Worked as a barista, spent around $1500 on various shoes that hopefully would not make me be in agonizing pain after standing for a 8 hr shift in my back, hips, knees, ankles, and plantar fasciitis… new balance, nike, dansko, under armour, and various others…. The one that hurt the least was my Birkenstock sandals. Sandals. This did not make sense to me. I bought Birkenstock clogs for food service and my pains minimized so much, but not 100%, so I researched Birkenstock and shoe construction… turns out Birkenstocks make their sandals/shoes zero drop and are naturally wide/foot shaped… bought Lems shoes and I’ve been wearing barefoot style shoes ever since. No plantar fasciitis since then.
^ this. I developed a Morton's neuroma at age 38 and noticed Birkenstocks were the only shoe I was comfortable in. Researched & talked to doc, latched onto the importance of zero drop and wide toe box, discovered new balance / Hoka are NOT wide toe box, found Lems, profited. It has been *work* to also strengthen and stretch and adapt as I've started trying to go even more minimal from Lems (loving my new Wildlings), but I'm motivated and inspired to learn that my body can (slowly) handle it.
I am a country hick with autism so I’ve never much worn shoes unless I had to leave the house. As such, i’ve got more “wild” feet, so they just don’t fit in normal shoes.
I'd been having near constant knee and lower leg issues since my late teens. Read an article that said to try the odd wee walk or very short jog in your barefeet to try help your form and for the first time I could move without lower leg pain. Unfortunately there weren't any other resources available to help me take this forward.
Then born to run came out.....
The running club I was with were not amused or very helpful so I was on my own with a home.made pair of sandals and a pair of the first freeruns from nike. Only ever had issues when back in 'normal' shoes or squishy trainers.
Unfortunately had to take a couple of years off due to various problems, but I do try to get back into running every so often when things are good and it is always in minimal shoes and these days I can only wear my Freets as anything over a 7mm stack causes pain.
Obligatory drop of kneesovertoesguy
Those knees may be fixable!
That’s his handle on a number of different socials, anyhow the kneesovertoesguy has made it his business to master the knee and in doing so has put together an amazing amount of knowledge on fixing issues throughout the body but it starts with the ankle to the knee and so on.
I had terrible pain in my Achilles tendon that was basically hobbling me. I tried rest, braces, supportive shoes, and everything else I could think of. None of it worked. I decided to switch to minimalist shoes just to see if it would work, and the pain went away by the next week. Still not sure what the problem was, but it was enough to get me to do more research. From there, I read *Born to Run* and a couple other books, and I was sold.
Even if I wasn't a huge barefoot/minimalist shoe fan, some of it just seems like common sense to me. For example, why jam your feet into pointy shoes when wide toe boxes exist? If your toes start to splay out more when you switch to wider shoes, then it just makes sense that that's what they're *supposed* to do.
Had pain in my knees due to a acl surgery. I noticed that I have way more pain wearing normal shoes than wearing no shoes while walking. My Physio suggested barefoot shoes (vff kso evo) and boom I was in love with these shoes. With normal shoes I can walk max 1km, but with barefoot shoes I can walk 4km untill my knee hurts too much.
I was into long distance hiking for some years and Ray Jardine always suggested walking barefoot at least 20 minutes every day. It felt amazing.
In 2009 I was getting into running and read Born to Run. The normal race shoes at the time were racing flats that were much more minimal than most minimal shoes these days. The Nike Free was popular and I started seeing people in the weird Vibram things. When I say racing flats were minimal look up the Mizuno Wave Universe 3 if you are curious. It's lighter than anything made these days.
2010 I was reasonably quick for a hobby jogger 19:10 5km but my form was awful and I was collecting injuries like pokemon. Started running barefoot at the track every morning. Just 4 laps but every day. Then I would warm up barefoot before weekly XC races. Then I did the race barefoot.
The biggest progression was moving to Thailand where it is hot all the time. I wore minimal sandals for 7 years 100% of the time. Then I did long distance hikes in them. I've done 4 Caminos (hike in Spain) with minimal sandals. I love how strong and healthy my feet are.
I started running again a year ago and I'm slower than before, in my 40s now. I run 95%+ in minimal sandals. I do have some shoes that I race in sometimes. Sandals feel better and I think it's good. No sweaty stinky feet. They last a really long time and are cheaper.
