barefoot shoes
Let’s talk shoes… barefoot shoes that is. Shoes these days aren’t made for comfort and the ones that are aren’t visually appealing. The shoes we wear are killing our structure, throwing off our balance and causing irreversible damage to our feet. We shove our feet into narrow shoes beds just because they look good or even worse because we don’t want to go up a size.
I have fallen victim to the “shove your feet into small shoes cuz they look good” trend over the years. To be honest I hate shoes and would rather be barefoot. I’d rather workout barefoot and 90% of the day I am barefoot. Unfortunately, we cannot do that, so I choose to wear shoes that are comfortable no matter what they look like. If my toes can’t wiggle in them then I ant buying them!
I choose Barefoot shoes to workout in, hike in, and even float trip in. When I do purchase shoes, I look for a wide toe bed and usually go up a 1/2 a size or more. Now, I understand these types of shoes aren’t for everyone but if you are having foot, knee, hip or lower back issues chances are your shoes have a lot to do with it. Do your research and give them a try.
There are MANY benefits of being barefoot. It helps with sensory stimulation, fine motor control, flexibility and better control of your foot position when it strikes the ground. Just think about it, when you walk barefoot you feel the ground on your feet. You can spread your toes out to improve your balance and really grip the ground. You can literally see how you walk and improve or correct your gait. Do your feet roll in causing your Kness to cave in and throws off your hips causing pain? That in return causes pain in your hips and lower back. It’s all connected!
If you want to start small ditch the shoes and just walk around barefoot when you can. I suggest you go outside and feel the earth under your feet. I promise it will do wonders for your mental health and really ground you. There are TONS of brands on Amazon that are cost effective. Two of my favorites are Vivobarefoot and Vibram. I love my Vibram’s with the toes… OH the looks I get when I wear them.
If you're a runner, a lifter, hiker or just enjoy working out and the outdoors I challenge you to try Barefoot shoes. Now I do understand that they are not good for certain things so proceed with caution, but I can tell you I have hiked in mine many times with no issues.
LET THEM PIGGIES BREATHE!!!!