I’m male, mid60s, retired Navy, & retired federal LEO…both careers that required fitness to meet the profession’s challenges. Fully retired now 4 years, I adopted the zero drop, wide toe box - minimalist shoe philosophy when attempting thru hike of the AT. Not only have I NOT experienced any injury (you do have to go at it slow, folks), my balance is greatly improved…and my feet don’t hurt after doing 6, 10, 15 miles! I need rest, but my feet recover quickly. I think it almost criminal that shoe companies still make “conventional” pointed “foot coffins” without offering a zero drop wide toe box line. Another great video, brother…Bravo-Zulu….well done on presentation. This is indeed, a “value-added” video!
I agree with hiking. I've done some hiking in boots from Feelgrounds and found it really did improve balance and traction, being able to feel and mold around the rocks and roots. I don't know if I'd trust these particular ones for a super intense hike (probably vibram would be stronger and even more grippy, and these are only so-so on warmth and weatherproofing), but I'm definitely not going back to my old hiking boots that squashed my toes together and couldn't feel the ground well.
Used thin flat sport shoes for a four day ww2 memory march nearly fifty years ago, works, but the gravel and rocks pushing through the thin sole were a cumulative pain
@@2adamast I know I’m not alone in saying this, but I very much appreciate your participation in that “memory march”. Those that fought, and have since passed, deserve no less. So thank you. On your observation regarding the thin soles? I know when I started out using zero drop, wide toe box minimalist shoes…I had similar “problem”. I mitigated that by pulling out the thin soles that came with the shoes, and inserted “gel type” soles from drug store….and used those until my feet fully acclimated to minimalist. I now, no longer need those. My best to you, amigo.
@@philipwells7149 Good morning Philip. Hmmm….I go back and forth, depending on expected weather, terrain, etc. For backpacking, I no longer wear backpacking boots…but initially I used the Lems Trailhead…but I had to work them in and buy a half size larger….as they are Lems narrow fit (I’m not sure why Lems, famous for their wide, natural foot shape shoes, even offers a narrow shoe). For daily hikes with my dog (we do 3-5 miles a day, 5-6 days a week, on local state park trails in the Berkshires, or in bad weather, the local rail trails), I wear either my Altra Solstice XT or Xero Prio shoes. I did recently buy Amazon’s offering…Whitin, for casual wear….I’m impressed, considering they were $45.00 (I think). I hope this helps.
Sadly I don't think it's a matter of the "waking up" my guess is they're awake already But if they start making and selling barefoot shoes, it's like they're admitting that they got it wrong all those years and that they are in a way responsible for damaging our feet Plus, they already have a huge market and it keeps getting bigger and bigger everyday, so it'll be insane to ditch what that and go or even transition to something completely different
Eh stop listening to everything everyone says. Most runners n therefore most bouncy hi-tech running shoes r designed for fore foot strikers. So the first point is totally invalid. So it's the graph of barefoot ones with a lower peak and wider, because more cushion (for running shoes)
Yes let me see you barefoot on past the cavemen surface and environment right 🤦♂️ theres a time and place for everything. Train barefoot in lifting. Run with proper footwear regardless with cushioning or whatnot. Learn to use your critical thinking brain. Barefoot is not be all end all. If it is then the guys behind the research and top biomechanist will have peer reviewed that barefoot is the shizz. Just ask any top podiatrist out there.
Personally, I went from traditional cushioned running shoes to a zero drop running shoe with a wide toe box. I’ve now been in barefoot or minimalist shoes for about six months. Recently I put on some old traditional cushion shoes and after about 8 hours my feet were absolutely killing me. Switched back to my barefoot shoes again the next day and haven’t had a problem since.
I play hockey, and the foot strength I’ve gained from barefoot shoes has translated into better skating. Interestingly enough, I participated in a 5-mile run in my barefoot shoes with no particular run training thinking hockey was enough, and while it destroyed my calves and quads which weren’t used to the strain, my feet were fine. They weren’t even sore when I was done, although I could barely walk for days from the breakdown of my calves and quads.
fun fun fun!! i am into barefoot have a bunch cheap $10-$20 pairs ,my go too is a $7 water shoe pair that feels the most barefootee 😋i also relate to having sore quads while foot was fine because started long walking/running like a month or 2 before going barefoot, got all sorts of blisters until thick skin developed, now i actually enjoy running on different textures!!
I, on the other hand, overweight, but with fairly good endurance due to cycling, but with not much training in the walking parts down from the knee, took a mere 6 mile walk (! not even run) to work one morning in my new barefoot shoes. I got a painful case of inflamed tendons in both feet, with one of them taking almost two weeks to recover to a point where I could move without crutches again. It's no joke when the experts tell people to take it slow with barefoot shoes, especially when you've not been all that active on your feet up until now.
@@Volkbrecht Thanks for sharing that. I definitely don’t mean to diminish the importance of taking it slow if you have weak feet. I had been regularly using barefoot shoes for more than a year and had been working intensely on skating for 10 months by the time I participated in that run. My feet had plenty of time to strengthen before I induced that level of strain on them.
@@sutekaa They still shield your feet from direct contact with the ground which deprives your feet of the friction they need to promote the growth of calluses on the bottom. You may still develop calluses on spots if they don’t fit right and rub when you walk.
My entire life I have had problems finding comfortable shoes. All squeezed my toes and hurt. When I was young, wide shoes were very, very hard to come by, especially for females. I struggled through until I discovered New Balance shoes in a wide width about 25 years ago. They weren't ideal, but at least they didn't hurt as much. I still had a bit of trouble with my little toe getting sore. About 2-3 years ago I discovered barefoot shoes. Oh. My. God. I had very little trouble getting used to them even though I was 80 years old. My balance is so much better, less chance of tripping or twisting my ankle. They felt weird at first with the thin soles and my feet feeling every stone. I remembered back to my childhood and my kids' childhoods. The soles of our feet were tough and we didn't even notice stones. Shoes were not a thing unless parents made you put them on. They felt stiff and uncomfortable didn't they? As far as I'm concerned, most barefoot shoes should have even wider toes and some have soles that are too thick and not enough flex. There are still improvements to be made. The biggest improvement should be a drop in price. It seems ridiculous to pay $175 for a pair of shoes with half (or less) material in them than a pair of conventional running shoes.
I can so relate to your story. I am 76 and about to buy my first pair of barefoot shoes. I, too, played outside barefoot for most of my childhood. Two years ago I began wearing Altras with the expanded toebox…they were marvelous but so padded. Then the most recent pair was their new “standard”width. Horrific! This week I was introduced to the barefoot shoe movement. Now I’m barefoot in my house and heading out today to try on barefoot shoes. Do you have a recommendation? I’m an avid walker and I hike in summer. Thank you so much for your VERY inspiring post!!
@@nancyreese80 Sorry, my reply is so late. As for recommendations, I first started with Whitin water shoes available at Amazon. Those were quite a bit less expensive. I bought 2 pair and still wear them. Just be careful to get "zero drop" soles. After I got used to them I started looking for a more substantial shoe and bought Xero brand. A few styles are less than $100. I like the sandals too, which are very comfortable and less expensive. The biggest problem with most brands is the funky styles. I think the Xero shoes run a tad short so you might want to buy a half size larger. The different styles fit a bit differently too. I can't give you any advice on the more expensive shoes - I can't afford them. Good luck.🙂
I relate so much. My mom had a very hard time when I was a kid finding shoes that I could wear to school. And for the athletic activities I wanted to do. Most of the time I got a new pair of shoes that met the requirements for the activity and ended up taking a knife to them and gutting the insides to replace it with a strip of leather cut to match the shoe. Even though it appeared on the outside as the same on the inside it had no more arch support and my feet were happier.
The only problem I have with barefoot shoes is... None of the manufacturers will accept that some people have big feet. I wear a size 16 and nobody makes them that big which forces people like me to continue to a very minimal selection of shoes that are not good for us. For an industry that is so dedicated to improving our feet they sure lack the care to even offer larger sizes. I have messaged many of the popular brands requesting the ability to order larger, and never got a single response!
I mean that's not their fault. There's basically no money in making it for you and like 3 other guys Pretty sure you could just wear the sock variety. Which look funny but there you go. Or anything like Japanese ninja shoes
I wasn't trying to blame them, just trying to bring awareness that there are people out there that have larger feet that are interested. That's the typical thought process out there... everyone is the same and there are no outliers. I know of 10 people just within 10 minutes of my house with my size feet and larger LOL. Would they all buy barefoot shoes not sure but I would have to imagine that if there are that many Sasquatches near me that there would be quite a few in the world. As far as cost effective and not enough money to be made that is dependent on are they making all these by hand in the USA? Most clothing and shoe companies are having their products made in China, Indonesia, Vietnam, ect by companies that have a huge capability to manufacture similar products due to the cost to manufacturer in house and by doing this the product is acquired cheap and marked way up. Now I don't have a problem paying more for something that is rare like shoes for Bigfoot because I understand that we are freaks of nature and have no choice because it does cost more to buy in lower quantities and also costs more to produce in lower quantities which makes it harder to make money! Until the "Freaks" have an option for barefoot shoes I guess we just continue running through the forest barefoot wearing nothing but a suit of furr😂😂😂😂.
I'm 6'7" but I'm glad my feet stopped growing at 13 /14 US,. It's easy to find big basketball shoes, but for a lot of other types of shoes (soccer shoes, climbing shoesi boots) your selection falls of exponentialky after size 13... You are looking for a small niche size in what is already a small niche market. My complaint in that people refuse to make pants that are long enough...and the whole "Big & tall" conceot is pretty off-base because most really tall people are actually pretty slim...no I don't want a 60" waist, but will somebody please make an inseam longer than 34? Lol
Wow thank you! I'm a 53-year-old woman, who just figured out that my bunions have been caused from wearing tight fitting shoes around the toes my whole life. I'm now looking for a good pair of barefoot shoes for my four-mile daily walk, and some toe spacers to begin realigning my feet. So, I very much appreciate this video, thank you again!
When I was a young boy we used to wear shoes called plimsols, which were in effect barefoot shoes, they had no arch support, minimal cushioning and were foot shaped. This helped keep our feet strong and arches in great shape.
I work in a commercial kitchen - on my feet on tile floors 8 or more hours a day. I was wearing increasingly thick-soled shoes because my feet always hurt. Outside of work, though, I wore crocs or no shoes at all. I even went hiking barefoot. So my toes were spreading for years, and when I forced them into standard shoes, they got squished. I bought a pair of barefoot shoes and wore them to work. I was smart and had my other shoes with me in case the barefoot ones hurt me. But I never put the standard shoes on again. My feet never hurt now like they did when my toes were squished. I would say that my years of wearing crocs and going barefoot gave me a solid foundation, and were my transitional period. I am thrilled with my barefoot shoes, and can’t imagine going back!
Congratulations if you got away with that. In most kitchens you'd be supposed to wear safety footwear. In general, professional requirements force a lot of people to wear "standard" shoes. Be that because of a dresscode or because of safety regulations.
@@Volkbrecht I have been trying to find a barefoot steel toe work boot for months now, from what I see no one makes them. I’m talking like Ariat kind of work boots
@@osamabinlagging3511 You are looking for a thing that doesn't exist, because it cannot exist. A work boot is supposed to protect your foot, among other things, from stepping into pointy stuff, that rules out barefoot-type soles. Some companies make wide and narrow versions of the same shoe size, that may give a bit of comfort to you when you are wearing barefoot shoes outside of work, like the OP. But when your employer feels the need to have you wear serious protection to prevent injuries, wearing a slightly thicker sock simply doesn't do the trick.
My kid is 15 and has been relatively barefoot for the last 4 years since we homeschool. Lol He'll wear sandals if we go someplace, and during colder months he would wear his snowboots even without snow just because they gave his feet more "wiggle room". Recently he got a pair of Hey Dudes to have as regular shoes, and while not barefoot shoes, they do give him the space he needs in the toes.
The biggest issue with the argument here is that it relies on heel strike vs. fore foot strike. If you look into it more, you find the same is true no matter the shoe used. Heel strike generates more jarring and injury inducing impacts no matter the shoe. This is a running form issue, not a shoe issue. I'll also add that if you look at many of the top long distance race shoes, they tend to be low pile, low to zero drop, with a wide toe box. Mainly because runners at this level are expected to have worked out form by this point. I have found it far better to start new runners in fully cushioned shoes, train form, and then work to a minimalist shoe.
In 7 months of wearing minimalist shoes I've noticed my arches are much stronger and higher now, and my Plantar Fasciitis is no longer an issue. Everything in this video is spot on! I will say, the transition period is definitely crucial. I jumped into some xero running shoes with essentially no cushion and went at it every training day. While my running and foot health did improve, my feet were constantly sore from it. Nowadays I have two pair of Altras with medium cushioning for long distance runs to use with my xeros which I wear for shorter distances/speed work days. Safe to say I'll never be going back to traditional footwear!
How was it at first? I have PF and been looking into barefoot shoes. How would one 'transition'? People tell me to get insertions and yada yada instead, but I just feel as that is the wrong way but I don't know
@@janniesneed4511 Sorry for the late reply, I never saw the notification. Long response ahead, feel free to ask more questions if you want, I'll be happy to respond! Initially it definitely felt weird just because I was used to have the heel lift to support my walking and running and now I was having to adjust my way of moving to compensate. I'd say this takes about about 4 or 5 days to get used to. When it comes to running, I'd recommend Graham Tuttle who runs the account barefootsprinter for drills to strengthen your feet and incorporate technique work. Transitioning I'd recommend wearing them as your normal footwear and walk everywhere with them for about 2 or 3 weeks. If your feet feel good, go for short runs or do your speed work with the BF shoes for a month, using your traditional shoes for long runs (key point here, use toe spreaders if you have them! It helps realign your toes and decompress them. More on that later). Once you feel ready start wearing them for your long runs. They should feel slightly sore after about 3 or 4 weeks, but only a little and that should go away after a week or two. If it gets really sore to the point you feel it while walking, reduce the mileage and run every other day. Eventually your feet will adapt and you'll be well on your way to drastically improved mobility and much better feet. Never saw the need for inserts, but if it hurts during the early days of wearing them then go for it! Just be sure to take them out after a while so your feet can start doing their thing without the need for assistance. In my case, I wore them right off the bat with no transition period and did 20 miles a week. After 2 months my arch was sore every day, even when just curling my toes while sitting around. Running was even worse, but like any muscle soreness after a little warmup and getting after it the feeling went away. Took about 6 weeks but eventually the soreness went away and now the only soreness I feel after 5 mile runs are in my calves and glutes! I would highly recommend you look into Altras if you plan on doing high mileage on roads/concrete for their extra cushioning, but Xeros are great for aggressively correcting your feet just because they have about 5-8 mm of rubber and that's it for protection. They're what I wear when I go anywhere and on short rucks. Your mileage may vary depending on current fitness and what your end goal is, but your feet will definitely thank you. As for the toe spreaders, a lot of people have touched on why they're so great and why our toes need the extra spread. I wore them every night when I slept for 3 months, and now I only wear them after a day in dress shoes or in my issued boots. Honestly, starting out a few hours at night before bed consistently is all you need to realign your toes and feet.