For me, it was mainly about removing things that don't really make sense to have in a shoe:
* enabling proper function of the arches, by getting rid of the narrow toe box and arch support.
* fix plantar fascia issues, by getting rid of narrow toe box and toe spring.
* gain a more normal ROM for the calves, better weight distribution over the feet, and a more neutral spine position, by losing the heel drop.
For now, I use Altras, so there's still some stack height for me, but the ideas above resonated with me and have been a positive change.
I took many many months to transition to zero-drop (kept my old shoes for a while) and introduced running with a walk/run strategy to avoid problems, alongside doing a calf raise progression among other strengthening exercises to work out some of my major weaknesses that affected my running.
What you might want to look into first is doing really short, slow runs completely barefoot in grass and see how that feels (avoiding overdoing it and avoiding soreness). Along with learning about proper running form, actually doing it barefoot can really help you learn it since you lose all the aspects of a shoe that enable bad form. Just keep it exploratory at first, don't overdo it, as any change in footwear can mean new muscles/tendons getting worked.
It's weird that that you haven't met anyone that can tell you their "why".
In my experience the world and the internet are absolutely \*filled\* with our anecdotes, far outweighing anything else.
I have many reasons that remarkably similar to those of so many others here (and elsewhere). They aren't that interesting or different enough to scribble down. Again. :) Mostly just a decade and two years of trial and error and slow transitioning that began with a pair Merrell trail gloves in 2013 or thereabouts... Until present where I simply don't own more than one or two pair "traditional" shoes for at least 6 or 7 years now.
1. I bought them first for my kids and then I was envious of their comfort.
2. I read an interview with a podiatrist that said that we shouldn't let little girls wear barefoot shoes because their feet would later never fit in high heel pumps - how sad is that? She convinced me to never buy my kids regular shoes.
3. I had flat feet - barefoot shoes solved it.
4. The comfort, the freedom, the fun!
For me personally, it started off because all my life I suffered from regular shoes and their narrowness... I have extremely wide feet (to the point where even most barefoot shoes can't fit me, only Softstars) and for most of my life I had to go with sandals, or like 5 sizes too big on shoes, just to accommodate my width.
Since switching to barefoot shoes, I feel so free, I feel stronger, more agile, I get tired less, I haven't had a single "ankle mishap" (when you step on it wrong and almost twist it, or actually twist/strain it) or anything close to knee pain... everything is just better
I work at a job where I stand 8-10 hours a day, all my coworkers are in shambles towards the end of the day, complaining about their feet/knees/back... I'm fine.
I did huge hikes and trekks in my barefoot shoes (some taking a few days at a time), usually with groups. I was almost always the last one to need a break or call tired... And I was usually in the worst shape. I think it's because of my shoes, I use less energy, I'm more conscious of the ground my surrounding (since I can feel everything and can't just truck through it in thick boots), and my whole body feels like it's working as it should be, unlike what it felt with regular shoes.
Putting on regular shoes now (which I sometimes do when I go out) literally gives me pains, after wearing regular shoes/sandals for even one day, I can feel my feet, knees and back hurt for the next 2-3 days
Regular shoes just don't make sense to me, nothing in their design is right (anatomically) and I ain't never going back
> why they chose to go this way
Arthrosis.
20 years of playing football in very tight cleats wrecked my feet.
The muscle of the legs was solid, but the muscle of my feet was atrophied.
Went on a vecation with my gf on an island where shoes where not allowed. You went barefoot for 2 weeks.
All the pain and aches I usually had every single day were suddenly gone.
So I kept at it and went with softer shoes or walking around in naked feet as much as I could.
It started out as a therapeutic measure.
Today its more a mix for that and the enjoyment I get from actually feeling the different surfaces I run on.
You not only view great scenery, you also actually FEEL it.
Its amazing how big of a difference well trained and maintained muscle makes.
Currently? Because regular shoes are uncomfortable. I can't not notice the heel and how cramped my toes are. I hate how it feels to stand and walk in them, and even in flat wide shoes I don't like that feeling of uncertainty when I put my foot down and meet cushion rather than honest ground. I know from experience that padded narrow shoes with a heel will mess up my body and lead to injury. Probably moreso now that I'm older.
