We all have had moments of our feet hurting after a long day at work, walking around Santa-Cali-Gon Days or another activity where our feet are used a lot. When we finally get to kick off our shoes, we curl up our toes and stretch our ankles. What a relaxing feeling, right?
On the flip side, I've discovered how amazing it can be to go barefoot beyond the confines of my own home. When I go barefoot, I feel more connected to every environment in which I am.
The ground beneath our feet feels amazing, friends. Different kinds of carpet have different textures. The concrete and asphalt outside can feel different temperatures depending on where the sun is shining and where it is shaded. Even the pedals in my car have texture to them and I find that I can feel the vibrations of the road and tiny minutiae of the car's operation.
What's more, my feet have enjoyed being free of unwelcome pressure points and from being essentially locked in limited positions while inside shoes.
Try this: If you are wearing shoes, take one off and any sock you may be wearing on that foot. Now move your ankle, foot and toes around. Really get a sense for how your foot can curl and move. Try the same exercise with your shod foot. How much can you move your toes around? What range of motion do you have with your ankle? See what I mean?
I've done a bunch of researching in the last couple of years about the benefits of going barefoot and how unnatural it is for our feet to be trapped inside of shoes. Through this research and reading (linked later) I've found that going barefoot is a good thing!
All of that said, I know what you're thinking.
There's all kinds of reasons we have developed as a society as to why we feel it's necessary and socially appropriate to wear some kind of footwear, especially in public. I assert that it only takes a moment of reflection to begin shedding ideas about bare feet and the necessity to wear shoes in our society.
Consider the following questions:
Why do many people feel that feet are gross?
From what does footwear protect our feet?
What are the differences between how our hands touch the world and how our feet touch the world?
At any given moment, how "clean" are the soles and insides of the shoes you're wearing?
I understand that many people think only "hippies" and southerners go barefoot all the time. I get it that many people feel that going barefoot is gross. And I'm definitely not stupid. I realize that there are situations in which we are placed that shoes are necessary.
It's just that I've come to the realization that feet are NOT gross if taken care of. What's more, there's really very little from which we need to protect our feet with footwear. And when I read the research that going barefoot is better for our bodies than shoes, I'm pretty much sold.
But what really drives it home for me is how being barefoot feels. If you give yourself a chance to do it long enough, you'll find it starting to feel "right" and natural. As time goes on I have become a little more bold with my own comfort level.
If, even now, all of this is hogwash to you and you think I've lost my frikkin' mind, so be it. If you are intrigued, I DO NOT think you should throw off all footwear and go shopping barefoot at the mall to start.
My challenge to you is this: Try going barefoot one "step" more than you're used to. I know someone that doesn't even like to walk around without socks on. To that person or others I say, "take off those socks and walk around your house barefoot!" If you'll go barefoot in your home, walk around outside. Feel the texture of the concrete vs. the grass. Sense the difference in temperature between sunlight and shade. If you go out shopping wearing flip flops, try kicking them off for a little while. If you drive while wearing your flip flops, take them off and drive barefoot (It's not illegal, contrary to popular belief).
The links below offer up a lot of answers to questions you might have and give a lot of good information about safety and health concerns of barefooting.
The Society for Barefoot Living
http://www.barefooters.org/
These people are HARDCORE. While I'm not necessarily to the place they are, their site provides a lot of good information about health, safety and legal concerns.
Living Barefoot
http://www.livingbarefoot.info/
While not as hardcore, this site offers a lot of good information as well. In addition, it lists a number of footwear alternatives to give you that barefoot feel without many of the typical concerns.
"You Walk Wrong," New York Magazine, April 21, 2008
http://nymag.com/health/features/46213/
A GREAT article addressing the problems with modern footwear and explaining why it's so good to go barefoot. It's a bit New York-centric, but still good info.
"The Definitive Guide for Going Barefoot," Real World Strength Training
http://johnsifferman.com/blog/the-definitive-guide-for-going-barefoot/
A good, simple article about the benefits of running barefoot. It includes one researcher's video that shows side-by-side comparisons of the mechanics of barefoot running versus shod running.
So there you have it...for now. This was pretty wordy and it didn't address nearly all of my thoughts on going barefoot. But expect to see my bare feet more often. I hope to see yours too.
I welcome your comments and/or questions.
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