Thank you for putting this video out! You have answered, nearly all of my questions in a single video.. bought myself my first two pairs of barefoot shoes yesterday and now look forward to getting rid of the bunions on my left foot which has been a constant source of pain for awhile now. And while I was watching your video I jumped online and ordered toe spaces, so thank you for that! I look forward to your next videos!
I forgot to take a before and after picture when i did that! You should take a picture of your toes and arches, tip from someone who forgot to 😅 Im sure my feet have changed though
Our feet change with age: less known fact that we gradually lose our fatty layer on the soles of our feet. (Especially with creeping weight gain) but foot strength really helped my feet! Wide toe box shoes are better than flip flops 🎉 ❤️ your channel 🥰
Dude. I’ve watched so many videos where people draw negative conclusions on things, but they didn’t properly transition. Good job touching on that subject
20 years back I bought a pair of barefoot Aldo's (though I had no idea) because they werent called barefoot. I just liked how soft and comfortable they were. I jumped into them full time and then developed a plantar fascitis (didnt feel good) Only now wiith all the videos to research I finally bought Merrells and gradually broke them in. After a few months I'm buying only barefoot shoes now. My legs especially knees have gotten better.I have had a few leg injuries and surgeries.
Most Merrells are almost halfway between a normal shoe and a barefoot shoe. I wear barefoot shoes day to day but wanted something slightly more supportive for running while I'm still transitioning so I ordered some trail gloves 7s. I'll let you know how I get on
For transitioning, there are barefoot shoes that offer reasonable cushioning while still freeing you from the deforming absurdities of narrow toe boxes, inflexible soles and elevated heels. Many Freet running shoes come with their ortholite shock-absorbing insole, which can also be bought separately, making for the most comfortable sole I've ever walked on - the experience I used to look for and never quite got from brands like Adidas and Puma. Lems have a range of barefoot shoes, boots and sneakers that have relatively thick soles compared to other brands: 8mm, 10mm and even more. My Lems Boulder Boots have a 10mm sole - more with the insole - and, again, are far more comfortable than any of the trad shoes I used to wear.
Whitin, which you buy through Amazon, has just come out (Jan '23) with a wide toe box, zero drop heel running shoe with a bit more cushioning than their minimalist shoes - they still exercise your feet well, and still give you a feel for the surface you're walking on, but they're not as extreme a change as completely minimalist shoes. I've got a pair, and they're perfect for me as I build foot strength.
Do you mind doing a small analysis for the trekking/backpacking/hiking options? And how the extra weight of the backpack may affect the decision of going barefoot vs traditional...
Custom orthotics ruined my feet as i would wear them all day at work etc and after discontinuing the use my feet were in such bad shape i could barely do a brisk walk without alot of pain. Running was so painful that i couldnt do it. Then i started using barefoot shoes 6 months ago and my feet have never been better, i started slowly and for the past 3 months ive only been wearing barefoot shoes. Without your videos my feet would probably still be crap. Thanks doc 🤩
Oh and i also use correct toes toe spacers when i train legs at the gym or go for a longer walk. Sometimes i wear them at home when doing stuff around the house or just watching TV. Biggest thing was barefoot shoes at the gym i think, the muscles in my feet would get really sore(in a good way) after using them at the gym with leg training.
I’ve been having arch problems for a couple months now pain has been on and off left foot or right foot. It’s very saddening and I’m genuinely thinking about giving barefoot shoes a shot. If there’s one thing I do know it’s that walking. Around barefoot has never hurt my feet it’s only when I wear shoes for when when they hurt. Hopefully this works for me this is my last hope 😕
You bring up good points. I started running long-distance in the mid-1970s. Upwards of 100 miles/week. I occasionally got injured, but it was mostly tendonitis in my knee. A week off, and I was off and running again. The running shoes we had were the Nike Waffle trainer, Onitsuka Tigers (paper thin), Adidas, etc. My favorite running shoes were made by Arthur Lydiad (Olympic champion Peter Snell's coach.) Today those shoes (if you could call them that) would be called minimalist. No heel lift to speak of and little cushioning. I eventually got injured; that many miles cannot be sustained. So I was forced to lay off running for about 20-years. I started running again and got a pair of Saucony Jazz. They were great. Apparently, the Nike Pegasus were great, too. I noticed with the Jazz that I could run, but I kept getting injured. A lot more than when I was younger even though I was barely running a quarter of what I used to. I tried Nikes. The same thing. I experimented with barefoot shoes. The ankle injury reared it's ugly head. I kept looking and finally, I got a pair of Nike Free shoes in the 2000s. What a difference. The Nike Free is extremely flexible. (Hint: take the font of the shoe and bend it back. If it can't flex all the way back, get rid of it. It's stopping your foot from flexing properly.) I believe what the shoe companies did was try to make shoes for fat people. Giving the shoes more control for the extra weight. The problem is it did the opposite and created injuries. Once I got the Nike Free, I could run 10-miles with no physical problems. Unfortunately, father-time has taken away my ability to run fast and recover. I now only run in Nike Free.
Hi, your video is a summary of my entire barefoot life. Without anything else, the wide toe box is a winner for me, Crocs, my foot tyre of choice, is similar. I dislike shoes and socks, I've been barefoot since a kid, I'm now in my late 50s. I wear minimal footwear just to stop my feet from getting dirty. My arches have always been high and I've never had trouble with my feet, apart from accidents. The worst was a terrible sprain that ruptured an outer ligament in my left ankle, to stop the foot from tipping over. That has nothing to do with being barefoot, as I was at work when it happened. I still don't know how I didn't actually break my ankle, it was that serious. Though, I do drink lots of milk, lots.... of milk. The Australian climate helps with a barefoot lifestyle. Shoes are far too hot on my feet. Can't believe anyone can run efficiently with a heal-strike action, terrible idea. Interesting video, Mate. I've been right all along, compared to friends and family who are shoe-obsessed. Cheers.
@@chickenmanicmrt1705 I wouldn't know. I haven't been to a shoe shop for years and years. Don't even go online looking. About 15 years ago, I purchased a whole bunch of Croc clones, very very cheaply. I purchased so many that was the last time I purchased foot ware.
Hi. Great testimony. Thanks. Thought I'd mention, studies show milk does nothing for bones. Nothing. It was all marketing and hype for profit. If you know differently please let me know. Happy New Year.
Sir milk giving you strong bones is another myth, cooked up by the dairy conglomerates. It might be actually worse for your bones. If you drink milk, drink it raw like it comes out of a cow. Though I would recommend to get it from a farm as who knows how contaminated milk gets in commercial farms. Research into it…
I got vivobarefoot shoes for their 100 day trail. I was shocked at how comfortable these shoes were from the get go at only 3mm. I honestly expected my feet to hurt more, after my shifts all day on my feet they felt the same as normal. But you do immediately realise you have to walk slightly different. It was such a fun exploration letting my feet actually feel the textures under me. I felt more present while walking, as I could literally feel the grooves of stone walk ways or even the leaves. I have now returned the shoes, as I wanted a different model. And right now my feet hurt, for the first time in months, I have knee pain and tight foot muscles, all from going back to wearing ultra padded shoes with a higher heel. I cannot wait to get my feet back in barefoot shoes and honestly I will never buy a pair of heeled shoes again. I don’t care if pro athletes or the fastest runners are using padded high shoes. I don’t care that i have to put the extra effort into thinking about the way I walk sometimes. I know myself I am more comfortable with these barefoot shoes which is all that matters.
Honestly same! I'm an ex gymnast and shoes were so obnoxious to me because I was used to being able to use my feet to balance. Now I wear barefoot shoes and I don't struggle anymore.
I can 100% agree with the transition period. I went nearly full send and it was rough, but eventually my feet caught up. I will say, Feelgrounds were too thin to start with, but Xero shoes were a great shoe for me to get more comfortable with because they have thicker bottoms
Here is how I transitioned to barefoot shoes. First I started working out in bare feet, then I bought a pair of barefoot shoes and used them casually sometimes, but Still using regular shoes also. Then I started to use them to play sports in them (or longer walks would also work), now I only wear my barefoot shoes for everyday use, and will soon start to introduce them to my running training. Have never had any injuries with it what so ever. Build up gradually is the best advice.
Chris, your research, presentation and resources are truly amazing! ❤❤❤ As someone who’s open minded, forming my perspectives by doing my own research, I really appreciate the article references you provide. I’ve even followed some of the resources listed on the reference pages of these articles to verify those learned perspectives. Your perspectives and content are absolutely top notch, got me into zero shoes and new gait technique. After about a month of new exercises and new gait walking 2 miles a day, my ankle with 15 surgeries has never felt better. Seriously ❤
I would love a video with them in urban cities. Running on concrete which is very unnatural and hard is very different than being on earthen terrain and I'm not sure if minimalist shoes are best for it as I don't have much experience with this. Great video
I recommend watching more of his videos especially “barefoot running techniques simplified.” The barefoot gait technique he covers (quite well I need to add) helps build the muscles in your foot that will stabilize (intrinsic muscles) the landing and then spring (by using the natural 3arches in your foot) your gait on any surface. Then check out YT channel grown and healthy (another amazing channel with similar perspectives) and definitely read born to run! Hope this helps.
@@endthefed_1913 I have already seen some of his other videos and I understand the biomechanics of it. Running on concrete is very different from hardwood floors or dirt trails. We are designed to run on earth not on synthetic concrete.
Had a pair of merrells(Trail glove 5) for training parkour, so i got alot of experience with them in urban environments. Running, jumping, flipping, taking drops etc, all on hard surfaces. And i can honestly say they were one of the best pk shoes i ever tried. Cant wait to buy them again for training after my current shoes are worn out. A lot of people in the parkour community here absolutely love these barefoot shoes for training ;)
@@benl8962 thanks so much for the recommendation I bought sandals from them before and we super roomy for my toes, I'll check them out. Parkour sounds awesome and it's something I have wanted to try but it looks so intimidating but cool. Lol
I go with Altra for that reason but some soles are less flexible than others with their models. Im a big guy so walking on concrete all day in paper thin soles is really punishing. And the cold is another downside. You can wear them when its cold but you will suffer. I have some winter minimist boot and they dont protect from cold very well..
I am using barefoot shoes since February and I couldn't be happier. They have become my favourite shoes which I wear most often. Especially in the beginning I felt how a lot of muscles had to work which previously didn't. Now those started to adapt and it feels better and better.
I went all in for barefoot shoes since 15 months or so. - The more difficult thing is to change the habit of the foot positionning : if you heel strike (even for walking) you will issue pain - Once the first months readapting, then you won't want to come back to regular shoes (they hurt too much anyway : as soon as you put them on, your toes will feel the compression). - I don't have back pain issues anymore - One downside though : the style isn't always easy to assume (my wife hates them), and I didn't find a pair of "dressed up" barefoot shoes to go with a suit
I always thought my spreading, wedge-shaped feet were inherited from my mother. She told me she always struggled with finding shoes that were wide enough for her. I'm glad for that though, because I grew up thinking "having very wide wedge-shaped feet is normal for me and I need to accomodate it," and thus never tried to make my feet squeeze into unhealthily narrow shoes. Thank you for this video! Wedge-shaped feet for everyone!
thing I noticed for myself with barefoot shoes is that long walks on concrete end up making my heels feel weird, I get an odd tingle that makes me overcompensate by walking on my toes. When out in the forest or sand this never happens. I tried using some xero prios to work in the kitchen and the tingle made me tiptoe a lot. I switched to another shoe -with more sole and even a heel lift and feel way more comfortable in an 8 hour kitchen environment. I still use the xeros for most anything else. One thing about the minimal shoe is that you have to be really conscious of your impact and gate. My feet have gotten way stronger from use of minimal shoes. I used to love going barefoot as a kid playing outside even on the asphalt and concrete. Y'all remember that scene from Longest Yard remake when Nelly runs right out of his shoes? Yeah I was into barefoot sprints on any surface around then.
I've been barefoot now for two years in Canadian climates .. not only have my feet developed naturally again and are strong , my hips, lower back and knee caps have stopped if not entirely stopped hurting over time. I also climatize easier to temperatures hot and cold.. the market in big shoe names like adidas, Nike have been starting to adopt a wide toe box.. awareness over the two years have definitely picked up
My feet hurt at work no matter what insoles I try in my work boots. It's been an ongoing issue for almost 2 years now and the only conclusion I keep coming back to is that my feet are weak. I really want to give barefoot shoes a shot and see if it really makes a difference. The theory behind the shoes makes sense to me.
Definitely give it a try, I wear work boots all day because I work on a concrete floor. When I'm not at work I throw on my barefoot shoes. I got mine from Amazon for less than $50, they don't look like a normal pair of shoes but I like funky shoes so it works out.
i understand and agree that human feet have evolved to be best equipped to handle the challenges of walking / running. Walking on paved city roads in my barefoot shoes has been a revelation and i'm very glad to have made the transition. But there is not a lot of info if it is better to be running on paved surfaces / tarmac roads in barefoot shoes, or whether the harm from excessive knee / joint impact may outweigh the benefits of stronger feet. Our ancestors did not have to contend with that. could you help dismantle this question?