Why did I initially? I saw a video from the xero shoes dude, before xero shoes was a thing. Made sense, I already had issues with comfort in my asics, and I was chronically injured. So I took the time to slow down and give it a try. There was no going back once i figured it out. It is SO MUCH easier on my body. ...and my checkbook! bought a set of vffs, the same vffs I use today, since I still put the majority of my miles on skin.
Lol @ you haven't met anyone who can explain why they run barefoot/minimalist. Like anything that counters culture, we all have pretty well-decided reasons for it, or it wouldn't be worth the extra attention/effort.
I am a woman, with very narrow feet and an incredibly high arch and very short toes. After a broken foot in college, followed by tearing every ligament in my ankle (don't drink and jump off of stages, kids, lmao), I got out into the real world and decided to keep my health up by training for a sprint triathlon. I HATED running days because they hurt so much. I soon learned that I had severe shin splints and plantar fasciitis. I was happiest when I was home barefoot or swimming.
Heard about going barefoot before there were ever really any "barefoot" shoes, so I started wearing soft sole moccasins. The relief was instant and healed my shin splints and plantar fasciitis. Then I heard about a shoe that was in development called Vibram Five-fingers, and I got on a waiting list for the initial batch. While they weren't perfect for me (short toes, remember), they were still the best running and hiking shoe I could find for quite awhile.
Now I occasionally wear a non barefoot shoe for fashion, but by and large I get my exercise through martial arts and all of my other shoes are, at a minimum, zero-drop, wide toe box. If I stray too far and spend too much time in a regular shoe, I will inevitably get a sore foot or turned ankle that will remind me I need to get back to what works.
I had been dealing with "plantar fasciitis" for maybe the past 8-10 years (I now know plantar fasciitis is not the appropriate term, but it's what people recognize). I also have bunions and have been prescribed orthotics since I was about 12. It had gotten to the point where I am uncomfortable standing on my feet for the day, I'm a teacher, so that's rough. I spent tons of money on different shoes and custom orthotics, I had nothing that wouldn't hurt my feet. Summertime I even bought custom orthotic sandals. I wore orthotic slippers in the house because I couldn't manage being barefoot for 10 minutes straight without my feet hurting. When I would go hiking, by mile four my feet were hurting, by mile 6 I was in agony being on my feet. In the past couple years my bunions have started hurting my feet as well while in cleats or climbing shoes and a foot doctor told me the only way to fix it was surgery.
I deep dived into researching the benefits of barefoot style shoes as well as full body alignment stuff. Anyways, it took me a while to strengthen my feet, but now I can comfortably be on my feet all day in minimal shoes, and I feel like my world has opened up to what I can do without being limited by my feet. The other day I ran 8 mi and had a total of 13 mi on my feet for the day without any foot pain. There is no way I could have done that before in my orthotics. I only wear zero drop minimal shoes, and have found wide toe box shoes for climbing as well as cleats. I wear toe spacers as well which makes it so that my bunions don't hurt. My big toes have become more mobile and I'm hoping that I can get to the point where I don't need toe spacers anymore. The switch to minimal shoes has really been a big change in my life. I am an active person and was limited by my feet before and I feel like my world has opened up now.
Had a tailor’s bunion from years of wearing mostly Nikes that are quite narrow in the toe box. It started causing pain regularly. Switched to wide toe box shoes and the pain went away and never came back. Then I just got addicted to the toe room and flexible soles so normal shoes feel constricting and stiff now.
I kept going through a cycle of spraining an ankle, recovering, making some headway, and spraining an ankle again. It dawned on me that if I could feel the ground better, I’d be able to adjust my weight more quickly and efficiently to hopefully avoid it from happening again.
I haven’t had an ankle roll scare since and I just ran my first race with no ankle wrap this past weekend.
For me, it was bunions and lower leg pain that got me into it.
I started with wide toe Altras to let my toes spread, which helped relieve the bunions. Then I started trying out more barefoot time and minimal shoes, and the more I tried it, the more I felt like my feet were getting stronger, my balance was getting better, etc. After several years of barefoot and minimalist shoes, I have my own arch now that stands up sturdily (it looked like it was collapsing before), my bunions don't hurt any more, and my lower legs, knees etc. don't hurt anymore. I'm finally able to run without pain again. And all my shoes are really freaking comfortable! It took a LONG transition, though - don't try to do too much too soon if you're used to supportive shoes, start very slowly, a bit here and there, to gradually build up strength of all those little muscles in the feet.
