirt, assuming they have a wide pasture to run in, is more than healthy. It's how they evolved to function. Just got to keep an eye on them. :v
That's interesting because the only time I don't wear barefoot shoes is when I'm around horses so I get that extra protection, and it's a lot harder to ride a horse without a heel (unless you're riding bareback, but most horses I know aren't used to that and would struggle). I do remember a relative of mine getting in trouble for not wearing shoes, even as an adult, but he was so tough, and could climb any tree. I like my Vibram Spyridon MR (now discontinued) for anything that's more rough, like hiking in areas with lots of rocks, gravel, or even if I'm in the city where there's frequently broken glass. I don't know what I'll do when they wear out, because I like the sole, and I don't think they make that specific type anymore. It's a chunky grip rather than the more minimal type. I find they're a good middle ground between the extremely minimal 2-3mm thick soles, and a more conventional shoe. I also find Xero shoes to be a good middle ground because they look like regular shoes so I don't get the weird comments, and they're a bit more protective, while still allowing you to feel the ground and have that extra width that helps a lot.
@@AimlessSavant I know in my area, the police horses obviously need metal, but I've seen some different options when in rural areas. Unfortunately I didn't really keep up with horses because a disability I'm still waiting for testing on made it too hard to care for them, or even have proper posture. I'm hoping to ride again this year after I've done lots of physio.
@@joylox tbh I do think sometimes about whether I should still *ride* in boots-with-heel…it’s been so drilled into me from childhood. And sometimes if I remember, I’ll put them on to ride. But I don’t worry about working on the ground and being stepped on (which ofc happens and OUCH 😣), because unless I’m in steel-toed boots- which I never was - my heavy-duty Vivo insulated trail runners offer just as much protection on top of my foot as my Ariat paddock boots.
I do know a lot of riders today who are also riding in Vivo/Xero, but some do use front cages on their stirrups.
I’m quite safety-conscious (helmet 100%), but I’m still making a calculation that for the riding I do, it’s extremely unlikely that I’ll be in a situation for which a heel would be the thing that saved me.
@@AimlessSavantThere are certainly reasons a horse might need shoes, I agree, but nothing that justifies *steel*; thankfully composite nail-on (or glue-on) shoes are now becoming more widely available and more farriers are trained/willing to use them. I still have *boots* for one of mine for gravel, but he was in composite shoes for a couple years.
Just like the human barefoot shoe market is growing and we will all have more options (and not have to spend a fortune), the non-steel horseshoe market is growing, albeit way too slowly.
The only friends of mine with horses still in steel shoes simply cannot find a farrier willing to use even the nail-on composites. But that’s slowly changing…
I've been wearing barefoot style shoes for years. Ultimately it's more comfortable, but I can understand if making the switch could be hard if you've been wearing beefy shoes for a while, or if you are flat footed.
I was told I had flat feet back in high school, was given special insoles to use in my flat shoes, but eventually I stopped wearing them, and switched to flat shoes all the time and once I got used to it, felt much better. Now I mostly wear Xero Shoes or Vibram Fivefingers depending on the weather, and I feel so much better. I noticed when I wore rain boots for a couple days last summer, my feet hurt a lot more, but unfortunately when you need waterproof boots with heels (for being around horses and walking through puddles to get there), I suppose there's no better option. But that makes sense because raised heels on shoes were designed for riding horses so the rider's feet stay in the stirrup.
Where do you get barefoot shoes? I would like to try some just for casual use but they are super expensive from what I can find.
I would especially like ones that look similar to normal shoes from the outside.. mostly because of social anxiety :P
Edit: Something like Lems would be something I would like.
@@ArawnOfAnnwn "Foot-shaped shoes" might be a better search term for people who want a toebox that has the same shape as their forefoot, not separate toes.
I'm more or less flat-footed myself (sometimes my feet land in an arch, sometimes they don't) and my vibram kso toe shoes are the most comfortable shoes I own, second only to my xero shoes sandals diy kit, or, if the terrain is right for it, really barefoot. In fact ever since I started wearing those toe shoes I could swear my feet have started landing in an arch more often and I seem to have more balance in my gait, idk if there's anything to that or coincidence but it sure seems to help
Growing up in the Upper-Midwest in the 50,s, I often went barefoot in the summer. Then we moved to Southern California where I could do it out of school. Even now in a center, I go without shoes when the weather permits, I carry a pair of sandals in case I want to go into a store. People in the neighborhood think I am odd about that.