I am a Dutch woman of 58 years old living in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. I have struggled with all sorts of problems with my feet for more than 20 years. I have followed the advice of the podo therapists for years without results. 6 weeks ago i had so much pain i could not walk anymore. This time i ignored the medical advice and i started wearing thin flexible outdoor sandels that are very wide at my toes after watching a few video s on barefoot shoes, simply to test if this would help. I am finally pain free! I know this footwear does not look 'lady like' but i do not care anymore. I go barefoot every minute of the day , on barefoot shoes or simply without shoes. And i spread this advice wherever i go. All my designer high heels, boots and sneakers i have destroyed together with the expensive cushionend soles sold to me by the podo therapists because now i know these have been the reason for my pain and discomfort
I remember once years ago I purchased orthopedic supports for my shoes. I put them in, wore them for less than 5 minutes and threw them away. They made my feet hurt so bad.
I'm approaching to this world, but there are a few doubts in my head right now on bf shoes and the science behind it. 1. While we were "born to run... Barefoot" it's also true that the surfaces where we live became harder and harder. Is there any correlation between injuries and the surface where they occurred? Are we sure that this has no influence? Because while I run bf on a softer material (like grass), it's like having a "cushion" between my foot and the hard surface. 2. I looked for some reviews or meta-analysis on the topic, but I see more studies on the barefoot running than on the barefoot "living". I have the perception that often, some concepts true to the running scheme are extended to bf walking and everyday use. Walking and running are pretty different. How much is true that you should front-strike or mid-strike while you walk? I feel like it reduces the efficiency of the gesture... I think I will try firstly a pair of running bf shoes, but I will be really careful with my "commuting walks". Does anyone have the same doubts? I would like to understand more of it
Yes, I had the same worries. I used to use Lems, with some cushioning, on tarmac. But now everything that disconnects me from the ground, also hard ones, gives me knee issues. It took about 18 months of adaptations for me. And it's true about the forestrike. I do walk differently at different speeds and grounds, in general I hit the ground with the entire foot, but while walking slowly it's clear that I hit heel first and it's not an issue because I modulate with knee and hip the impact always resulting in a comfortable walk. For me, transition shoes like Lems, really helped. Than it started becoming natural and I wanted to stay more time barefoot. Not sure about studies, I kind abandoned that route, it takes too much expertise to actually understand them. I'm just thinking straight: I don't want my feet to be restricted, like any other part of my body. Even if my body is not designed to live 24h on hard surfaces, I should still be able to stay on those surfaces for some time, because rocks and harder grounds always existed in our environmenr. So i trained for it. Now the result is that I can do 35k steps a day on concrete with 100k per week on average and I'm fine. It's boring to walk on concrete but it came totally natural to me. Good luck with your experience!
@@LLanfri I live in a urban area, so I was also initially worried about how I'd deal with walking on flat concrete surfaces. But during my barefoot transition period, I realised that when my heels or toes started to ache, my feet and legs would automatically adjust the stride and strike to reduce the pain. Our feet are more hardy than we think and I think that you'll be fine as long as you take your time in transitioning, and give your legs time to rest and build the muscles that you previously didn't need.
surfaces havent rly become much harder tho stone has been used to lay roads for thousands of years and I dont think modern people spend most of their time walking on stone personally, I do work in a place with a completely concrete floor where I'm standing for 6+ hours straight and it used to wear out my feet and leave them so sore when I wore conventional shoes but I've transitioned to wearying only barefoot shoes and my feet have never felt better It took an adjustment period naturally, and it made me care more about the quality of my socks but now I leave work feeling good and still able to go do stuff on my feet if you like having that bit of grass between your foot and the ground, then look into getting nice comfy socks to fill that roll on other surfaces
I still wonder at this too. Is there an accumulative negative effect of walking all day on concrete with practically zero shock absorption from your shoe soles. As you mention, no one walks with a forefoot strike (go ahead try it if you think you do. You'll be joining the ministry for silly walks). I just think it's not something there's an answer/enough data for. I'm going to trust that our feet/bodies are hardy enough to adapt to any surface (humans have existed on hard surfaces throughout history i'm sure, like the ancients in their cities etc). Plus I'll just be mindful how it's effecting me i guess.
Great well presented information. Unfortunately the myths are so pervasive that I no longer even bother discussing with many people. I've been running barefoot since 2009 and would run on most surfaces, concrete being my favourite. If people are open minded to the truth then then they can grow, if not they can stay locked into the cycle of foot problems and keep podiatrists in business.
I’m 62 and started wearing barefoot shoes 4 years ago. I wear them almost exclusively now; zero ankle/knee pain and zero plantar fasciitis. I’m not going back.
I ran 3 5k races last year, completely barefoot. Finished 2nd or 3rd in my age group. When I do race in shoes it is the Merrell vapor gloves. Best advice I got was don't start out running too far at first barefoot. Build up to it.
Barefoot shoes can mask bad foot placement and push off mechanics. You'll get bad blisters in less than a mile with wrong technique on pavement. Running naked foot is the only way to get the necessary feedback to learn how to run properly. Side benefit is the ability to run on snow and ice without slipping about.
I've been running barefoot, or in barefoot shoes, for about 10 years or so now, and I wouldn't, and couldn't, go back to regular shoes. Within those 10 years, I did buy a pair of Altras, and while they are cushiony and comfortable, I just can't run in them. I'm so used to barefoot shoes now, and I need to feel the ground. I don't run barefoot anymore, mainly because of stepping on things that hurt (glass, thorns, small rocks), but I definitely prefer the barefoot feel. My non-running shoes have been mainly Lems with their wide toebox. I had purchased some really nice Allen Edmonds dress shoes a few years ago, and I would wear them day after day, but I can barely wear them for a full 8 hour day anymore. I guess it's a good thing that I don't care what my shoes might look like anymore, as long as they're comfortable and good for my feet. Despite the positive studies that we're now seeing, I don't need science to tell me that my feet are better off with bf shoes. It was only a few years ago when there were lots of negative/anti barefoot/minimalist shoe studies, and maybe that's because of the reasons you cited, at least in part, but I find it interesting now that every major athletic shoe brand (whcih are major supports of running magazines) now have barefoot style shoes in their lineup, we're seeing more positive reviews and studies. Coincidence? Who knows, but it doesn't affect me at all. One other thing about barefoot versus cushioned normal running shoes is that the latter would have an expected life of only a few hundred miles, as that is often due to how long the cushioning would be effective, but I find that my barefoot shoes last well beyond that, dependent only on wear and tear on the upper and how often I tend to scrape my feet. Unfortunately, the price of barefoot shoes aren't as low as one would hope, but then again, I haven't priced regular running shoes lately, so maybe they are cheap in comparison. But that apparently hasn't stopped me from buying them, as I have two pair of Merrel Vapor Gloves, 4 pair of Xeros, and quite a few Lems (about 15 including boots and casual shoes). Sorry that this was longer than I anticipated.
For trail running, I think the major issue is the lack of deep lug to tackle slippery muddy terrain. At least that has been the case in my experience in south east Asia during the rainy season. With the typical cushioned shoes, deep lug models are varied and availability is high. With minimalist shoes, the typical ones are already harder to get and sizing can be challenging as well. I've been running in vibram (4 different pairs including v trail 2.0). I enjoy them so much but they unfortunately can be hazardous for trail running in this part of the world (slippery muddy trail).
Can you get altra shoes there? Most of their shoes are at least somewhat cushioned and have arch support, but they are zero drop and have one of the best toeboxes I've seen in minimalist shoes. I think the 'King Mt.' model is supposed to be thinner and more flexible. I have their 'lone peak' model. #3. 5 or #4. It feels tiring to run in because of the weight, cushion and stiffness, but the grip is excellent on grass. I can't say much personally about other terrain, but my mom has worn them backpacking and says they're grippy there, too.
I've worn minimalist shoes now for over a year now and I have recently developed Turf Toe in both of my toes. Ive had to go back to wearing regular shoes this past week to stop the extra toe extension from minimalist shoes.
Minimalist shoes work best with shorter strides than regular trainers - more steps, and shorter strides. It sounds like you may need to alter your walking technique to avoid over-extending your big toe on push off. Try taking shorter strides, concentrating on what you're doing to your big toes.
I am from now on going to be a barefoot human being after just watching myth 1. Cant wait for the other four myths I got my vivo's yesterday and I am super excited for this journey. I have been having problems in my hips, lower back, knees for years and have been doing physio for the past three years but all I am still experiencing pain and misalighnment issues but soon my body will be at ease.
Not gonna lie, from the comments of barefoot videos, you would think using these types of shoes would cure cancer and male pattern baldness. It’s pretty funny.
My orthopedist made me to transition to minimal shoes. It was more than ten years ago, and my many problems (including spine problems) are fully healed. But I have to say - it wasn't head first jump, it took over a year, under care of rehabilitation specialist at first, and then proper trainer, and all supervised by doc. First three weeks was the worst, with feet and calves in constant pain - but from that, things started to improve. And as I said - are great since long time
I'm 50, fit and not overweight. Wearing barefoot shoes when walking around town gives me backache. It would be great to have some options WITH some heel padding....
well I have flat feet and I use barefoot shoes since 5 years now. Eventually I needed to "upgrade" my shoes with orthopedic inlays because the pronation caused me some really bad pain in the ankles. The flat foot didn't go away just by wearing the shoes like some companies claim.
Wearing correct toes in combination with barefoot shoes really helps. Flat footednes is not really a problem. What is a problem is the overpronation that often occurs by flat footedness. Overpronation itself is also in itself not a problem, but it is a major cause of caved knees, which results in knee/hip/lower back damage. The kinetic chain all starts from the bottom to the top. Your feet and toes is where it all starts. While barefoot shoes might not be an immidiate magical fix, it is the best thing to reduce further damage. It is very important you wear correct toes with your barefoot shoes, because moving the big toe to the outside will greatly help getting rid of overpronation issues. Your feet need to be completely restrenghted and for that they need be in the right position. Only wearing barefoot shoes (even for 5 years) is not enough when you still overpronate and the big toe caves inward. That is why you need to wear your barefoot shoes in combination with correct toes and also work on your gluteus medius to improve knee stability. Stop the orthopedic inlays. They do more harm then good.
Another factor in flat feet for many people is that they use their hamstrings and back muscles more than their glutes for walking and running. Do you have a flat butt? If so, it's likely you need to strengthen your glutes and practice using them to move your hip forward as you walk. That automatically makes your foot arch, it's part of the evolved biomechanics of walking.
@@nycbearff interesting. but no, my glutes are very well developed haha. but still a good tip, I'll focus on that muscle group a little bit more when walking/running.
Excellent video! Very clear and to the point. I hope more and more people adopt barefoot shoes. It’s truly life changing. It’s so hard to get people to even test them out sadly.
I started barefoot walking in road which has both rough as well as smooth surface and then just after the first walk which was about 4 miles long my lower legs started to hurt especially around Achilles tendon, calf muscle, arch muscle & fingers as if I have never walked before. That was a completely new experience for me.
I'm in the process of giving barefoot shoes another try, but definitely not for running on pavement. I had been wearing a pair for walking around years ago and then tried running in them and got a terrible case of plantar fasciitis which took more than a year to heal and I still feel the effects of sometimes. Running on pavement is a bear and warnings are definitely needed against people just jumping into that. I had not heard about the forefoot advice at that time, even though I did research about it. Honestly, I will not try that again, no matter the foot running style. But I continue to find barefoot shoes great for less impact on hard surfaces. And feel divine on grass and adventuring in the woods.
The example you show of running on the beach with forefoot strike is how you should avoid running. This person is obviously thinking about his footstrike. But running should be a natural movement. It's also okay to strike with the whole foot at once. The feet should be placed beneath you - not in front of you. Then the heel needs to be loaded. You can run much longer and injury-free when you let it happen.
Excellent video. People loose their minds over shoes. Kinda cracks me up. "Shoes are a tool, not a religion. Choose the tool that suits the job, as you would any other tool."(tm) My daughter, then 12, and I switched to Vibram FiveFingers in July 2012. We continue to run in them (training, racing, adventure running) and they are our go-to, for 99% of our running. When the trails become really hard packed, we switch to either Merrell Trail Gloves or Vapor Gloves, or New Balance Minimus 10v1's. We shoot video for the channel, and have done a lot of running in the Grand Canyon and other Nat'l Parks, in the FF's. We also backpack and hike in the FF's. Our go-to models are the Spyridon, Trek Ascent, and V-Trail 2.0. In high school, my daughter was the only athlete on either the XC or Track team, who went all 4 years (she was running Varsity all 4 years), to never have an injury. She successfully raced all distances in Track, and of course wore the appropriate spikes. Our daily work shoes are Vivo Barefoot. As a mechanic, I wear the Primus Trail version, on concrete floors, 9hrs a day, year round. When I switched to FF's, I had flat feet, and a 15yr old, running, knee injury that was so bad, I could no longer run at all. I couldn't wear anything that didn't have a fully supportive insole and a huge arch support. The day I purchased the FF's (Bikilas), I ran 7.5mi up and down our local 1,200' peak. That week I ran 27mi. This of course, was NOT the correct way to transition, but it was so fantastic to be running again, that I just couldn't take it slow. For about 2 weeks I was incredibly sore from the knees down, but after that, things went back to normal, and I kept on training. I'm 59 now, and still running year round.
Great video, I'm in the process of transitioning to barefoot shoes after realizing that lower backpack while wearing normal shoes would disappear through the evening after being barefoot for a few hours. Hopefully the price of barefoot shoes here in NZ will start to drop soon, at the moment not many retailers cater for the market
So I have a couple of Merrell barefoot. Got Trail Glove 5s first, as an introduction. Got me used to barefoot style shoes. There is definitely a curve to getting used to them.
I’m going through IT band physical therapy, and my PT told me that just because someone heel strikes doesn’t mean that won’t heal strike in zero drop shoes. They also highlighted that heel striking isn’t necessarily a bad thing as long as you strike under your hips, but rather, they DID point out issues with how Fleet Feet fitted me as needing inserts for my arches, as it’s over correcting pronation, which is ultimately causing my IT band issues
That is correct, but lower drop shoes will help you correct your form so you would transition into mid foot/forefoot striking. The video even points out that you don’t want to just immediately jump into a zero drop shoe if you have been wearing a more substantial one. A really good brand to look into is Topo. They make foot shaped shoes with heel to toe drops ranging from 0 to 5mm. Doing things such as hill sprints and different form drills will also help your running economy.