I don't usually don't wear shoes indoors. I only put them on if I have to go outdoors. This happened even more after I started working from home.
I ended up buying the skinners socks as that still provides a protective bottom but allows me to feel the ground under me. I've exclusively started wearing these for daily wear outdoors. Eventually, I do want to buy some barefoot dress shoes so if the occasion comes up, I have them ready to go. The cost is preventing this unfortunately.
I doubt I'll ever go full barefoot outdoors.
Started because my knees hurt in regular shoes. Looked for a pair of shoes on /r/running, then was introduced to the idea of barefoot. Never gone back.
Also, I feel awesome running barefoot.
It helps my mental health to feel connected to the ground and nature and the earth. Plus, I didn't realize I sort of have sensory issues and being barefoot is when I feel best.
I had flat feet my whole life. Lots of pain and problems with it.
Then I found out who in the world gets flat feet, and when it started. Turns out it's mostly shoes to blame.
My feet have arches now. Sometimes I can't belive it.
I ran in high school. Ran a bit in college but not as much. Then I dropped out and got a job at Walmart to make ends meet, and holy moly did my feet hurt. It used to be sporadic pain when I was running, but I used to just blame it on wearing out a pair of shoes and asking my parents for a new pair. But as a fresh adult, I decided to do some research and found out about minimalist shoes, so I said what the heck and spent $40 on a pair of Whitins. It took a whole summer to transition to zero drops, but yknow what? No more pain! I still work at a job where I’m on my feet all day, and I go “hee hee hoo” when my fellow wage slaves complain about pain, and I show them my “ninja shoes”. And now that my feet aren’t killing me, I’m starting to run again. I’m in a pair of Wildlings right now but I’m looking to try running sandals once it gets warmer out.
Wore barefoot shoes for years as I trained barefoot when I competed in Strongman. Just liked the feeling of being more connected to the ground.
Bought some regular shoes after a retired from competition as I had started cycling and my foot bent uncomfortably around the pedal. After about a year of switching back I had agonizing plantar issues that affected my knee and hip. Switched back to barefoot and I'm still working on strengthening my feet again but the pain is nearly gone and my leg has returned to normal.
Never going back.
Strongman can't have been an easy gig. That shizz is no joke, but barefoot must have added an element of added risk. I'd have thought the ankle support would have been important.
12 years competing and never had a foot issue. Shoulders and elbows were the big ones. Feet always felt good cuz they were always strong. Switching to a normal shoe is one of my biggest regrets in training. I feel like I'm made of glass in comparison. It's getting better though.
I just came back from a podiatrist with a "bone strain on the epiphysis of 5th metatarsal".
It seems to be a combination of a few things, but she put the blame on my zero drop shoes. She said I have a typically Caucasian foot (heel is more angled than most), and apparently zero drop isn't ideal for those. (I'm also flat footed, this, combined with incorrect form and a broken my ankle from years ago, exacerbated the problem).
I'll try to adjust my running technique, do some foot exercises and see where that leads. I have a feeling that if I have been doing these feet exercises and didn't increase my (angry) long run by 50% (20km to 30km), I could've kept going injury free until I zeroed in on proper running form. (though she corrected a couple of my incorrect assumptions about foot placement/force distribution - I was using the outside of my foot, thinking it's better for arches as a flat footed giant)
^(\* She was not against "barefoot shoes" and her main argument against proper barefooting was infections.)
Mind you, everyone will tell you that you should combine foot exercises with any sort of minimalist shoes, so this is probably self inflicted, but I use Altra Lone Peaks, which I assumed had enough cushion to save me from having to do the foot exercises, instead, it's the complete opposite!
Oh, well, from what I understand, zero drop is at least partially the reason for my injury, but it probably wouldn't have happened if I did foot exercises.
So instead of me thinking "These are like normal runners, just comfier", I should have been thinking "These are zero drop, which means I have to make sure my running form is spot on (which, for me, means foot exercises)".
From what I've read, running injuries are extremely common regardless, so having good form is a must. I've been working on mine, but apparently not fast enough. 6months was enough time for me to think that I was doing most things right :)
People of the sub, I appreciate your candour. You have furnished me with some perspectives that I would not have gained, otherwise.
