Is Walking Barefoot Healthy?

Walking barefoot, especially outdoors or even running barefoot, is incredibly healthy as its the only way to ensure your feet remain functionally strong and resilient. This is because walking and running barefoot outdoors increases sensory stimulation on the underfoot which activates a range of nerves that line the sole of the foot. This heightened nerve activation is what prompts more delivery of oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to the muscles and soft tissues deep within the feet.

Barefoot walking and running immediately accelerates foot strength better than any running shoe because it increases the activation of a specific subset of nerves in the foot that direct improve circulation throughout the foot.

The reason our feet are so sore, fragile and misshaped is directly due to regular use of conventional footwear because for one, these shoes are unergonomically narrow and stiff which doesn’t provide sufficient amounts of independent engagement for the foot to remain physically strong, For another, conventional athletic footwear is also thickly cushioned, causing a sensory disconnect which keeps the nerves responsible for improving circulation offline, and therefore, impedes the growth of a functionally stronger, healthy foot.

The feet shouldn’t have limited functions, but they do in most shoes as these shoes keeps the feet in inactive state, physically and sensorally. For running, this is a problem because when the foot’s muscles are weak, the foot pronates more during running which increases strain on the foot and leg. This is why cushioned running shoes cause several complicating factors that make you injury-prone, but always remember, being barefoot is the only way to make the feet stronger with the ability to adapt to new levels of training.

The Take Home Message

The activity level of the nerves lining the bottom of the feet (plantar nerves) can either increase or decrease blood flow to surrounding tissues and muscles in the foot. Therefore, the activity level of the plantar nerves regulates blood flow to deeper tissues, allowing them to receive nourishing blood and oxygen which is powerful for shaping foot strength. This how barefooting reverses foot weakness and , whereas cushioned running shoes undermines the capacity to usher-in adequate flow of nutrient-rich blood to key areas in the foot, and this is a dominant factor in how foot weakness arises.

Bretta Riches

"I believe the forefoot strike is the engine of endurance running..."

BSc Neurobiology; MSc Biomechanics candidate, ultra minimalist runner & founder of RunForefoot. I was a heel striker, always injured. I was inspired by the great Tirunesh Dibaba to try forefoot running. Now, I'm injury free. This is why I launched Run Forefoot, to advocate the health & performance benefits of forefoot running and to raise awareness on the dangers of heel striking, because the world needs to know.
Bretta Riches

P.S. Don't forget to check out the Run Forefoot Facebook Page, it's a terrific place to ask questions about forefoot running, barefoot running and injury. I'm always happy to help!