@@thisguy2973 good running economy is good running economy. Of course you won't have the same form as you would be running the 100 meters, but your marathon is going to be a heck of a lot faster if you have an efficient foot strike versus a poor one. Even when training for the marathon you still want to incorporate some faster work, I do everything from very slow zone two stuff to top speed hill sprints. All have their place in making you a well rounded runner.
I’ve watched just two of your videos but I wanted to point out the amazing quality in not only a graphic-illustrative way but also the content itself. I strongly believe that anyone could benefit from this channel and the wonderful easy explanations you share. I hope your subs grow in numbers and that you can make a living out of this. Definitely smashed that sub button 👍🏼
Hey, I was trying to follow up on the claims made in regards to foot striking force etc. but could not locate any sort of linked, peer-reviewed sources in your description?
When I started running about 12 or 13 years ago I wore conventional shoes and had terrible back and knee pain. I was about to give up when I ran into a college friend who worked at a store selling Five Fingers. He talked me into trying them out and I never looked back. I bought an additional pair for backpacking and I can't imagine ever wearing a hiking boot again. I'm mid-fifties and now have 5 pairs of barefoot shoes. No pain in any of my joints.
What you said is incredibly true. I've had a mild bunioned toe on my flat left foot. Suffice to say that i managed to fix it during covid-19 lockdown period of 4 months.
Very, very, very nice summary of all the research out there that supports the use of barefoot shoes. I can finally send one video to my friends, instead of 15 different papers.
One thing that I have heard is that we also have not evolved to walk on concrete ground all day long...so maybe a flat but well cushioned sole would be better.
Just for the anecdote, before going barefoot were a trend, there was Kwai Chang Caine, the main character in the Original Kung Fu TV Series, who was always walking the Earth, barefoot. Around the middle of the first season, he stopped wearing shoes, just because he didn't like them. Actually, the actor, David Carradine, liked to go barefoot and introduced that detail to the character; it was also added to Bill in Kill Bill. Even his gravestone calls him "The Barefoot Legend."
I converted from heeled to zero drop shoes about 2 years ago and now exclusively wearing Vivobarefoot footwear (PLIII, RAIII, GBIII). I have been walking barefoot about domestically for most of my life so transitioning from Oxford dress heel shoes to zero drop was minimal adjustment and welcomed. I am also not a runner, though enjoy bicycling and rowing (machine) regularly and an artist and arts promoter in life. After a few sports injuries in my youth (not related), zero drop footwear has helped immensely now in my 50s too. I also haven't ridden horses recently, so I don't need heeled footwear anyways.
I’m not entirely sold on the whole barefoot thing. I am listening tho. I, like so many others probably, have been through phases of various foot pains, shin splints, arch pains, heel pain, toe cramps, plantar fasciitis. I’ve been in work boots a big percentage of that time and was a Merrell fanboy for hiking but a recent almost accidental change to Altra and a super wide toe box has been an epiphany. I can feel my feet heal and get stronger day by day. So the ability to splay the toes is definitely something. Am enjoying the Altra Olympus 5s very much but to take away the padding I’m still struggling with mentally.
I was someone who always wore tight heel raised, crammed toe box, cushioned supportive shoes for the last 10-12 years all day everyday and NEVER walked barefoot, not even when I got home from school or work, never took my shoes off until bed. I developed some foot pain in April 2022 and finally in Sept 2022 I decided to switch straight into some Altra Lone peaks, about 4 months ago. For some reason I decided to not do the whole transition thing as I’ve found my old shoes to be uncomfortable now. Boy I will tell you it has been a rough journey so far. I started out feeling pretty good in them. My feet feel like they have finally been freed. However starting around October 2022 my feet started getting sore and have been pretty sore since. Ive been trying to gauge how much on my feet time and rest time I need in order to have minimal soreness/pain throughout each day. I have noticed some changes and my feet are starting to slowly feel stronger. I’ve also been doing foot exercises periodically and using toe spacers. It definitely takes time and Im hoping to get back to my normal activities soon here. There’s no way I can wear “normal shoes” again as my feet now hurt even more in those! Thanks for the video!
I wore shoes with gel soles for years. They were very comfortable and helped me with my back problems. Initially. After about three years, I couldn't walk with anything else and just a little later I had my first herniated disc. This taught me: never support weaknesses! Since then I use barefoot shoes (5fingers). It was a process of getting used to, but I do not regret the change for a second! Nowadays, I think my back would not have been damaged so much if I had not thoughtlessly listened to the doctors' advice and had not constantly used insoles, gel soles, etc. ...
I'm kind of in the same boat right now. I've known of the 'barefoot movement' for a couple of years now. I've been interested and looked into any research I could find but back then there wasn't much, at least I couldn't find it. My history: leg length discrepancy right is shorter than left, flat feet with I think it's called pronation? Or ankle drop? It's where when standing without I sole my ankles drop in towards ground(I hope that makes sense) had plantar fasciitis from about 10 to 21years of age and healed it i guess after i wore crocs for my everyday shoe(part of dress code for my job) and was able to wear any and all sneakers since then. developed a bunion on right foot 2 years ago at 31 (when I noticed it) saw podiatrist and diagnosed me with the bunion and leg length deformity and prescribed custom orthotics with a heel lift. Fast forward to last year in August when I suddenly developed severe left heel pain while wearing my orthotics. For over 1 year I could not wear any other shoe besides my sneakers with my orthotic. Podiatrist said my heel pain wasn't caused by the orthotic. I've been battling this pain now for quite some time. The pain caused me to not walk or stand much, developed tight hip flexors, with lower back pain. I've looked into barefoot shoes again for these issues and am still afraid to take the plunge. It's nice to read about someone else who couldn't walk with any other shoe. Gives me hope and I guess courage to try barefoot shoes. Thank you for reading this long comment if you did.
@@tianamarie989 Thank you so much for sharing your story! It takes a lot of time, perseverance and courage to take back the initiative on your health and you have earned my respect and esteem for doing so. Remember that it took years to develope those issues and, therefore, it may take years to heal them. Slow consistency is one of the keys; one foot after the other. Listening to yourself and standing true to yourself is another key factor. I wish you everithing you need and all the best. We're gonna fix us =)
@Simon Zbinden thank you for the kind words and for reminding me about all the years this is going on and that it'll take time. I forget sometimes how long I've been dealing with this. I've decided I'm going to have my kids (5 and 3) Starr now while they are young.
Good video bruh, I have flat feet & have been wearing custom designed orthotics for about 15 years.. I started wearing barefoot shoes about 4 months ago.. After watching this video I'm going to stop wearing my orthotics & go ALL OUT with just wearing my barefoot shoes.. We'll see what happens..
I'm curious about what kinds of injuries are possible from starting to wear barefoot shoes without doing the appropriate transitioning. I made the leap with wildling shoes after wearing merrell trailgloves for a while. The only thing I've noticed is my feet feel a little bit tight on the plantar area when I wake up, but after the first 10 steps they're fine.
Brought a pair of cheap ones of amazon for work, was painful for about 2 weeks then i started to notice my arch had some meat to it and could jump with more power
You're a hero, although after years of barefoot shoes, With mild fallen arches. I needed to add arch support. If I wasn't been so lazy and actually done arch strengthening routines, this would not have happened. I currently only wear barefoot, just with Birks insoles.
In my 3rd year of running, I went from Hoka to Xero, do most of my running in trail Luna sandals. And wear altras from time to time. I now can't wear regular shoes. I do say, if your working towards running minimalist start out slow. It took me a year to adapt.
I have started to research transitioning to the barefoot shoe. I'm a 62 male and have found over the past couple years my feet (one more than the other) have bothered me. Any shoe I wear (and even athletic socks) makes my toes feel compressed together and I find it very uncomfortable. My question is, is it too late to expect my feet to get back to the way they should be? I'm not a runner and the bulk of activity in my daily life is long walks with my dog (both pavement and unpaved trails). Usually a couple hours a day.
I've found that unfortunately barefoot shoes are expensive because they wear out so quickly with regular use. You need to buy multiple pairs at once and cycle through them for longevity. I've gotten 6 months tops out of my vivo shoes. And they were quiet pricey. It's a shame because from the moment I put on my first pair I struggle to go back to regular shoes. I work at a gym and we have rubber flooring and I've found it wears down the soles really quickly.
I have had a pair of Xero Prio shoes for two years. They have held up with nearly daily wear (no running). They are one of the cheaper brands. They look a bit ragged, I admit, but they are still as comfortable as they were when new and the shoes are not coming apart anywhere. The soles still look new. Heavy runners replace their shoes every 4-6 months, so your 6 months is not too bad.
Wearing barefoot shoes has resulted in chronic knee pain :( and yes i do arch activation, ankle and leg strengthening.. barefoots are not for everyone especially if you have uneven legs and slight scoliosis like me
From a mountaineering perspective (hiking up mountains), barefoot shoes are plain and simple uncomfortable after a time. When you walk 6 hours on gravel and rocks, you feel it on the soles of your feet. I had hiking boots that were kinda softer in the sole, and it was awful after several hours of rocky terrain, but pretty comfortable to wear. Now I have more firm boots and I don't give a F about terrain difficulty, but I have to immediately take them off when we get down from the mountain.
I lived 9 years in West Africa. Most people wore flip flops, or similar. Flat feet were so common there, with thick callouses on the foot underside and heel.
No professional runner runs in barefoot shoes. Almost all land midfoot with cushioned shoes. Nothing against barefoot as it has benefits but it has reached a cult status and claims have gone widly out of hand. And of course at the end of all this is the sales pitch.
Ever since I was a kid I battled with my mum and occasionally with other people over wearing slippers at home. I walk barefoot whenever I can, and always at home. In winter I might put socks on. Turns out I've been right 😊 Edit: Also I have never liked sport shoes or high heels. With high heels it's kind of understandable because they're not designed to be comfortable. But I myself couldn't explain why I hated cushioned training shoes so much. Now I know. Thanks for the video.
I don’t run or work out regular, I have a food service job where I’m standing from 6-12 hrs, experiencing loads of foot pain after my shifts is what got me watching barefoot videos. My question though is what’s a good transition for someone that isn’t using them for exercise? I’ve only heard of running transitions. Or is barefoot shoes not good for standing on tile for long hours? I have heard a couple videos argue that barefoot shoes should be used on natural surfaces vs man made. 🤷🏻♀️
I've never been able to pick up running because my ankles always start to hurt very badly even before I start to get tired. These barefoot shoes sound like they could be a great solution.
Interestingly, I have always preferred scrambling over rocks (say at the beach for example) in my flip flops rather than normal shoes even though they are far less protected, as I could almost grab the contours of the rock with my toes and foot, and maintain balance easier. I guess this confirms my experience.
I have been using barefoot shoes for some years now. I'm quite a fit and athletic guy, I played Rugby for 12 years and have done martial arts for about the same length of time. Barefoot shoes have helped strengthen my feet, and I feel so much more in control of my foot movements when wearing them opposed to any other kind of shoe. They only issue I have had with barefoot shoes, is that I have recently developed a lot of achillies pain. It use to only hurt when I would road run, but I recently went on a holiday and did a lot of walking. I didnt wear barefoot shoes, but I think the tenderness from running in them had been just enough to lead on to walking aswell. Ive rested and my achilles feel fine now, but I won't be doing any more road running, as any time I do I immediately get achillies pain.
I have to question the value of some of these studies. While anecdotal I had flat feet and pain wearing footwear without support until my 30’s when I finally got orthotics. While this all seems like common sense, the listener has to remember what he’s selling.
I'm sure there's a small percentage of people that need orthotics to support chronic foot conditions and you may surely be one of them. But wearing "normal" shoes probably wouldn't have done anything to reverse or improve your arches, so your anecdote probably can't be applied to the thesis of the video which is barefoot footwear and training can improve flat feet. But yeah, it is a good point that individual cases may vary and the advice won't be suitable for everyone.
In may of this year i had persistent knee pain on my left side and my left arch was completely flat. 4 months after switching to barefoot in September, my arch matches the right side and my knee pain is nearly resolved.
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I’m male, mid60s, retired Navy, & retired federal LEO…both careers that required fitness to meet the profession’s challenges. Fully retired now 4 years, I adopted the zero drop, wide toe box - minimalist shoe philosophy when attempting thru hike of the AT. Not only have I NOT experienced any injury (you do have to go at it slow, folks), my balance is greatly improved…and my feet don’t hurt after doing 6, 10, 15 miles! I need rest, but my feet recover quickly. I think it almost criminal that shoe companies still make “conventional” pointed “foot coffins” without offering a zero drop wide toe box line. Another great video, brother…Bravo-Zulu….well done on presentation. This is indeed, a “value-added” video!
I agree with hiking. I've done some hiking in boots from Feelgrounds and found it really did improve balance and traction, being able to feel and mold around the rocks and roots. I don't know if I'd trust these particular ones for a super intense hike (probably vibram would be stronger and even more grippy, and these are only so-so on warmth and weatherproofing), but I'm definitely not going back to my old hiking boots that squashed my toes together and couldn't feel the ground well.
Used thin flat sport shoes for a four day ww2 memory march nearly fifty years ago, works, but the gravel and rocks pushing through the thin sole were a cumulative pain
specifically which shoes do you like? Congrats on the AT!
@@2adamast I know I’m not alone in saying this, but I very much appreciate your participation in that “memory march”. Those that fought, and have since passed, deserve no less. So thank you. On your observation regarding the thin soles? I know when I started out using zero drop, wide toe box minimalist shoes…I had similar “problem”. I mitigated that by pulling out the thin soles that came with the shoes, and inserted “gel type” soles from drug store….and used those until my feet fully acclimated to minimalist. I now, no longer need those. My best to you, amigo.
@@philipwells7149 Good morning Philip. Hmmm….I go back and forth, depending on expected weather, terrain, etc. For backpacking, I no longer wear backpacking boots…but initially I used the Lems Trailhead…but I had to work them in and buy a half size larger….as they are Lems narrow fit (I’m not sure why Lems, famous for their wide, natural foot shape shoes, even offers a narrow shoe). For daily hikes with my dog (we do 3-5 miles a day, 5-6 days a week, on local state park trails in the Berkshires, or in bad weather, the local rail trails), I wear either my Altra Solstice XT or Xero Prio shoes. I did recently buy Amazon’s offering…Whitin, for casual wear….I’m impressed, considering they were $45.00 (I think). I hope this helps.