What was not mentioned was the terrain, it is pretty clear from other sources that running on grassy / off trail surfaces favors a lack of shoes or shoes that are lighter / sandal like, whereas running on concrete, asphalt, or other paved and generally flat surfaces is better done with tennis shoes or other heavier footwear
When I was a kid, I hated to wear shoes (I still do, but I tolerate it more) and in gym class I always complained about my feet hurting rather quickly, something that didn't happen when doing activities barefoot at home. I kept being told that it was safer for me, that the heat of the pavement and the random pieces of broken glass and tin shards could cut me open and it would be really bad. With that level of fear mongering I reluctantly agreed to wear shoes outside. I wish I hadn't.
Did you develop foot or leg problems?
It's not fear mongering, its common sense
@@CoryPchajekshoes indoors are disgusting, who would purposely choose that?
When at home not outside wtf, I always lift my feet up in a heel like fashion and walked, ran with it too and I grew up to have large penguin feet which is pretty good at running
-40% decreased stamina consumption🏃♂🏃♂
@@thefirstsin how tf do you do those emojis
As a person with hemophilia, I doubt I'll be ditching my shoes anytime soon. :) Wearing shoes literally keeps me from getting random injuries,
could always look into "barefoot" or minimalist shoes like merrell vapor gloves. Still have protection from the ground, but it's basically a durable sock with a rubber sole and wide toebox.
Yeah, I'd second looking into barfoot shoes. They're the next best thing to being barefoot. The big brands are Xero, Vivobarefoot, Wildling, and Feelgrounds. Lems kinda sorta as some of their shoes fall into the category of barefoot shoes, and others don't. They give your feet all the protection they need, but still give you most of the benefits of walking barefoot.
For getting used to minimalist shoes with a wide toebox and a flat sole (zero drop heel), I found a Whitin running shoe that has those characteristics but a somewhat more cushioned sole. And they're inexpensive. It helped me transition to "barefoot" shoes by giving me extra cushioning while my feet were building the extra strength barefoot walking requires.
I walk around barefoot at home and wear thin-soled minimalist shoes outside the home. I'm a walking paraplegic and it's just easier for me to walk with bare feet or minimal footwear because I can better feel the ground and it let's me feel "rooted". Regular shoe soles feel like balancing on wobbly pillows to me and I hate them.
My older brother had very flat feet, he found some sort of shoe that makes it feel like barefoot, it only protects your foot from stepping in glass etc when you walk. His foot arch is much better now. I don’t have a flat foot but I might look into those kinda shoes anyway if it’s better for your feet!
I can remember being 6-9 and able.to.walk on the blacktop parking lots of se Florida beaches barefoot, were talking 140f+ went around mostly barefoot and hardly ever got sick and my toes were more like fingers. I later went to go work in almost cryogenic enviroments -32f 64 below freezing and it dropped my immune response by 75% and left my feet with a very large amount micro fractures. My body forgot how to handle bacteria and fungal infections and my feet almost rotted off, I was left with a few options take a medication that would damage my liver but save my feet or risk losing my feet and let nature do what it was gonna do, took almost 3 years but saved my feet and liver.
I walk around barefoot in my neighborhood a lot. I feel a little bad 'cause I know some people get really uncomfortable, but I remind myself that it's physical therapy! And it definitely helps! I'm 30 years old, been going on these barefoot walks maybe 1-3 times a week (during the warm months) for the last two years, and it's not dramatic or anything but it is noticeable, the extra arch in my arch and the extra strength in my ankles and the small muscles between the tarsals.
Good for you! Maybe I should arrange an experiment with some friends on barefoot walking... for science :-)
I don't think you should feel bad for that, these people can mind their business
If they get uncomfortable walking barefoot, that's on them, they can choose to either gradually strengthen their feet, like you are doing, or wear shoes, but that's their choice, it's not on you, you do what's right for you!
I do this too, and always am nervous about others, so thank you for reminding me that it's P.T. I think more will understand as time goes on!
I used to feel this way when I first started barefooting full time. It does take a while to get over.
As someone who just felt this primal, natural feeling of running barefoot and would do it all the time and it helps because it greatly improves my ankles which I need for ice hockey. Also, it helps widen the foot which gives a deeper arch, hence more support in skates
For parents who want to protect their toddlers or young children's feet, but also want the benefits from going barefooted, a pair of real moccasins are the go to. They are a bit difficult to find, but will hopefully find mainstream markets once again.
