We then stick them in shoes as we age.
Of course we need to protect our feet from the environment, however the only environment that is really dangerous is the one made up of
sharp gravel, glass, Tarmac, concrete and metal..the one WE created.
Most naturally occurring surfaces are soft, rounded and provide a connection to the earth that, from what the research is suggesting, will soon come to the forefront as being a vital part of our wellbeing practices!
I used to have the same sensation that we all get from various
things such as fingernails down a blackboard or metal on metal, when I went barefoot on the patio!
Now I can walk on pretty much every surface (apart from maybe glass or hot coals!)..and I'm nearly 100kgs!
It only took a week or so as the surprising thing we all find when we set our feet free is that we don't
need to grow gnarly hobbit feet with thick skin...it is a matter of load displacement.
Try standing on one leg in large soled shoes and then barefoot..the difference is huge!
- We actually awaken our sensation in the feet over time so that the tiny receptors measure every change in terrain as we put our feet down.
- The message upwards to our brain ensures we react to the subtlest of changes as our foot hits the floor with every step.
- Anything spiky or pokey means we actually shift our gait to avoid putting too much weight down before we even know what we are doing!
The upshot of this is that with better contact to the ground, either through barefoot walking or
minimalist trainers, our bodies move better and the loads are dispersed evenly and naturally.
We end up with strong feet, mobile joints between all the bones of each foot, and an infrastructure that balances our movement and biomechanics better than ANY supportive or reactive shoe.
The results can be life changing with regards to knee, ankle and hip
pain.
Our 4 year old summer it up when me moved him from big soled toddler shoes to minimalist Vivobarefoot shoes:
'My feets can run again!'
Your body knows....
J