Once the big shoe companies wake up to the inevitable barefoot trend, prices will plummet and overall quality will improve
Sadly I don't think it's a matter of the "waking up" my guess is they're awake already
But if they start making and selling barefoot shoes, it's like they're admitting that they got it wrong all those years and that they are in a way responsible for damaging our feet
Plus, they already have a huge market and it keeps getting bigger and bigger everyday, so it'll be insane to ditch what that and go or even transition to something completely different
Eh stop listening to everything everyone says. Most runners n therefore most bouncy hi-tech running shoes r designed for fore foot strikers. So the first point is totally invalid. So it's the graph of barefoot ones with a lower peak and wider, because more cushion (for running shoes)
Yeah, and how well did cavemen do? This guy is trying to start a niche market, good luck. I'm sticking with my shoes.
Yes let me see you barefoot on past the cavemen surface and environment right 🤦♂️ theres a time and place for everything. Train barefoot in lifting. Run with proper footwear regardless with cushioning or whatnot. Learn to use your critical thinking brain. Barefoot is not be all end all. If it is then the guys behind the research and top biomechanist will have peer reviewed that barefoot is the shizz. Just ask any top podiatrist out there.
It's more about the people getting used to the look of wide shoes. Most consider them ugly because they are used to a pointy look.
Personally, I went from traditional cushioned running shoes to a zero drop running shoe with a wide toe box. I’ve now been in barefoot or minimalist shoes for about six months. Recently I put on some old traditional cushion shoes and after about 8 hours my feet were absolutely killing me. Switched back to my barefoot shoes again the next day and haven’t had a problem since.
My biggest problem with most shoes now is my lack of connection with the ground.
I play hockey, and the foot strength I’ve gained from barefoot shoes has translated into better skating. Interestingly enough, I participated in a 5-mile run in my barefoot shoes with no particular run training thinking hockey was enough, and while it destroyed my calves and quads which weren’t used to the strain, my feet were fine. They weren’t even sore when I was done, although I could barely walk for days from the breakdown of my calves and quads.
fun fun fun!! i am into barefoot have a bunch cheap $10-$20 pairs ,my go too is a $7 water shoe pair that feels the most barefootee 😋i also relate to having sore quads while foot was fine because started long walking/running like a month or 2 before going barefoot, got all sorts of blisters until thick skin developed, now i actually enjoy running on different textures!!
I, on the other hand, overweight, but with fairly good endurance due to cycling, but with not much training in the walking parts down from the knee, took a mere 6 mile walk (! not even run) to work one morning in my new barefoot shoes. I got a painful case of inflamed tendons in both feet, with one of them taking almost two weeks to recover to a point where I could move without crutches again. It's no joke when the experts tell people to take it slow with barefoot shoes, especially when you've not been all that active on your feet up until now.
@@Volkbrecht Thanks for sharing that. I definitely don’t mean to diminish the importance of taking it slow if you have weak feet. I had been regularly using barefoot shoes for more than a year and had been working intensely on skating for 10 months by the time I participated in that run. My feet had plenty of time to strengthen before I induced that level of strain on them.
do these cause calluses on your feet
@@sutekaa They still shield your feet from direct contact with the ground which deprives your feet of the friction they need to promote the growth of calluses on the bottom. You may still develop calluses on spots if they don’t fit right and rub when you walk.
My entire life I have had problems finding comfortable shoes. All squeezed my toes and hurt. When I was young, wide shoes were very, very hard to come by, especially for females. I struggled through until I discovered New Balance shoes in a wide width about 25 years ago. They weren't ideal, but at least they didn't hurt as much. I still had a bit of trouble with my little toe getting sore. About 2-3 years ago I discovered barefoot shoes. Oh. My. God. I had very little trouble getting used to them even though I was 80 years old. My balance is so much better, less chance of tripping or twisting my ankle. They felt weird at first with the thin soles and my feet feeling every stone. I remembered back to my childhood and my kids' childhoods. The soles of our feet were tough and we didn't even notice stones. Shoes were not a thing unless parents made you put them on. They felt stiff and uncomfortable didn't they? As far as I'm concerned, most barefoot shoes should have even wider toes and some have soles that are too thick and not enough flex. There are still improvements to be made. The biggest improvement should be a drop in price. It seems ridiculous to pay $175 for a pair of shoes with half (or less) material in them than a pair of conventional running shoes.
I can so relate to your story. I am 76 and about to buy my first pair of barefoot shoes. I, too, played outside barefoot for most of my childhood.
Two years ago I began wearing Altras with the expanded toebox…they were marvelous but so padded. Then
the most recent pair was
their new “standard”width. Horrific! This week I was introduced to the barefoot shoe movement. Now I’m barefoot in my house and heading out today to try on barefoot shoes. Do you have a recommendation?
I’m an avid walker and I hike in summer.
Thank you so much for your VERY inspiring post!!
An old girlfriend of mine used to say I had Hobbit Feet because they were so wide!! I love minimalist shoes!
Yeah how dare they charge that much
@@nancyreese80 Sorry, my reply is so late. As for recommendations, I first started with Whitin water shoes available at Amazon. Those were quite a bit less expensive. I bought 2 pair and still wear them. Just be careful to get "zero drop" soles. After I got used to them I started looking for a more substantial shoe and bought Xero brand. A few styles are less than $100. I like the sandals too, which are very comfortable and less expensive. The biggest problem with most brands is the funky styles. I think the Xero shoes run a tad short so you might want to buy a half size larger. The different styles fit a bit differently too. I can't give you any advice on the more expensive shoes - I can't afford them. Good luck.🙂
I relate so much. My mom had a very hard time when I was a kid finding shoes that I could wear to school. And for the athletic activities I wanted to do. Most of the time I got a new pair of shoes that met the requirements for the activity and ended up taking a knife to them and gutting the insides to replace it with a strip of leather cut to match the shoe. Even though it appeared on the outside as the same on the inside it had no more arch support and my feet were happier.
The only problem I have with barefoot shoes is... None of the manufacturers will accept that some people have big feet. I wear a size 16 and nobody makes them that big which forces people like me to continue to a very minimal selection of shoes that are not good for us. For an industry that is so dedicated to improving our feet they sure lack the care to even offer larger sizes. I have messaged many of the popular brands requesting the ability to order larger, and never got a single response!
try lems they go up to size 15 but im pretty sure their sizes run big anyways so they might be a good fit
I mean that's not their fault. There's basically no money in making it for you and like 3 other guys
Pretty sure you could just wear the sock variety. Which look funny but there you go.
Or anything like Japanese ninja shoes
I wasn't trying to blame them, just trying to bring awareness that there are people out there that have larger feet that are interested.
That's the typical thought process out there... everyone is the same and there are no outliers. I know of 10 people just within 10 minutes of my house with my size feet and larger LOL. Would they all buy barefoot shoes not sure but I would have to imagine that if there are that many Sasquatches near me that there would be quite a few in the world. As far as cost effective and not enough money to be made that is dependent on are they making all these by hand in the USA? Most clothing and shoe companies are having their products made in China, Indonesia, Vietnam, ect by companies that have a huge capability to manufacture similar products due to the cost to manufacturer in house and by doing this the product is acquired cheap and marked way up. Now I don't have a problem paying more for something that is rare like shoes for Bigfoot because I understand that we are freaks of nature and have no choice because it does cost more to buy in lower quantities and also costs more to produce in lower quantities which makes it harder to make money! Until the "Freaks" have an option for barefoot shoes I guess we just continue running through the forest barefoot wearing nothing but a suit of furr😂😂😂😂.
Try Ham6 - special order
I'm 6'7" but I'm glad my feet stopped growing at 13 /14 US,. It's easy to find big basketball shoes, but for a lot of other types of shoes (soccer shoes, climbing shoesi boots) your selection falls of exponentialky after size 13...
You are looking for a small niche size in what is already a small niche market.
My complaint in that people refuse to make pants that are long enough...and the whole "Big & tall" conceot is pretty off-base because most really tall people are actually pretty slim...no I don't want a 60" waist, but will somebody please make an inseam longer than 34? Lol
Wow thank you! I'm a 53-year-old woman, who just figured out that my bunions have been caused from wearing tight fitting shoes around the toes my whole life. I'm now looking for a good pair of barefoot shoes for my four-mile daily walk, and some toe spacers to begin realigning my feet. So, I very much appreciate this video, thank you again!
When I was a young boy we used to wear shoes called plimsols, which were in effect barefoot shoes, they had no arch support, minimal cushioning and were foot shaped. This helped keep our feet strong and arches in great shape.
I work in a commercial kitchen - on my feet on tile floors 8 or more hours a day. I was wearing increasingly thick-soled shoes because my feet always hurt. Outside of work, though, I wore crocs or no shoes at all. I even went hiking barefoot. So my toes were spreading for years, and when I forced them into standard shoes, they got squished. I bought a pair of barefoot shoes and wore them to work. I was smart and had my other shoes with me in case the barefoot ones hurt me. But I never put the standard shoes on again. My feet never hurt now like they did when my toes were squished. I would say that my years of wearing crocs and going barefoot gave me a solid foundation, and were my transitional period. I am thrilled with my barefoot shoes, and can’t imagine going back!
What ones do you use? I haven't found a slip resistant barefoot shoe.
Congratulations if you got away with that. In most kitchens you'd be supposed to wear safety footwear. In general, professional requirements force a lot of people to wear "standard" shoes. Be that because of a dresscode or because of safety regulations.
@@Volkbrecht I have been trying to find a barefoot steel toe work boot for months now, from what I see no one makes them. I’m talking like Ariat kind of work boots
@@osamabinlagging3511 You are looking for a thing that doesn't exist, because it cannot exist. A work boot is supposed to protect your foot, among other things, from stepping into pointy stuff, that rules out barefoot-type soles. Some companies make wide and narrow versions of the same shoe size, that may give a bit of comfort to you when you are wearing barefoot shoes outside of work, like the OP. But when your employer feels the need to have you wear serious protection to prevent injuries, wearing a slightly thicker sock simply doesn't do the trick.
My experience mirrors yours my friend
My kid is 15 and has been relatively barefoot for the last 4 years since we homeschool. Lol He'll wear sandals if we go someplace, and during colder months he would wear his snowboots even without snow just because they gave his feet more "wiggle room". Recently he got a pair of Hey Dudes to have as regular shoes, and while not barefoot shoes, they do give him the space he needs in the toes.
The biggest issue with the argument here is that it relies on heel strike vs. fore foot strike. If you look into it more, you find the same is true no matter the shoe used. Heel strike generates more jarring and injury inducing impacts no matter the shoe. This is a running form issue, not a shoe issue.
I'll also add that if you look at many of the top long distance race shoes, they tend to be low pile, low to zero drop, with a wide toe box. Mainly because runners at this level are expected to have worked out form by this point. I have found it far better to start new runners in fully cushioned shoes, train form, and then work to a minimalist shoe.
I always hear 'walk on the heel run on the toe'
That just meaning not landing on the heel when running
True that and nobody is talking about that point
thats a dumb logic why would you do that
In 7 months of wearing minimalist shoes I've noticed my arches are much stronger and higher now, and my Plantar Fasciitis is no longer an issue. Everything in this video is spot on! I will say, the transition period is definitely crucial. I jumped into some xero running shoes with essentially no cushion and went at it every training day. While my running and foot health did improve, my feet were constantly sore from it. Nowadays I have two pair of Altras with medium cushioning for long distance runs to use with my xeros which I wear for shorter distances/speed work days. Safe to say I'll never be going back to traditional footwear!
How was it at first? I have PF and been looking into barefoot shoes. How would one 'transition'? People tell me to get insertions and yada yada instead, but I just feel as that is the wrong way but I don't know
@@janniesneed4511 Sorry for the late reply, I never saw the notification. Long response ahead, feel free to ask more questions if you want, I'll be happy to respond!
Initially it definitely felt weird just because I was used to have the heel lift to support my walking and running and now I was having to adjust my way of moving to compensate. I'd say this takes about about 4 or 5 days to get used to. When it comes to running, I'd recommend Graham Tuttle who runs the account barefootsprinter for drills to strengthen your feet and incorporate technique work.
Transitioning I'd recommend wearing them as your normal footwear and walk everywhere with them for about 2 or 3 weeks. If your feet feel good, go for short runs or do your speed work with the BF shoes for a month, using your traditional shoes for long runs (key point here, use toe spreaders if you have them! It helps realign your toes and decompress them. More on that later). Once you feel ready start wearing them for your long runs. They should feel slightly sore after about 3 or 4 weeks, but only a little and that should go away after a week or two. If it gets really sore to the point you feel it while walking, reduce the mileage and run every other day. Eventually your feet will adapt and you'll be well on your way to drastically improved mobility and much better feet. Never saw the need for inserts, but if it hurts during the early days of wearing them then go for it! Just be sure to take them out after a while so your feet can start doing their thing without the need for assistance.
In my case, I wore them right off the bat with no transition period and did 20 miles a week. After 2 months my arch was sore every day, even when just curling my toes while sitting around. Running was even worse, but like any muscle soreness after a little warmup and getting after it the feeling went away. Took about 6 weeks but eventually the soreness went away and now the only soreness I feel after 5 mile runs are in my calves and glutes! I would highly recommend you look into Altras if you plan on doing high mileage on roads/concrete for their extra cushioning, but Xeros are great for aggressively correcting your feet just because they have about 5-8 mm of rubber and that's it for protection. They're what I wear when I go anywhere and on short rucks. Your mileage may vary depending on current fitness and what your end goal is, but your feet will definitely thank you.
As for the toe spreaders, a lot of people have touched on why they're so great and why our toes need the extra spread. I wore them every night when I slept for 3 months, and now I only wear them after a day in dress shoes or in my issued boots. Honestly, starting out a few hours at night before bed consistently is all you need to realign your toes and feet.