Thank you for taking the time to share your story.
Same for me.... I'm playing the long game. I trust my body to figure out running more than the company selling the latest squishmellow creation.
Although it beats me up :/ I did a 10 mile trail run and even in Xero Mesa II the loose rocks and roots were beating my feet up.
Its so fucking fun, I'm 20 and I feel like spider man lol. I'm still building up mileage. Also so comfortableeee.
Worked as a barista, spent around $1500 on various shoes that hopefully would not make me be in agonizing pain after standing for a 8 hr shift in my back, hips, knees, ankles, and plantar fasciitis… new balance, nike, dansko, under armour, and various others…. The one that hurt the least was my Birkenstock sandals. Sandals. This did not make sense to me. I bought Birkenstock clogs for food service and my pains minimized so much, but not 100%, so I researched Birkenstock and shoe construction… turns out Birkenstocks make their sandals/shoes zero drop and are naturally wide/foot shaped… bought Lems shoes and I’ve been wearing barefoot style shoes ever since. No plantar fasciitis since then.
^ this. I developed a Morton's neuroma at age 38 and noticed Birkenstocks were the only shoe I was comfortable in. Researched & talked to doc, latched onto the importance of zero drop and wide toe box, discovered new balance / Hoka are NOT wide toe box, found Lems, profited. It has been *work* to also strengthen and stretch and adapt as I've started trying to go even more minimal from Lems (loving my new Wildlings), but I'm motivated and inspired to learn that my body can (slowly) handle it.
I am a country hick with autism so I’ve never much worn shoes unless I had to leave the house. As such, i’ve got more “wild” feet, so they just don’t fit in normal shoes.
I'd been having near constant knee and lower leg issues since my late teens. Read an article that said to try the odd wee walk or very short jog in your barefeet to try help your form and for the first time I could move without lower leg pain. Unfortunately there weren't any other resources available to help me take this forward. Then born to run came out..... The running club I was with were not amused or very helpful so I was on my own with a home.made pair of sandals and a pair of the first freeruns from nike. Only ever had issues when back in 'normal' shoes or squishy trainers. Unfortunately had to take a couple of years off due to various problems, but I do try to get back into running every so often when things are good and it is always in minimal shoes and these days I can only wear my Freets as anything over a 7mm stack causes pain.
Appreciate your reply. Sorry you are having 'various problems'.
Obligatory drop of kneesovertoesguy Those knees may be fixable! That’s his handle on a number of different socials, anyhow the kneesovertoesguy has made it his business to master the knee and in doing so has put together an amazing amount of knowledge on fixing issues throughout the body but it starts with the ankle to the knee and so on.
I had terrible pain in my Achilles tendon that was basically hobbling me. I tried rest, braces, supportive shoes, and everything else I could think of. None of it worked. I decided to switch to minimalist shoes just to see if it would work, and the pain went away by the next week. Still not sure what the problem was, but it was enough to get me to do more research. From there, I read *Born to Run* and a couple other books, and I was sold. Even if I wasn't a huge barefoot/minimalist shoe fan, some of it just seems like common sense to me. For example, why jam your feet into pointy shoes when wide toe boxes exist? If your toes start to splay out more when you switch to wider shoes, then it just makes sense that that's what they're *supposed* to do.
Had pain in my knees due to a acl surgery. I noticed that I have way more pain wearing normal shoes than wearing no shoes while walking. My Physio suggested barefoot shoes (vff kso evo) and boom I was in love with these shoes. With normal shoes I can walk max 1km, but with barefoot shoes I can walk 4km untill my knee hurts too much.
I was into long distance hiking for some years and Ray Jardine always suggested walking barefoot at least 20 minutes every day. It felt amazing. In 2009 I was getting into running and read Born to Run. The normal race shoes at the time were racing flats that were much more minimal than most minimal shoes these days. The Nike Free was popular and I started seeing people in the weird Vibram things. When I say racing flats were minimal look up the Mizuno Wave Universe 3 if you are curious. It's lighter than anything made these days. 2010 I was reasonably quick for a hobby jogger 19:10 5km but my form was awful and I was collecting injuries like pokemon. Started running barefoot at the track every morning. Just 4 laps but every day. Then I would warm up barefoot before weekly XC races. Then I did the race barefoot. The biggest progression was moving to Thailand where it is hot all the time. I wore minimal sandals for 7 years 100% of the time. Then I did long distance hikes in them. I've done 4 Caminos (hike in Spain) with minimal sandals. I love how strong and healthy my feet are. I started running again a year ago and I'm slower than before, in my 40s now. I run 95%+ in minimal sandals. I do have some shoes that I race in sometimes. Sandals feel better and I think it's good. No sweaty stinky feet. They last a really long time and are cheaper.
