A shoe can make a big difference in your day-to-day life. So the question is – are barefoot shoes worth the hype?
Despite being around for quite some time, barefoot shoes are only now becoming more popular in the footwear industry. Wearing barefoot shoes has many health benefits, such as improving foot health and posture. Several barefoot shoe reviews back this up.
Before you go buy that one pair you’ve read about, here are other things you should know about barefoot shoes and how to take advantage of their fullest potential.
What Are Barefoot Shoes?
Barefoot shoes are footwear designed to allow users to feel the ground with their feet in more natural ways.
The main design consideration for barefoot shoes is that they are flexible, lightweight, and usually engineered to mimic the foot’s natural shape.
The goal of wearing barefoot shoes is to minimize the gap between the wearer’s feet and the ground. This helps people walk more naturally, which can have several benefits, including improvements in balance, posture, range of motion, and muscle function.
What Are the Common Features of Barefoot Shoes?
Since barefoot shoes differ significantly from traditional footwear, it is important to know their key features to ensure you are buying quality footwear. Here’s a quick run-down of the features of barefoot shoes.
- It should have an ultra-thin, flexible, and ultra-flexible sole. These are the only soles that can feel the ground underneath them.
- It should have zero-drop. Taking into consideration the difference in heel and toe height, the entire foot must be leveled.
- Barefoot shoes need to have a wide front part so that toes can move freely. A shoe should mirror the foot’s natural shape, but it should not copy it too close that it leaves no space for movement.
- It is important that barefoot shoes are lightweight and do not have arch support.
What Are the Advantages of Wearing Barefoot Shoes?
Here are just a few of the benefits of barefoot shoes to help you decide if they are worth the expense.
Barefoot Shoes Can Help Relieve Pain
The transition to barefoot shoes can strengthen the foot and allow the muscles to realign. Besides helping prevent injuries and relieving back and lower back pain, it can also reduce pain due to knee and hip injuries.
Walking in Barefoot Shoes Help Relieve Stress Levels
Going barefoot helps relieve stress and tension, restoring the delights of ordinary living. Going barefoot has been shown to lower blood pressure, total body tension, and levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Going barefoot has no restrictions on your feet, the flexible and thin sole lets you feel the ground, and the shoes are so comfy that you forget you’re wearing them.
Going barefoot is a fantastic method to reclaim your lost energy and good mood no matter where you go.
It Promotes Healthy Muscles and Strong Feet
Barefoot shoes are designed to mimic the shape and natural curve of the feet, allowing them to walk. While walking or jogging, the wide shape of the shoes engages a larger range of muscles. Barefoot shoes not only strengthen all the muscles in the foot but also assist in the proper development of the foot to avoid abnormalities.
Barefoot Shoes Reactivates the Body
The feet have several acupressure sites that link to other sections of the body. Various body organs can be revitalized by activating these locations. Consider being barefoot for the rest of your life. The ground continues to massage and activate all your feet’ acupressure points. The soles of traditional footwear do not allow for such a connection, whereas barefoot shoes’ soles do.
Wearing Barefoot Shoes Improves Balance
When we wear barefoot shoes or walk barefoot, our brain receives more stimuli and information. Our brains do not get detailed information about the surface when we wear standard footwear. Walking barefoot causes us to be more aware of flaws in the ground, which helps us to maintain our balance.
Where Can You Find Barefoot Shoes?
Due to the many benefits they can offer over regular running shoes, barefoot shoes are increasingly popular in all footwear industries. The fact remains, however, that not all barefoot shoes are created equal. This is why it is important to research before buying barefoot shoes.
The availability of several barefoot shoes reviews on several websites can help you find the best model for you. Consider also checking out Happy Barefoot, a website designed to assist consumers in finding the best shoes for those starting the barefoot movement.
You can also use the shoe finding wizard to filter the right barefoot shoe for you.
Conclusion
Using barefoot shoes should be viewed as a long-term investment in your fitness goals. There’s a little adjustment period before they become comfortable, but the benefits seem to outweigh the initial discomfort.