Thank you for putting this video out! You have answered, nearly all of my questions in a single video.. bought myself my first two pairs of barefoot shoes yesterday and now look forward to getting rid of the bunions on my left foot which has been a constant source of pain for awhile now. And while I was watching your video I jumped online and ordered toe spaces, so thank you for that! I look forward to your next videos!
I forgot to take a before and after picture when i did that! You should take a picture of your toes and arches, tip from someone who forgot to 😅 Im sure my feet have changed though
I would love to hear some follow up comments from both you and Luden.
How is your transition to barefoot shoes going?
Our feet change with age: less known fact that we gradually lose our fatty layer on the soles of our feet. (Especially with creeping weight gain) but foot strength really helped my feet! Wide toe box shoes are better than flip flops 🎉
❤️ your channel 🥰
Dude. I’ve watched so many videos where people draw negative conclusions on things, but they didn’t properly transition. Good job touching on that subject
20 years back I bought a pair of barefoot Aldo's (though I had no idea) because they werent called barefoot. I just liked how soft and comfortable they were. I jumped into them full time and then developed a plantar fascitis (didnt feel good) Only now wiith all the videos to research I finally bought Merrells and gradually broke them in. After a few months I'm buying only barefoot shoes now. My legs especially knees have gotten better.I have had a few leg injuries and surgeries.
Thank you for sharing this. I have worried about the support for the arch.
Most Merrells are almost halfway between a normal shoe and a barefoot shoe. I wear barefoot shoes day to day but wanted something slightly more supportive for running while I'm still transitioning so I ordered some trail gloves 7s. I'll let you know how I get on
For transitioning, there are barefoot shoes that offer reasonable cushioning while still freeing you from the deforming absurdities of narrow toe boxes, inflexible soles and elevated heels. Many Freet running shoes come with their ortholite shock-absorbing insole, which can also be bought separately, making for the most comfortable sole I've ever walked on - the experience I used to look for and never quite got from brands like Adidas and Puma. Lems have a range of barefoot shoes, boots and sneakers that have relatively thick soles compared to other brands: 8mm, 10mm and even more. My Lems Boulder Boots have a 10mm sole - more with the insole - and, again, are far more comfortable than any of the trad shoes I used to wear.
Whitin, which you buy through Amazon, has just come out (Jan '23) with a wide toe box, zero drop heel running shoe with a bit more cushioning than their minimalist shoes - they still exercise your feet well, and still give you a feel for the surface you're walking on, but they're not as extreme a change as completely minimalist shoes. I've got a pair, and they're perfect for me as I build foot strength.
Do you mind doing a small analysis for the trekking/backpacking/hiking options? And how the extra weight of the backpack may affect the decision of going barefoot vs traditional...
Custom orthotics ruined my feet as i would wear them all day at work etc and after discontinuing the use my feet were in such bad shape i could barely do a brisk walk without alot of pain. Running was so painful that i couldnt do it. Then i started using barefoot shoes 6 months ago and my feet have never been better, i started slowly and for the past 3 months ive only been wearing barefoot shoes. Without your videos my feet would probably still be crap. Thanks doc 🤩
Oh and i also use correct toes toe spacers when i train legs at the gym or go for a longer walk. Sometimes i wear them at home when doing stuff around the house or just watching TV. Biggest thing was barefoot shoes at the gym i think, the muscles in my feet would get really sore(in a good way) after using them at the gym with leg training.
I’ve been having arch problems for a couple months now pain has been on and off left foot or right foot. It’s very saddening and I’m genuinely thinking about giving barefoot shoes a shot. If there’s one thing I do know it’s that walking. Around barefoot has never hurt my feet it’s only when I wear shoes for when when they hurt. Hopefully this works for me this is my last hope 😕
You bring up good points. I started running long-distance in the mid-1970s. Upwards of 100 miles/week. I occasionally got injured, but it was mostly tendonitis in my knee. A week off, and I was off and running again. The running shoes we had were the Nike Waffle trainer, Onitsuka Tigers (paper thin), Adidas, etc. My favorite running shoes were made by Arthur Lydiad (Olympic champion Peter Snell's coach.) Today those shoes (if you could call them that) would be called minimalist. No heel lift to speak of and little cushioning.
I eventually got injured; that many miles cannot be sustained. So I was forced to lay off running for about 20-years. I started running again and got a pair of Saucony Jazz. They were great. Apparently, the Nike Pegasus were great, too. I noticed with the Jazz that I could run, but I kept getting injured. A lot more than when I was younger even though I was barely running a quarter of what I used to. I tried Nikes. The same thing.
I experimented with barefoot shoes. The ankle injury reared it's ugly head. I kept looking and finally, I got a pair of Nike Free shoes in the 2000s. What a difference. The Nike Free is extremely flexible. (Hint: take the font of the shoe and bend it back. If it can't flex all the way back, get rid of it. It's stopping your foot from flexing properly.)
I believe what the shoe companies did was try to make shoes for fat people. Giving the shoes more control for the extra weight. The problem is it did the opposite and created injuries.
Once I got the Nike Free, I could run 10-miles with no physical problems. Unfortunately, father-time has taken away my ability to run fast and recover. I now only run in Nike Free.
Hi, your video is a summary of my entire barefoot life. Without anything else, the wide toe box is a winner for me, Crocs, my foot tyre of choice, is similar. I dislike shoes and socks, I've been barefoot since a kid, I'm now in my late 50s. I wear minimal footwear just to stop my feet from getting dirty.
My arches have always been high and I've never had trouble with my feet, apart from accidents. The worst was a terrible sprain that ruptured an outer ligament in my left ankle, to stop the foot from tipping over. That has nothing to do with being barefoot, as I was at work when it happened. I still don't know how I didn't actually break my ankle, it was that serious. Though, I do drink lots of milk, lots.... of milk.
The Australian climate helps with a barefoot lifestyle. Shoes are far too hot on my feet. Can't believe anyone can run efficiently with a heal-strike action, terrible idea. Interesting video, Mate. I've been right all along, compared to friends and family who are shoe-obsessed. Cheers.
Also Aussie any tips on where to buy barefoots
@@chickenmanicmrt1705 I wouldn't know. I haven't been to a shoe shop for years and years. Don't even go online looking. About 15 years ago, I purchased a whole bunch of Croc clones, very very cheaply. I purchased so many that was the last time I purchased foot ware.
Hi. Great testimony. Thanks. Thought I'd mention, studies show milk does nothing for bones. Nothing. It was all marketing and hype for profit. If you know differently please let me know.
Happy New Year.
@@chickenmanicmrt1705 What brand are you after? I bought Xero shoes and they arrived in Melbourne within 2 days
Sir milk giving you strong bones is another myth, cooked up by the dairy conglomerates. It might be actually worse for your bones. If you drink milk, drink it raw like it comes out of a cow. Though I would recommend to get it from a farm as who knows how contaminated milk gets in commercial farms. Research into it…
I got vivobarefoot shoes for their 100 day trail.
I was shocked at how comfortable these shoes were from the get go at only 3mm. I honestly expected my feet to hurt more, after my shifts all day on my feet they felt the same as normal. But you do immediately realise you have to walk slightly different. It was such a fun exploration letting my feet actually feel the textures under me. I felt more present while walking, as I could literally feel the grooves of stone walk ways or even the leaves.
I have now returned the shoes, as I wanted a different model. And right now my feet hurt, for the first time in months, I have knee pain and tight foot muscles, all from going back to wearing ultra padded shoes with a higher heel. I cannot wait to get my feet back in barefoot shoes and honestly I will never buy a pair of heeled shoes again.
I don’t care if pro athletes or the fastest runners are using padded high shoes. I don’t care that i have to put the extra effort into thinking about the way I walk sometimes. I know myself I am more comfortable with these barefoot shoes which is all that matters.
Excellent! Thank you for this insite.
I never did a transition plan. Just jumped straight into it. Honestly amazing and I'll never look back
Honestly same! I'm an ex gymnast and shoes were so obnoxious to me because I was used to being able to use my feet to balance. Now I wear barefoot shoes and I don't struggle anymore.
I can 100% agree with the transition period. I went nearly full send and it was rough, but eventually my feet caught up. I will say, Feelgrounds were too thin to start with, but Xero shoes were a great shoe for me to get more comfortable with because they have thicker bottoms
I am about to buy a pair of Xeros, my first barefoot shoes. Which of theirs did(do) you like?
@@nancyreese80 I have both the HFS and the Speed Force 2, they have been great so far
@@forsakenovercast0067 Thank you so much!!
Here is how I transitioned to barefoot shoes. First I started working out in bare feet, then I bought a pair of barefoot shoes and used them casually sometimes, but Still using regular shoes also. Then I started to use them to play sports in them (or longer walks would also work), now I only wear my barefoot shoes for everyday use, and will soon start to introduce them to my running training. Have never had any injuries with it what so ever.
Build up gradually is the best advice.
Chris, your research, presentation and resources are truly amazing!
❤❤❤
As someone who’s open minded, forming my perspectives by doing my own research, I really appreciate the article references you provide. I’ve even followed some of the resources listed on the reference pages of these articles to verify those learned perspectives.
Your perspectives and content are absolutely top notch, got me into zero shoes and new gait technique. After about a month of new exercises and new gait walking 2 miles a day, my ankle with 15 surgeries has never felt better.
Seriously ❤
I would love a video with them in urban cities. Running on concrete which is very unnatural and hard is very different than being on earthen terrain and I'm not sure if minimalist shoes are best for it as I don't have much experience with this. Great video
I recommend watching more of his videos especially “barefoot running techniques simplified.”
The barefoot gait technique he covers (quite well I need to add) helps build the muscles in your foot that will stabilize (intrinsic muscles) the landing and then spring (by using the natural 3arches in your foot) your gait on any surface. Then check out YT channel grown and healthy (another amazing channel with similar perspectives) and definitely read born to run! Hope this helps.
@@endthefed_1913 I have already seen some of his other videos and I understand the biomechanics of it. Running on concrete is very different from hardwood floors or dirt trails. We are designed to run on earth not on synthetic concrete.
Had a pair of merrells(Trail glove 5) for training parkour, so i got alot of experience with them in urban environments. Running, jumping, flipping, taking drops etc, all on hard surfaces. And i can honestly say they were one of the best pk shoes i ever tried. Cant wait to buy them again for training after my current shoes are worn out.
A lot of people in the parkour community here absolutely love these barefoot shoes for training ;)
@@benl8962 thanks so much for the recommendation I bought sandals from them before and we super roomy for my toes, I'll check them out. Parkour sounds awesome and it's something I have wanted to try but it looks so intimidating but cool. Lol
I go with Altra for that reason but some soles are less flexible than others with their models.
Im a big guy so walking on concrete all day in paper thin soles is really punishing. And the cold is another downside. You can wear them when its cold but you will suffer. I have some winter minimist boot and they dont protect from cold very well..
I am using barefoot shoes since February and I couldn't be happier. They have become my favourite shoes which I wear most often. Especially in the beginning I felt how a lot of muscles had to work which previously didn't. Now those started to adapt and it feels better and better.
On the point of flat arches, my arches actually got higher when I stopped wearing cushioned shoes
I went all in for barefoot shoes since 15 months or so.
- The more difficult thing is to change the habit of the foot positionning : if you heel strike (even for walking) you will issue pain
- Once the first months readapting, then you won't want to come back to regular shoes (they hurt too much anyway : as soon as you put them on, your toes will feel the compression).
- I don't have back pain issues anymore
- One downside though : the style isn't always easy to assume (my wife hates them), and I didn't find a pair of "dressed up" barefoot shoes to go with a suit
I always thought my spreading, wedge-shaped feet were inherited from my mother. She told me she always struggled with finding shoes that were wide enough for her. I'm glad for that though, because I grew up thinking "having very wide wedge-shaped feet is normal for me and I need to accomodate it," and thus never tried to make my feet squeeze into unhealthily narrow shoes.
Thank you for this video! Wedge-shaped feet for everyone!
thing I noticed for myself with barefoot shoes is that long walks on concrete end up making my heels feel weird, I get an odd tingle that makes me overcompensate by walking on my toes. When out in the forest or sand this never happens. I tried using some xero prios to work in the kitchen and the tingle made me tiptoe a lot. I switched to another shoe -with more sole and even a heel lift and feel way more comfortable in an 8 hour kitchen environment. I still use the xeros for most anything else. One thing about the minimal shoe is that you have to be really conscious of your impact and gate. My feet have gotten way stronger from use of minimal shoes. I used to love going barefoot as a kid playing outside even on the asphalt and concrete. Y'all remember that scene from Longest Yard remake when Nelly runs right out of his shoes? Yeah I was into barefoot sprints on any surface around then.
I've been barefoot now for two years in Canadian climates .. not only have my feet developed naturally again and are strong , my hips, lower back and knee caps have stopped if not entirely stopped hurting over time. I also climatize easier to temperatures hot and cold.. the market in big shoe names like adidas, Nike have been starting to adopt a wide toe box.. awareness over the two years have definitely picked up
My feet hurt at work no matter what insoles I try in my work boots. It's been an ongoing issue for almost 2 years now and the only conclusion I keep coming back to is that my feet are weak. I really want to give barefoot shoes a shot and see if it really makes a difference. The theory behind the shoes makes sense to me.
Definitely give it a try, I wear work boots all day because I work on a concrete floor. When I'm not at work I throw on my barefoot shoes. I got mine from Amazon for less than $50, they don't look like a normal pair of shoes but I like funky shoes so it works out.
I bought a pair like a year ago and loved them. I've been trying to stop being a consumer the only reason I didn't buy more. It's about time tho
i understand and agree that human feet have evolved to be best equipped to handle the challenges of walking / running. Walking on paved city roads in my barefoot shoes has been a revelation and i'm very glad to have made the transition. But there is not a lot of info if it is better to be running on paved surfaces / tarmac roads in barefoot shoes, or whether the harm from excessive knee / joint impact may outweigh the benefits of stronger feet. Our ancestors did not have to contend with that. could you help dismantle this question?