And if they’re hard do find, they’re extremely easy to make.
Yes!! Real leather moccasins are the best thing ever for being barefoot comfy and still have shoes.
.............or Converse All-Stars.
Those are notorious for not having arches.
For the longest time all shoes were like moccasins, basically leather socks.
@@Tentegen the toes are too tight for full benefits 😢
*broken glass, nails, asphalt and bicycle spokes have entered the chat*
No need to ask. Both my kids can wAlk barefoot anywhere anyday indoors outdoors and both my kids hate socks!! I could tell they both took it after me because i hate socks and prefer barefoot and i grew up in Africa we were encouraged to play without shoes from young. Thats why when babys are born you dont wear them shoes until they are atleast a year old
A missed opportunity here, not mentioning how wearing shoes has reshaped near enough everyone's feet for the worse.
Your big toe? Its supposed to point straight, an extension of the bone inside the foot to which it is attached capable of footing some serious force. Your Achilles tendons? Should look straight and vertical from behind, not bowed inwards.
Shoes make feet weak, prompting specialist recommendations for even more expensive shoes meant to provide the support shoes robbed the feet of in the first place.
My big toes do point straight, but my achilles tendon does bow in a little. I went barefoot as often as allowed as a child...and still do as a 50+ year old
I've been wearing Vibram FiveFingers for over ten years now. I'm in my mid fifties. I have hypermobility and used to wear orthotics to correct my fallen arches. Never again! I have arches now and can't bear to wear constricting "conventional" shoes with stiff soles and raised heels.
Three years ago I took up running. I regularly run half marathons. I have run shorter distances barefoot. It's actually liberating. I prefer to run barefoot on harder surfaces like cement, concrete and tarmac, but you do have to be vigilant for sharp stones.
But for anyone thinking of switching, do it very gradually over many weeks.
I'm also hypermobile, waiting to get tested for EDS. I think it's been slightly less than 10 years since I got my first VIbram Fivefingers, but I'm glad I started wearing them in my last few years of high school. I've never been good at running, but for grade 11-12 gym class, the teacher made us run about 1k a day across the field and through the woods down to a specific tree, and then back. I found the difference to be amazing! I could feel the angle of the rocks and roots along the way, and use those to push myself forward, I could run longer because of the light weight, and it really helped my feet act as a spring taking the strain off my knees which are hypermobile and caused some hip pain.
A lot of articles I read say that the more cushion the better for hypermobility, but the people I've talked to all said otherwise, so I'm glad I'm not alone. I'm also glad I found ToeSox compression socks because I often need the extra ankle support, but don't want to wear boots or normal shoes with stockings. Plus, they're great at keeping my feet less stinky, and avoiding blisters.
When I grew up my mom was adament that I was not going to wear shoes until I could walk on my own. I credit my barefoot childhood for giving me strong feet and legs.
really? That's not normal there? I'm in Australia, used to work in childcare, we were trained & passed on to parents that no baby should be put into shoes until after they were fully walking. In winter, sure, buy them the little sock/shoe hybrid things with grippy bottoms but sock like on the rest, but nothing hard on their feet until after their gait is fully developed & then, only for special occasions
@@mehere8038 Australia is clearly awesome in this way--my son (he's 4 now) runs around barefoot in the US, ppl always ask him where his shoes are. In trader Joe's, an employee told me he has to put on shoes or ride in the cart, and while I was putting him into the cart, a sweet woman said, "I think it's wonderful that he is barefoot, just like we do in Australia."
@@erinaa9486 that's weird & would be SO annoying to have that pretend "concerned community parenting" telling your child to put shoes on! Love that the Aussie spoke out to support you! Wish you had more doing that there! It's just so much better for their feet, like this video explains, sad you're being discouraged from doing it :(
What happens if you tell them it's about "freedom"? I don't know, but I'm wondering if that is a line that would cut through & make people accept your choice there? & if so, you could maybe even get a t-shirt printed that said something like "my feet live in a free country" to "say" that to them without needing to say it/endure their comments before "saying it".
