Benefits of Bare Feet

Remember the carefree days of childhood, when you played barefoot in the grass? Well, what you didn't know then and what your Mom may not have told you, is that every moment you spent barefoot was actually good for your body! The foot is made up of a number of muscles, tendons and nerves, all designed to help keep the body in balance and your gait in check. Going barefoot strengthens and keeps nutrients flowing to all those fibers and to the bones. It also allows the skin to stay healthy and strong. 

When we wear shoes, we force the foot to use the muscles and tendons differently to grip the inside of the shoe while walking. The result is that the muscles and tendons are forced into unnatural positions which create a strain on other muscles and joints from the ankle all the way up to the neck. Every part of the body is connected in some way. As the years pass, muscles in the foot that aren't used when wearing shoes begin to atrophy and eventually stop working all together. The results can be deadly. The foot is responsible for a big part of our balance and coordination. When muscles don't work properly, our balance begins to falter and can lead to serious, even deadly falls as we age. 

Now think of the joints in the rest of your body, like the knees  and hips for example. They were designed to work one way. When we force the foot to work incorrectly, we force the body to try and compensate, which puts a strain on tendons and ligaments that would otherwise not be strained and the joints to wear wrong. The result? You guessed it: deterioration due to constant stress. 

But if the constant stress and strain we put on our bodies isn't bad enough, consider what happens to the skin of the foot over time. Let's face it, our skin was not meant to be immersed in a warm, moist, bacteria and fungus laden environment for extended periods of time every day of our lives. Over time, the skin starts to break down and, is no longer able to repair itself constantly. Dry, cracked skin and  fungal infections are just two issues that can develop as the skin loses it's ability to heal itself and fight off germs.

Ever wonder why athletes who train barefoot run faster? Well, the answer to that lies in simple mechanics. When the body works with itself in the way that it was meant to, it works better. Runners run faster. Dancers have more balance and kids grow up with better posture and proper gait than their shod classmates. 

So, the next time you go to don a pair of shoes, consider going barefoot instead. Your feet and body will thank you!