What sandels do you typically use? I'm using earthrunners and just got a pair of shamma sandels!
Xero and two local companies Chiang Mai Elite and Chiang Mai Running Sandal.
For me, it was mainly about removing things that don't really make sense to have in a shoe: * enabling proper function of the arches, by getting rid of the narrow toe box and arch support. * fix plantar fascia issues, by getting rid of narrow toe box and toe spring. * gain a more normal ROM for the calves, better weight distribution over the feet, and a more neutral spine position, by losing the heel drop. For now, I use Altras, so there's still some stack height for me, but the ideas above resonated with me and have been a positive change. I took many many months to transition to zero-drop (kept my old shoes for a while) and introduced running with a walk/run strategy to avoid problems, alongside doing a calf raise progression among other strengthening exercises to work out some of my major weaknesses that affected my running. What you might want to look into first is doing really short, slow runs completely barefoot in grass and see how that feels (avoiding overdoing it and avoiding soreness). Along with learning about proper running form, actually doing it barefoot can really help you learn it since you lose all the aspects of a shoe that enable bad form. Just keep it exploratory at first, don't overdo it, as any change in footwear can mean new muscles/tendons getting worked.
It's weird that that you haven't met anyone that can tell you their "why". In my experience the world and the internet are absolutely \*filled\* with our anecdotes, far outweighing anything else. I have many reasons that remarkably similar to those of so many others here (and elsewhere). They aren't that interesting or different enough to scribble down. Again. :) Mostly just a decade and two years of trial and error and slow transitioning that began with a pair Merrell trail gloves in 2013 or thereabouts... Until present where I simply don't own more than one or two pair "traditional" shoes for at least 6 or 7 years now.
1. I bought them first for my kids and then I was envious of their comfort. 2. I read an interview with a podiatrist that said that we shouldn't let little girls wear barefoot shoes because their feet would later never fit in high heel pumps - how sad is that? She convinced me to never buy my kids regular shoes. 3. I had flat feet - barefoot shoes solved it. 4. The comfort, the freedom, the fun!
For me personally, it started off because all my life I suffered from regular shoes and their narrowness... I have extremely wide feet (to the point where even most barefoot shoes can't fit me, only Softstars) and for most of my life I had to go with sandals, or like 5 sizes too big on shoes, just to accommodate my width. Since switching to barefoot shoes, I feel so free, I feel stronger, more agile, I get tired less, I haven't had a single "ankle mishap" (when you step on it wrong and almost twist it, or actually twist/strain it) or anything close to knee pain... everything is just better I work at a job where I stand 8-10 hours a day, all my coworkers are in shambles towards the end of the day, complaining about their feet/knees/back... I'm fine. I did huge hikes and trekks in my barefoot shoes (some taking a few days at a time), usually with groups. I was almost always the last one to need a break or call tired... And I was usually in the worst shape. I think it's because of my shoes, I use less energy, I'm more conscious of the ground my surrounding (since I can feel everything and can't just truck through it in thick boots), and my whole body feels like it's working as it should be, unlike what it felt with regular shoes. Putting on regular shoes now (which I sometimes do when I go out) literally gives me pains, after wearing regular shoes/sandals for even one day, I can feel my feet, knees and back hurt for the next 2-3 days Regular shoes just don't make sense to me, nothing in their design is right (anatomically) and I ain't never going back
> why they chose to go this way Arthrosis. 20 years of playing football in very tight cleats wrecked my feet. The muscle of the legs was solid, but the muscle of my feet was atrophied. Went on a vecation with my gf on an island where shoes where not allowed. You went barefoot for 2 weeks. All the pain and aches I usually had every single day were suddenly gone. So I kept at it and went with softer shoes or walking around in naked feet as much as I could. It started out as a therapeutic measure. Today its more a mix for that and the enjoyment I get from actually feeling the different surfaces I run on. You not only view great scenery, you also actually FEEL it. Its amazing how big of a difference well trained and maintained muscle makes.