I think this is why we like barefoot in Australia, cause we rebel against authority, so if authority want us to wear shoes, we want to make a point about refusing - and we are forced to wear them to school & mostly to work, so it is an authority thing, so our society sees it as our mission to resist :). I feel like there should be a way you can rebel against it by using your society's claimed "freedom" stance & have people support you, rather than attack you for it. Sadly though, I guess with what you're describing there, your son's going to feel the pressure to conform & eventually will want to wear shoes when going out, but that's really sad :(
& good on you for being a great Mum & actually looking after his feet & body development! He'll thank you for it when he's older :)
@@erinaa9486 Another idea I just thought of, in Australia, as part of wearing no shoes, we're also strict on littering & we have a "clean up Australia Day" once a year (first Sunday in March) when everyone gets out there & cleans up rubbish, so as to make our country more beautiful & safer for bare feet. It wouldn't be uncommon here for Mums to go around a local park with a garbage bag & pick up the litter if needed. Not really needed here, but there's the occasional spot where it still happens & it used to be a thing when we were switching to a no litter society back in the 1970's. I wonder what would happen if that was your routine each time you went to your local park with your barefoot son, if you took him to the equipment to play, along with your little litter bag & you removed any litter from it & then expanded to clean the whole park, while he was playing & when other parents commented on it, if you said "I'm not going to let inconsiderate people take away my son's freedom to go barefoot. I'd rather change society than force my son to comply with a lack of freedom". I wonder if you would actually start a movement, if other parents would actually start doing the same as you, both in picking up the litter & also then trusting it was safe for their children to play barefoot inside that park. Might be worth a shot if it's not too inconvenient for you to try.
Just sad imo that that freedom to be barefoot is being taken away from him & your right to choose his footwear, as his Mum, is being taken from you too! Not right imo
wear nonslip socks
In nursing we are taught foot edema is best fixed with two methods, socks and walking.
Socks squeeze your foot, thus helping push the blood back into the vascular system it was pushed from due to issues pumping the blood.
Walking helps the veins in your legs and feet pump blood back into your torso and to your heart, thus preventing the pooling that causes most edema.
You also can get that same edema due to simply not walking enough in a day. This happened to me in Nursing school because I spent most of my days sitting in the classroom or at home studying. I fixed it in mere days by wearing extra socks and going for walks around the school on our breaks.
I fixed my hip en knee issues with barefoot shoes. It re-taught me to walk properly, it turned me into a middel/fore-foot walker. (Instead of heel).
My joint pain hurt so bad I had to pull myself up on something if I had to squat or pick something off te floor. Today I have no issues at all even its been a couple of years since I wore my barefoot shoes. I just got around to buying a new pair. It take a while to get used to the sensitivity as I can feel everything under the soles, but I feel more connected with nature, and it makes traversing mountain paths easier. I have more grip and can better feel the stability of the surface. I have rekindled my love for barefoot shoes!❤
I went barefoot as a kid. I stepped on the bottom of a broken bottle while wading in a pond. I nearly bled to death running home with a 4-inch slice through my arch and haven't walked right since. Just a reminder of why we wear shoes.
Well I guess I hit the bad luck lotto then, I have flat feet AND I grew up barefoot and in a rural area lol.
Growing up it's been very annoying to wear shoes and I always destroy them and wear them like flip-flops, Im also always barefoot at the house.
As someone who got ringworm on the bottom of my feet from running around barefoot in the wood which eventually required surgery to remove, I can confirm you should really wear shoes 👟 👟
Ringworm is a fungus you get from hedgehogs or cats ....or sharing your mother's hairbrush
When I was a kid I remember my mom scolding me for running around my grandma's house barefoot. My grandma never saw the issue with it. For her, it was natural for kids to be like that.
Maybe this explains my high arches, I was barefoot at every opportunity when I was a kid! Even up through my teenage years, I preferred being barefoot outside.
I've had a preference for being barefoot all my life, even into adulthood. If I'm not wearing flipflops, I'm barefoot (unless the weather is really bad)
I've also hated socks ever since I was born! My mom would put a pair of socks on me and I'd immediately kick them off. The only type of socks that I can tolerate (and even say that I like) are yoga socks, which are open at the top and have the toes exposed.
My feet have also never smelled bad unless I was forced to wear sneakers or any other type of close-toed shoes. It also helps that I'm VERY meticulous about my footcare 😂
I'm turning 30 next year and the only issue I've had that was somewhat foot-related was a twisted ankle, which healed pretty quickly!
things like athletes foot are caused due to foot wear especially if they have no airflow. Closed damp warm spaces are great for fungal growth.