I am a Dutch woman of 58 years old living in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. I have struggled with all sorts of problems with my feet for more than 20 years. I have followed the advice of the podo therapists for years without results. 6 weeks ago i had so much pain i could not walk anymore. This time i ignored the medical advice and i started wearing thin flexible outdoor sandels that are very wide at my toes after watching a few video s on barefoot shoes, simply to test if this would help. I am finally pain free! I know this footwear does not look 'lady like' but i do not care anymore. I go barefoot every minute of the day , on barefoot shoes or simply without shoes. And i spread this advice wherever i go. All my designer high heels, boots and sneakers i have destroyed together with the expensive cushionend soles sold to me by the podo therapists because now i know these have been the reason for my pain and discomfort
I remember once years ago I purchased orthopedic supports for my shoes. I put them in, wore them for less than 5 minutes and threw them away. They made my feet hurt so bad.
I'm approaching to this world, but there are a few doubts in my head right now on bf shoes and the science behind it.
1. While we were "born to run... Barefoot" it's also true that the surfaces where we live became harder and harder. Is there any correlation between injuries and the surface where they occurred? Are we sure that this has no influence? Because while I run bf on a softer material (like grass), it's like having a "cushion" between my foot and the hard surface.
2. I looked for some reviews or meta-analysis on the topic, but I see more studies on the barefoot running than on the barefoot "living". I have the perception that often, some concepts true to the running scheme are extended to bf walking and everyday use. Walking and running are pretty different. How much is true that you should front-strike or mid-strike while you walk? I feel like it reduces the efficiency of the gesture...
I think I will try firstly a pair of running bf shoes, but I will be really careful with my "commuting walks".
Does anyone have the same doubts? I would like to understand more of it
Yes, I had the same worries. I used to use Lems, with some cushioning, on tarmac. But now everything that disconnects me from the ground, also hard ones, gives me knee issues.
It took about 18 months of adaptations for me. And it's true about the forestrike. I do walk differently at different speeds and grounds, in general I hit the ground with the entire foot, but while walking slowly it's clear that I hit heel first and it's not an issue because I modulate with knee and hip the impact always resulting in a comfortable walk.
For me, transition shoes like Lems, really helped. Than it started becoming natural and I wanted to stay more time barefoot.
Not sure about studies, I kind abandoned that route, it takes too much expertise to actually understand them. I'm just thinking straight: I don't want my feet to be restricted, like any other part of my body. Even if my body is not designed to live 24h on hard surfaces, I should still be able to stay on those surfaces for some time, because rocks and harder grounds always existed in our environmenr. So i trained for it.
Now the result is that I can do 35k steps a day on concrete with 100k per week on average and I'm fine.
It's boring to walk on concrete but it came totally natural to me.
Good luck with your experience!
@@LuigiPapino thank you so much!
(Forse dovrei dire grazie mille hehe ^^)
@@LLanfri I live in a urban area, so I was also initially worried about how I'd deal with walking on flat concrete surfaces. But during my barefoot transition period, I realised that when my heels or toes started to ache, my feet and legs would automatically adjust the stride and strike to reduce the pain. Our feet are more hardy than we think and I think that you'll be fine as long as you take your time in transitioning, and give your legs time to rest and build the muscles that you previously didn't need.
surfaces havent rly become much harder tho
stone has been used to lay roads for thousands of years
and I dont think modern people spend most of their time walking on stone
personally, I do work in a place with a completely concrete floor where I'm standing for 6+ hours straight
and it used to wear out my feet and leave them so sore when I wore conventional shoes
but I've transitioned to wearying only barefoot shoes and my feet have never felt better
It took an adjustment period naturally, and it made me care more about the quality of my socks
but now I leave work feeling good and still able to go do stuff on my feet
if you like having that bit of grass between your foot and the ground, then look into getting nice comfy socks to fill that roll on other surfaces
I still wonder at this too. Is there an accumulative negative effect of walking all day on concrete with practically zero shock absorption from your shoe soles. As you mention, no one walks with a forefoot strike (go ahead try it if you think you do. You'll be joining the ministry for silly walks). I just think it's not something there's an answer/enough data for. I'm going to trust that our feet/bodies are hardy enough to adapt to any surface (humans have existed on hard surfaces throughout history i'm sure, like the ancients in their cities etc). Plus I'll just be mindful how it's effecting me i guess.
Great well presented information. Unfortunately the myths are so pervasive that I no longer even bother discussing with many people.
I've been running barefoot since 2009 and would run on most surfaces, concrete being my favourite.
If people are open minded to the truth then then they can grow, if not they can stay locked into the cycle of foot problems and keep podiatrists in business.
I’m 62 and started wearing barefoot shoes 4 years ago. I wear them almost exclusively now; zero ankle/knee pain and zero plantar fasciitis.
I’m not going back.
I ran 3 5k races last year, completely barefoot. Finished 2nd or 3rd in my age group. When I do race in shoes it is the Merrell vapor gloves. Best advice I got was don't start out running too far at first barefoot. Build up to it.
Barefoot shoes can mask bad foot placement and push off mechanics.
You'll get bad blisters in less than a mile with wrong technique on pavement.
Running naked foot is the only way to get the necessary feedback to learn how to run properly.
Side benefit is the ability to run on snow and ice without slipping about.
I've been running barefoot, or in barefoot shoes, for about 10 years or so now, and I wouldn't, and couldn't, go back to regular shoes. Within those 10 years, I did buy a pair of Altras, and while they are cushiony and comfortable, I just can't run in them. I'm so used to barefoot shoes now, and I need to feel the ground. I don't run barefoot anymore, mainly because of stepping on things that hurt (glass, thorns, small rocks), but I definitely prefer the barefoot feel. My non-running shoes have been mainly Lems with their wide toebox. I had purchased some really nice Allen Edmonds dress shoes a few years ago, and I would wear them day after day, but I can barely wear them for a full 8 hour day anymore. I guess it's a good thing that I don't care what my shoes might look like anymore, as long as they're comfortable and good for my feet. Despite the positive studies that we're now seeing, I don't need science to tell me that my feet are better off with bf shoes. It was only a few years ago when there were lots of negative/anti barefoot/minimalist shoe studies, and maybe that's because of the reasons you cited, at least in part, but I find it interesting now that every major athletic shoe brand (whcih are major supports of running magazines) now have barefoot style shoes in their lineup, we're seeing more positive reviews and studies. Coincidence? Who knows, but it doesn't affect me at all. One other thing about barefoot versus cushioned normal running shoes is that the latter would have an expected life of only a few hundred miles, as that is often due to how long the cushioning would be effective, but I find that my barefoot shoes last well beyond that, dependent only on wear and tear on the upper and how often I tend to scrape my feet. Unfortunately, the price of barefoot shoes aren't as low as one would hope, but then again, I haven't priced regular running shoes lately, so maybe they are cheap in comparison. But that apparently hasn't stopped me from buying them, as I have two pair of Merrel Vapor Gloves, 4 pair of Xeros, and quite a few Lems (about 15 including boots and casual shoes). Sorry that this was longer than I anticipated.
For trail running, I think the major issue is the lack of deep lug to tackle slippery muddy terrain. At least that has been the case in my experience in south east Asia during the rainy season.
With the typical cushioned shoes, deep lug models are varied and availability is high.
With minimalist shoes, the typical ones are already harder to get and sizing can be challenging as well.
I've been running in vibram (4 different pairs including v trail 2.0). I enjoy them so much but they unfortunately can be hazardous for trail running in this part of the world (slippery muddy trail).
Can you get altra shoes there?
Most of their shoes are at least somewhat cushioned and have arch support, but they are zero drop and have one of the best toeboxes I've seen in minimalist shoes.
I think the 'King Mt.' model is supposed to be thinner and more flexible.
I have their 'lone peak' model. #3. 5 or #4. It feels tiring to run in because of the weight, cushion and stiffness, but the grip is excellent on grass.
I can't say much personally about other terrain, but my mom has worn them backpacking and says they're grippy there, too.
Xero terraflex.,or at least that's what it was called when it was released might be helpful!
Altra Superior has amazing grip.
I've worn minimalist shoes now for over a year now and I have recently developed Turf Toe in both of my toes. Ive had to go back to wearing regular shoes this past week to stop the extra toe extension from minimalist shoes.
Minimalist shoes work best with shorter strides than regular trainers - more steps, and shorter strides. It sounds like you may need to alter your walking technique to avoid over-extending your big toe on push off. Try taking shorter strides, concentrating on what you're doing to your big toes.
I am from now on going to be a barefoot human being after just watching myth 1. Cant wait for the other four myths I got my vivo's yesterday and I am super excited for this journey. I have been having problems in my hips, lower back, knees for years and have been doing physio for the past three years but all I am still experiencing pain and misalighnment issues but soon my body will be at ease.
Not gonna lie, from the comments of barefoot videos, you would think using these types of shoes would cure cancer and male pattern baldness. It’s pretty funny.
2 mins in I had the exact same thought
Yes, if I wear them to bed I no longer have to get up and pee in the middle of the night.
If you go around slaping people who point out your bald spot you might notice a difference
I mean being able to walk without pain is a pretty big deal.
@@hastyscorpion i though i had a deformity or severe injury, turns out i just needed that ki d of shoe since i only wore boots and high sole sneakers
My orthopedist made me to transition to minimal shoes. It was more than ten years ago, and my many problems (including spine problems) are fully healed. But I have to say - it wasn't head first jump, it took over a year, under care of rehabilitation specialist at first, and then proper trainer, and all supervised by doc.
First three weeks was the worst, with feet and calves in constant pain - but from that, things started to improve. And as I said - are great since long time
I'm 50, fit and not overweight. Wearing barefoot shoes when walking around town gives me backache. It would be great to have some options WITH some heel padding....
well I have flat feet and I use barefoot shoes since 5 years now. Eventually I needed to "upgrade" my shoes with orthopedic inlays because the pronation caused me some really bad pain in the ankles. The flat foot didn't go away just by wearing the shoes like some companies claim.
It's not a guaranteed fix. Even the cited tribe had a 1.3% rate of flatfootedness and you might be in that 1.3%.
Wearing correct toes in combination with barefoot shoes really helps. Flat footednes is not really a problem. What is a problem is the overpronation that often occurs by flat footedness. Overpronation itself is also in itself not a problem, but it is a major cause of caved knees, which results in knee/hip/lower back damage. The kinetic chain all starts from the bottom to the top. Your feet and toes is where it all starts. While barefoot shoes might not be an immidiate magical fix, it is the best thing to reduce further damage. It is very important you wear correct toes with your barefoot shoes, because moving the big toe to the outside will greatly help getting rid of overpronation issues. Your feet need to be completely restrenghted and for that they need be in the right position. Only wearing barefoot shoes (even for 5 years) is not enough when you still overpronate and the big toe caves inward. That is why you need to wear your barefoot shoes in combination with correct toes and also work on your gluteus medius to improve knee stability. Stop the orthopedic inlays. They do more harm then good.
Another factor in flat feet for many people is that they use their hamstrings and back muscles more than their glutes for walking and running. Do you have a flat butt? If so, it's likely you need to strengthen your glutes and practice using them to move your hip forward as you walk. That automatically makes your foot arch, it's part of the evolved biomechanics of walking.
@@nycbearff interesting. but no, my glutes are very well developed haha. but still a good tip, I'll focus on that muscle group a little bit more when walking/running.
Excellent video! Very clear and to the point. I hope more and more people adopt barefoot shoes. It’s truly life changing. It’s so hard to get people to even test them out sadly.
Thanks for answering all my question in one simple video
I’m looking for a good and affordable barefoot shoe. Which one should I buy?
I started barefoot walking in road which has both rough as well as smooth surface and then just after the first walk which was about 4 miles long my lower legs started to hurt especially around Achilles tendon, calf muscle, arch muscle & fingers as if I have never walked before. That was a completely new experience for me.
I'm in the process of giving barefoot shoes another try, but definitely not for running on pavement. I had been wearing a pair for walking around years ago and then tried running in them and got a terrible case of plantar fasciitis which took more than a year to heal and I still feel the effects of sometimes. Running on pavement is a bear and warnings are definitely needed against people just jumping into that. I had not heard about the forefoot advice at that time, even though I did research about it. Honestly, I will not try that again, no matter the foot running style. But I continue to find barefoot shoes great for less impact on hard surfaces. And feel divine on grass and adventuring in the woods.
The example you show of running on the beach with forefoot strike is how you should avoid running. This person is obviously thinking about his footstrike. But running should be a natural movement. It's also okay to strike with the whole foot at once. The feet should be placed beneath you - not in front of you. Then the heel needs to be loaded. You can run much longer and injury-free when you let it happen.
Excellent video. People loose their minds over shoes. Kinda cracks me up. "Shoes are a tool, not a religion. Choose the tool that suits the job, as you would any other tool."(tm)
My daughter, then 12, and I switched to Vibram FiveFingers in July 2012. We continue to run in them (training, racing, adventure running) and they are our go-to, for 99% of our running. When the trails become really hard packed, we switch to either Merrell Trail Gloves or Vapor Gloves, or New Balance Minimus 10v1's. We shoot video for the channel, and have done a lot of running in the Grand Canyon and other Nat'l Parks, in the FF's. We also backpack and hike in the FF's. Our go-to models are the Spyridon, Trek Ascent, and V-Trail 2.0. In high school, my daughter was the only athlete on either the XC or Track team, who went all 4 years (she was running Varsity all 4 years), to never have an injury. She successfully raced all distances in Track, and of course wore the appropriate spikes. Our daily work shoes are Vivo Barefoot. As a mechanic, I wear the Primus Trail version, on concrete floors, 9hrs a day, year round.
When I switched to FF's, I had flat feet, and a 15yr old, running, knee injury that was so bad, I could no longer run at all. I couldn't wear anything that didn't have a fully supportive insole and a huge arch support. The day I purchased the FF's (Bikilas), I ran 7.5mi up and down our local 1,200' peak. That week I ran 27mi. This of course, was NOT the correct way to transition, but it was so fantastic to be running again, that I just couldn't take it slow. For about 2 weeks I was incredibly sore from the knees down, but after that, things went back to normal, and I kept on training. I'm 59 now, and still running year round.
Great video. Would you have any advice on how to fix and prevent plantar fasciitis?
