It starts with our feet…

When we learn to walk, our feet begin to learn to act as our body’s foundation- they connect us to the ground, support our body weight, and act in shock absorption and propulsion to move us throughout the world. Until shoes come around….

“If you don’t use it, you lose it”

We’ve all heard it: we need "good, supportive shoes”.

THIS COULD NOT BE MORE FALSE.

In a 1992 study by Rao & Joseph (1992), it was shown that the more supportive, and the earlier the footwear is placed on a child’s foot, the more likely they are to develop flat feet (inactive arches).

This makes sense when you think about the body’s tendency to adapt to the things we ask of it. When you wear a cast on your arm to mend a broken bone, and therefore do not bend your elbow for weeks, the biceps muscle atrophies and withers away because the body/brain thinks since we are not using it, we don’t need to keep it strong.

TAKE-HOME MESSAGE: When we support parts of the body, they get weak and dependent on support. When we allow them to move and activate, they get stronger.

This video beautifully outlines the vast positive impacts of letting our foot muscles stay active and uninhibited by conventional footwear.

THE SOLUTION:
1) GO BAREFOOT: start slowly, go as long as you can at home without discomfort. Do it daily, and the time will slowly start to increase.
2) AVOID UNNECESSARY SUPPORT by transitioning to BAREFOOT / MINIMALIST shoes - check out anyasreviews.com for more info on all of the brands out there.
3) FOOT EXERCISES: check out this post for exercises that help activate and mobilize the feet and toes, a crucial part of helping strengthen the feet to transition to barefoot shoes.
4) TOE SPREADERS: they help encourage our toes to move back into a more natural alignment, while opening up neurovascular pathways in the feet and create new muscular activation. If you want to purchase a pair ($20), email bsluzar@gmail.com with your mailing address!

TOE SPREADING TIPS: Here’s a video of me putting them on if you need help!
Tip #1 Start slow & listen to your feet: only wear them until you feel an urge to take them off. If you have significant discomfort or notice discoloration in your toes, remove the toe spreaders and try again tomorrow.
Tip #2 Barefoot only: I do not suggest wearing them while your feet are inside conventional shoes as this can cause even more compression, undue pain and discomfort. Feel free to wear conventional socks overtop of them if you get cold.
Tip #3 Be active or passive in them: Wear them around the house or the office; walking or sitting, in front of the TV and/or while doing some foot/body exercises!

WHERE TO FIND BAREFOOT / MINIMALIST FOOTWEAR?

  • Unfortunately, not at your local shoe store! This is a growing niche, but most big shoe companies do not adhere to this way of thinking. You will not find any at soft moc, foot sensations, foot locker, etc. The best resource is to check out ANYASREVIEWS.com, the holy grail of barefoot footwear online resources.

  • Buying/seeing shoes in person is important to some. Luckily, here in Toronto, we have (the only one I know of its kind) a purely barefoot/minimalist physical shoe store called COOL EAST MARKET (Danforth/Greenwood), where you can check out all sorts of different brands and models.