I had athletes foot once as a kid because I was wearing rubber boots all the time. It might have actually been my Crocs boots, because they had the wider toe box I loved, but no airflow. It's so hard to find waterproof barefoot shoes, but so far a pair of Xero Shoes boots I washed in waterproof treatment is doing the job okay. In summer I'm fine, but rain and snow are not ideal for wearing minimal or separate toe shoes.
@@joylox water proof treating and rubber is bad for airflow which can lead to problems like that. also not everywhere gets cold winters so I don’t ever have a need for insulation.
Shoes absolutely wreck your feet. We really need to go barefoot a LOT more, and reduce shoe use as much as possible. Especially as children. Going barefoot makes your feet a LOT stronger, and lets you run and walk over nearly anything. It made me TWICE as fast at running.
The "short term stress" thing is purely because of that 'hasty transition'. Habitual barefoot people don't get that. Or most foot problems.
When I'm at home, I'm entirely barefoot. Even outside gardening, there's something therapeutic with being able to feel the ground. I'll wear shoes for protection when needed (ex, mowing the lawn) but otherwise, these toes are seeing sun.
I've been using barefoot / minimalist shoes almost exclusively for the last 8-9 months or so. They were uncomfortable at first, but once I got used to wearing them for a few hours a day while just walking around, I started using them to go for walks and jogs. I've been trying not to 'placebo' myself, but they do seem to have strengthened some lacking muscles in my feet.
Its no placebo here my toes used to be shaped like / \ now theyre shaped like \ / i switched to barefoot shoes because my pinky toes were feeling numb.
Just what I needed to hear after getting weird looks from other parents at the playground while my barefoot preschoolers were using their grippy bare feet to climb up the slides.
Happy to read this! My son is usually barefoot on the playground, and other kids see that and take off their shoes, then their mothers insist on putting their kids' shoes back on. I'm just like, why? Clearly there is no danger for kids to be barefoot, and there are so many benefits!!
Kids are supposed to be barefoot. Don’t let the Karen’s get to you
I would’ve liked a comparison of non-movement injury risk vs barefoot reward. Like running and landing on a sharp rock or even things like acorn tops. Or considerations like public barefootness in places the movie theaters and gas stations.
This seems really understudied past the development of the foot arch. And even then- how much barefoot time do kids need to develop healthy arches and foot muscles?
Shoes also add a crucial layer of protection against injuries resulting from road rash, thorned plants, rusted nails, broken glass and in some places, even parasites. It would be a lot safer to go barefoot on a treadmill or a carpeted floor than say, a thick brush forest or a construction site for example. Also, here in Canada, half the year the ground is covered in half a meter of snow. Walking barefoot in THAT is a great way to get frostbite.
I grew up rural and never wearing shoes in the summer. I remember my soles were so thick id brush pickers out of them without feeling it
I lived in a rural town with dirt streets and very few sidewalks. Some sidewalks were wood. I sent the girls to the grocery store barefoot many times. Got into Divorce Court and I found out I was ABUSING my children by letting them run around without shoes. So who's right, Sci Show, or my psycho ex and her Minneapolis Lawyer?
you were robbed at gunpoint of the law
@@captainfraser3827 Yeah, it's tough being a member of the Oppressive Patriarchy.
People will cry abuse at the most ridiculous things. Then when actual abuse happens, they'll cower off and say its none of their business. Child runs around without shoes? Abuse. Child walks in rain without an umbrella? God forbid they melt or something, abuse! Child smells like they haven't bathed in 2 months, is covered in rashes, and is emotionally unstable? Kids these days act so helpless and sensitive, they're probably fine!
I grew up playing barefoot and with sandals. I've always notice my toes have good spread and I need wider shoes. Meanwhile my peers have their pink toes squeezed into or under their feet/ toes. I'd like to see this being addressed because I think too many people wear shoes way too narrow
My feet are really arched and now I know why. I grew up in the suburbs but didn't wear shoes when I didn't have to and mostly wore flip flops to school even in winter. Free the foot! 👣
Edit: hmm or maybe it's partly genetic after reading some comments of people with flat feet regardless
Same. High arches and I grew up rural and I would never wear shoes when playing in the grass.
well... it does say before 6 years old... which I guess parents are the more dominating force of you wearing shoes or not...
Footballers and cricketers use shoes and that to with spikes when they can play barefoot, barefoot is fine if it's soft grass or beach/river sand not hard or jagged surface.