Great video, I'm in the process of transitioning to barefoot shoes after realizing that lower backpack while wearing normal shoes would disappear through the evening after being barefoot for a few hours. Hopefully the price of barefoot shoes here in NZ will start to drop soon, at the moment not many retailers cater for the market
So I have a couple of Merrell barefoot. Got Trail Glove 5s first, as an introduction. Got me used to barefoot style shoes. There is definitely a curve to getting used to them.
Merrell's are no joke. Their the most minimalist shoes I've ever owned. I love them for driving, actually; I feel more responsive.
Your case would be much stronger if in the description you cited the sources to the studies you mentioned otherwise cool video
I’m going through IT band physical therapy, and my PT told me that just because someone heel strikes doesn’t mean that won’t heal strike in zero drop shoes. They also highlighted that heel striking isn’t necessarily a bad thing as long as you strike under your hips, but rather, they DID point out issues with how Fleet Feet fitted me as needing inserts for my arches, as it’s over correcting pronation, which is ultimately causing my IT band issues
That is correct, but lower drop shoes will help you correct your form so you would transition into mid foot/forefoot striking. The video even points out that you don’t want to just immediately jump into a zero drop shoe if you have been wearing a more substantial one. A really good brand to look into is Topo. They make foot shaped shoes with heel to toe drops ranging from 0 to 5mm. Doing things such as hill sprints and different form drills will also help your running economy.
@@n.s.7293 I just don’t do sprinting because I’m doing marathon training, so it’s more of a “slow and steady” type run.
@@thisguy2973 good running economy is good running economy. Of course you won't have the same form as you would be running the 100 meters, but your marathon is going to be a heck of a lot faster if you have an efficient foot strike versus a poor one. Even when training for the marathon you still want to incorporate some faster work, I do everything from very slow zone two stuff to top speed hill sprints. All have their place in making you a well rounded runner.
I’ve watched just two of your videos but I wanted to point out the amazing quality in not only a graphic-illustrative way but also the content itself. I strongly believe that anyone could benefit from this channel and the wonderful easy explanations you share. I hope your subs grow in numbers and that you can make a living out of this. Definitely smashed that sub button 👍🏼
Hey, I was trying to follow up on the claims made in regards to foot striking force etc. but could not locate any sort of linked, peer-reviewed sources in your description?
When I started running about 12 or 13 years ago I wore conventional shoes and had terrible back and knee pain. I was about to give up when I ran into a college friend who worked at a store selling Five Fingers. He talked me into trying them out and I never looked back. I bought an additional pair for backpacking and I can't imagine ever wearing a hiking boot again. I'm mid-fifties and now have 5 pairs of barefoot shoes. No pain in any of my joints.
What you said is incredibly true. I've had a mild bunioned toe on my flat left foot. Suffice to say that i managed to fix it during covid-19 lockdown period of 4 months.
Very, very, very nice summary of all the research out there that supports the use of barefoot shoes. I can finally send one video to my friends, instead of 15 different papers.
One thing that I have heard is that we also have not evolved to walk on concrete ground all day long...so maybe a flat but well cushioned sole would be better.
Just for the anecdote, before going barefoot were a trend, there was Kwai Chang Caine, the main character in the Original Kung Fu TV Series, who was always walking the Earth, barefoot. Around the middle of the first season, he stopped wearing shoes, just because he didn't like them. Actually, the actor, David Carradine, liked to go barefoot and introduced that detail to the character; it was also added to Bill in Kill Bill. Even his gravestone calls him "The Barefoot Legend."
Any recommendation for wide toe box shoes without being bareshoes. I will like to get one for the transition.
Topo, crocs
That title made me think this was debunking barefoot shoes not advocating. Tricked me into clicking on it.
video is full of lies and misinformation.
I converted from heeled to zero drop shoes about 2 years ago and now exclusively wearing Vivobarefoot footwear (PLIII, RAIII, GBIII). I have been walking barefoot about domestically for most of my life so transitioning from Oxford dress heel shoes to zero drop was minimal adjustment and welcomed. I am also not a runner, though enjoy bicycling and rowing (machine) regularly and an artist and arts promoter in life. After a few sports injuries in my youth (not related), zero drop footwear has helped immensely now in my 50s too. I also haven't ridden horses recently, so I don't need heeled footwear anyways.
I’m not entirely sold on the whole barefoot thing. I am listening tho. I, like so many others probably, have been through phases of various foot pains, shin splints, arch pains, heel pain, toe cramps, plantar fasciitis. I’ve been in work boots a big percentage of that time and was a Merrell fanboy for hiking but a recent almost accidental change to Altra and a super wide toe box has been an epiphany. I can feel my feet heal and get stronger day by day. So the ability to splay the toes is definitely something. Am enjoying the Altra Olympus 5s very much but to take away the padding I’m still struggling with mentally.
I was someone who always wore tight heel raised, crammed toe box, cushioned supportive shoes for the last 10-12 years all day everyday and NEVER walked barefoot, not even when I got home from school or work, never took my shoes off until bed. I developed some foot pain in April 2022 and finally in Sept 2022 I decided to switch straight into some Altra Lone peaks, about 4 months ago. For some reason I decided to not do the whole transition thing as I’ve found my old shoes to be uncomfortable now. Boy I will tell you it has been a rough journey so far. I started out feeling pretty good in them. My feet feel like they have finally been freed. However starting around October 2022 my feet started getting sore and have been pretty sore since. Ive been trying to gauge how much on my feet time and rest time I need in order to have minimal soreness/pain throughout each day. I have noticed some changes and my feet are starting to slowly feel stronger. I’ve also been doing foot exercises periodically and using toe spacers. It definitely takes time and Im hoping to get back to my normal activities soon here. There’s no way I can wear “normal shoes” again as my feet now hurt even more in those! Thanks for the video!
I wore shoes with gel soles for years. They were very comfortable and helped me with my back problems. Initially. After about three years, I couldn't walk with anything else and just a little later I had my first herniated disc. This taught me: never support weaknesses! Since then I use barefoot shoes (5fingers). It was a process of getting used to, but I do not regret the change for a second! Nowadays, I think my back would not have been damaged so much if I had not thoughtlessly listened to the doctors' advice and had not constantly used insoles, gel soles, etc. ...
I'm kind of in the same boat right now. I've known of the 'barefoot movement' for a couple of years now. I've been interested and looked into any research I could find but back then there wasn't much, at least I couldn't find it. My history: leg length discrepancy right is shorter than left, flat feet with I think it's called pronation? Or ankle drop? It's where when standing without I sole my ankles drop in towards ground(I hope that makes sense) had plantar fasciitis from about 10 to 21years of age and healed it i guess after i wore crocs for my everyday shoe(part of dress code for my job) and was able to wear any and all sneakers since then. developed a bunion on right foot 2 years ago at 31 (when I noticed it) saw podiatrist and diagnosed me with the bunion and leg length deformity and prescribed custom orthotics with a heel lift. Fast forward to last year in August when I suddenly developed severe left heel pain while wearing my orthotics. For over 1 year I could not wear any other shoe besides my sneakers with my orthotic. Podiatrist said my heel pain wasn't caused by the orthotic. I've been battling this pain now for quite some time. The pain caused me to not walk or stand much, developed tight hip flexors, with lower back pain. I've looked into barefoot shoes again for these issues and am still afraid to take the plunge. It's nice to read about someone else who couldn't walk with any other shoe. Gives me hope and I guess courage to try barefoot shoes. Thank you for reading this long comment if you did.
@@tianamarie989 Thank you so much for sharing your story! It takes a lot of time, perseverance and courage to take back the initiative on your health and you have earned my respect and esteem for doing so. Remember that it took years to develope those issues and, therefore, it may take years to heal them. Slow consistency is one of the keys; one foot after the other. Listening to yourself and standing true to yourself is another key factor. I wish you everithing you need and all the best. We're gonna fix us =)
@Simon Zbinden thank you for the kind words and for reminding me about all the years this is going on and that it'll take time. I forget sometimes how long I've been dealing with this. I've decided I'm going to have my kids (5 and 3) Starr now while they are young.
I need to find shoes that I can wear at work that are safety certified. This is next to impossible to find!
Good video bruh, I have flat feet & have been wearing custom designed orthotics for about 15 years.. I started wearing barefoot shoes about 4 months ago.. After watching this video I'm going to stop wearing my orthotics & go ALL OUT with just wearing my barefoot shoes.. We'll see what happens..
I'm curious about what kinds of injuries are possible from starting to wear barefoot shoes without doing the appropriate transitioning. I made the leap with wildling shoes after wearing merrell trailgloves for a while. The only thing I've noticed is my feet feel a little bit tight on the plantar area when I wake up, but after the first 10 steps they're fine.
Brought a pair of cheap ones of amazon for work, was painful for about 2 weeks then i started to notice my arch had some meat to it and could jump with more power
You're a hero, although after years of barefoot shoes, With mild fallen arches. I needed to add arch support. If I wasn't been so lazy and actually done arch strengthening routines, this would not have happened. I currently only wear barefoot, just with Birks insoles.
Please provide the links to these studies. So i can reviewed it and it's methodology. I don't see it in the description.
do you know how to use search engines mate
In my 3rd year of running, I went from Hoka to Xero, do most of my running in trail Luna sandals. And wear altras from time to time. I now can't wear regular shoes. I do say, if your working towards running minimalist start out slow. It took me a year to adapt.
I have started to research transitioning to the barefoot shoe. I'm a 62 male and have found over the past couple years my feet (one more than the other) have bothered me. Any shoe I wear (and even athletic socks) makes my toes feel compressed together and I find it very uncomfortable. My question is, is it too late to expect my feet to get back to the way they should be? I'm not a runner and the bulk of activity in my daily life is long walks with my dog (both pavement and unpaved trails). Usually a couple hours a day.
I've found that unfortunately barefoot shoes are expensive because they wear out so quickly with regular use. You need to buy multiple pairs at once and cycle through them for longevity. I've gotten 6 months tops out of my vivo shoes. And they were quiet pricey. It's a shame because from the moment I put on my first pair I struggle to go back to regular shoes. I work at a gym and we have rubber flooring and I've found it wears down the soles really quickly.
I have had a pair of Xero Prio shoes for two years. They have held up with nearly daily wear (no running). They are one of the cheaper brands. They look a bit ragged, I admit, but they are still as comfortable as they were when new and the shoes are not coming apart anywhere. The soles still look new. Heavy runners replace their shoes every 4-6 months, so your 6 months is not too bad.
Will these shoes help my lower back pain??
Wearing barefoot shoes has resulted in chronic knee pain :( and yes i do arch activation, ankle and leg strengthening.. barefoots are not for everyone especially if you have uneven legs and slight scoliosis like me
Awesome video!
Could you please add source links in the description or on a pinned comment? That would be very helpful!
There is literally no need for barefoot shoes to be expensive. They're minimalist.
Putting out a new line and style of product costs companies more money in r&d and they take a risk on it so i guess that's why it costs more
Ya, barefoot shoes for any budget but not in South Africa. Our postal service is useless, so no point in shipping from overseas.
From a mountaineering perspective (hiking up mountains), barefoot shoes are plain and simple uncomfortable after a time. When you walk 6 hours on gravel and rocks, you feel it on the soles of your feet. I had hiking boots that were kinda softer in the sole, and it was awful after several hours of rocky terrain, but pretty comfortable to wear. Now I have more firm boots and I don't give a F about terrain difficulty, but I have to immediately take them off when we get down from the mountain.
I lived 9 years in West Africa. Most people wore flip flops, or similar. Flat feet were so common there, with thick callouses on the foot underside and heel.
No professional runner runs in barefoot shoes. Almost all land midfoot with cushioned shoes. Nothing against barefoot as it has benefits but it has reached a cult status and claims have gone widly out of hand. And of course at the end of all this is the sales pitch.
Ever since I was a kid I battled with my mum and occasionally with other people over wearing slippers at home. I walk barefoot whenever I can, and always at home. In winter I might put socks on. Turns out I've been right 😊
Edit: Also I have never liked sport shoes or high heels. With high heels it's kind of understandable because they're not designed to be comfortable. But I myself couldn't explain why I hated cushioned training shoes so much. Now I know. Thanks for the video.
This is all so simple and clear, great job! How can people think that bare is not the way to go?
I don’t run or work out regular, I have a food service job where I’m standing from 6-12 hrs, experiencing loads of foot pain after my shifts is what got me watching barefoot videos. My question though is what’s a good transition for someone that isn’t using them for exercise? I’ve only heard of running transitions. Or is barefoot shoes not good for standing on tile for long hours? I have heard a couple videos argue that barefoot shoes should be used on natural surfaces vs man made. 🤷🏻♀️
I've never been able to pick up running because my ankles always start to hurt very badly even before I start to get tired. These barefoot shoes sound like they could be a great solution.
Interestingly, I have always preferred scrambling over rocks (say at the beach for example) in my flip flops rather than normal shoes even though they are far less protected, as I could almost grab the contours of the rock with my toes and foot, and maintain balance easier. I guess this confirms my experience.
I have been using barefoot shoes for some years now. I'm quite a fit and athletic guy, I played Rugby for 12 years and have done martial arts for about the same length of time.
Barefoot shoes have helped strengthen my feet, and I feel so much more in control of my foot movements when wearing them opposed to any other kind of shoe.
They only issue I have had with barefoot shoes, is that I have recently developed a lot of achillies pain. It use to only hurt when I would road run, but I recently went on a holiday and did a lot of walking. I didnt wear barefoot shoes, but I think the tenderness from running in them had been just enough to lead on to walking aswell.
Ive rested and my achilles feel fine now, but I won't be doing any more road running, as any time I do I immediately get achillies pain.
I have to question the value of some of these studies. While anecdotal I had flat feet and pain wearing footwear without support until my 30’s when I finally got orthotics. While this all seems like common sense, the listener has to remember what he’s selling.
I'm sure there's a small percentage of people that need orthotics to support chronic foot conditions and you may surely be one of them. But wearing "normal" shoes probably wouldn't have done anything to reverse or improve your arches, so your anecdote probably can't be applied to the thesis of the video which is barefoot footwear and training can improve flat feet.
But yeah, it is a good point that individual cases may vary and the advice won't be suitable for everyone.
In may of this year i had persistent knee pain on my left side and my left arch was completely flat. 4 months after switching to barefoot in September, my arch matches the right side and my knee pain is nearly resolved.