Vibram's Five Fingers FTW! I only wish that somebody could make a similar style shoe but higher quality, more durable, and waterproof. Vibram's essentially has a monopoly in this specific category of shoes. Without competition there is less incentive to improve. Having some with differently size toe pockets would be nice too. The four lesser toes are made longer for people with gross feet. I have short stubby toes that don't fit too will in their pockets.
But I still love them. I've had them since the end of high school, or for 14 years. Before that I largely walked barefoot whenever I could. I hated regular shoes that would cram in all the toes and restrict their movement. When I found Vibrams it was like a dream come true. They were everything I wanted in a shoe.
I had to wear shoes as a young child. I was born with crooked legs and needed orthopedic shoes with weird sole things. After that, at age six I started practicing Tae Kwon Do. Barefoot of course. I haven't stopped and I'm almost 40 💜
I was barefoot for 4 years as a teenager, alleviated so much chronic pain
This is very interesting to hear as I grew up almost entirely barefoot then got flat feet and was told it was because I didn't wear shoes enough
It has been proven that flat feet or not flat feet has nothing to do with the healthiness of the feet.
It is simply a variation like differently formed ear lobes.
@@FutureChaosTV Source?
This explains why my feet aren't as flat as my mom's were. She had completely flat feet. I don't like to wear shoes.
Growing up in Australia I only wore shoes to school and then later to work when I got a job. Perfectly socially acceptable to run errands go shopping etc. In bare feet.
Sadly I live in Canada so until we develop anti-frostbite spray we need our boots
Late Spring to Early Fall is usually still warm enough for barefoot unless you are up North a ways, so most of us get about 1/3 of the year to enjoy it. 🇨🇦
I find it hard with snow too. But I got a pair of boots from Xero Shoes, and soaked them in waterproof treatment I found at the fabric store, and so far so good as long as it's not slush. Although I'm also one of those weird people who wears 5 toe shoes, and the Vibram Trek Ascent is the single best shoe I've ever tried for walking on solid ice. Unfortunately they do get wet if I walk in snow, so that's not good. Even after I switched to barefoot shoes, the two things I can't replace are my giant Timberland snow boots, and my Canadian made rubber boots.
@gilliantohver3225 outside of the jokes I was one of those kids who spent most of their summers barefoot outside
0:15 a fuzzy pair of slipper
0:18 flip-flops
0:30 non-shoe wearer
0:36 footwear
see (someone or something) in a new light
1:13 robust
1:44 spring
1:51 get flat feet
1:53 arch
2:03 toddler
2:15 pediatrician
2:21 flat-footed children
2:50 city slicker
3:03 have fallen arches
Wear closed-toed shoes
3:10 pinpoint
3:20 au naturel
3:24 ditch sth
3:26 clear -cut
3:28 a contingent of
3:41 elevated and cushioned heels
3:52 land on the ball of your foot
3:57 ankle
Spring
4:10 gait
4:14 totally risk-free
4:20 body mass
4:24 foot edema
4:27 tissue
4:33 swell up
A whole bunch
4:34 hasty transition to running
4:44 puff up
4:53 curb
What compeled you to do this? 😆
Fourth
My dad always tried to get me shoes that were a size too small because he didn't want me to get big feet. It just hurt.
Ouch... That doesn't stop you from getting big feet. I tried it. Still ended up looking like my cousin Squatchy.
I'm so sorry that's very sad
Your feet aren't reptiles, they don't stop growing because they're in a tiny cage.
Your dad deserves a clip round the ear because that could be taken as child abuse
Well at least he didnt bind your feet like they did in China back in the day. Ouch.
Your dad was a prick. I'm so sorry he did that to you! 😢
Pulled a little rock out of the sole of my shoe yesterday that was the shape of an axe head but smaller than a thumbtack. Would have 100% been an ER visit for bare feet. This kind of thing happens a lot. Bare feet simply aren’t even close to an option anywhere I’ve ever lived. And whether they should be is a whole separate debate, but I’m not even going to wonder about it as things are.
Nothing is my favourite thing to have on my feet. On holidays at the cost of Wales, I've basically spent the whole week bar foot, walking down the road to the beach, on the beach, over the cliffs. And I love it.
I think we should correct feet shape by hitting them with hammers
It fixed my 'puter . Even the cracked screen is np more 😂