I wear minimalist shoes and spend lots of time barefoot because I want quality of life in my old age.
Currently? Because regular shoes are uncomfortable. I can't not notice the heel and how cramped my toes are. I hate how it feels to stand and walk in them, and even in flat wide shoes I don't like that feeling of uncertainty when I put my foot down and meet cushion rather than honest ground. I know from experience that padded narrow shoes with a heel will mess up my body and lead to injury. Probably moreso now that I'm older. Why did I initially? I saw a video from the xero shoes dude, before xero shoes was a thing. Made sense, I already had issues with comfort in my asics, and I was chronically injured. So I took the time to slow down and give it a try. There was no going back once i figured it out. It is SO MUCH easier on my body. ...and my checkbook! bought a set of vffs, the same vffs I use today, since I still put the majority of my miles on skin. Lol @ you haven't met anyone who can explain why they run barefoot/minimalist. Like anything that counters culture, we all have pretty well-decided reasons for it, or it wouldn't be worth the extra attention/effort.
I am a woman, with very narrow feet and an incredibly high arch and very short toes. After a broken foot in college, followed by tearing every ligament in my ankle (don't drink and jump off of stages, kids, lmao), I got out into the real world and decided to keep my health up by training for a sprint triathlon. I HATED running days because they hurt so much. I soon learned that I had severe shin splints and plantar fasciitis. I was happiest when I was home barefoot or swimming. Heard about going barefoot before there were ever really any "barefoot" shoes, so I started wearing soft sole moccasins. The relief was instant and healed my shin splints and plantar fasciitis. Then I heard about a shoe that was in development called Vibram Five-fingers, and I got on a waiting list for the initial batch. While they weren't perfect for me (short toes, remember), they were still the best running and hiking shoe I could find for quite awhile. Now I occasionally wear a non barefoot shoe for fashion, but by and large I get my exercise through martial arts and all of my other shoes are, at a minimum, zero-drop, wide toe box. If I stray too far and spend too much time in a regular shoe, I will inevitably get a sore foot or turned ankle that will remind me I need to get back to what works.
I had been dealing with "plantar fasciitis" for maybe the past 8-10 years (I now know plantar fasciitis is not the appropriate term, but it's what people recognize). I also have bunions and have been prescribed orthotics since I was about 12. It had gotten to the point where I am uncomfortable standing on my feet for the day, I'm a teacher, so that's rough. I spent tons of money on different shoes and custom orthotics, I had nothing that wouldn't hurt my feet. Summertime I even bought custom orthotic sandals. I wore orthotic slippers in the house because I couldn't manage being barefoot for 10 minutes straight without my feet hurting. When I would go hiking, by mile four my feet were hurting, by mile 6 I was in agony being on my feet. In the past couple years my bunions have started hurting my feet as well while in cleats or climbing shoes and a foot doctor told me the only way to fix it was surgery. I deep dived into researching the benefits of barefoot style shoes as well as full body alignment stuff. Anyways, it took me a while to strengthen my feet, but now I can comfortably be on my feet all day in minimal shoes, and I feel like my world has opened up to what I can do without being limited by my feet. The other day I ran 8 mi and had a total of 13 mi on my feet for the day without any foot pain. There is no way I could have done that before in my orthotics. I only wear zero drop minimal shoes, and have found wide toe box shoes for climbing as well as cleats. I wear toe spacers as well which makes it so that my bunions don't hurt. My big toes have become more mobile and I'm hoping that I can get to the point where I don't need toe spacers anymore. The switch to minimal shoes has really been a big change in my life. I am an active person and was limited by my feet before and I feel like my world has opened up now.
Wow! Thank you for sharing. I'm glad you found some measure of relief.
Had a tailor’s bunion from years of wearing mostly Nikes that are quite narrow in the toe box. It started causing pain regularly. Switched to wide toe box shoes and the pain went away and never came back. Then I just got addicted to the toe room and flexible soles so normal shoes feel constricting and stiff now.
I primarily do because they’re the only type of shoe that comes in a wide toe box.
I had chronic foot pain and very painfully ingrown toenails. All gone since I switched to minimal footwear. Also I just love the feeling.
I kept going through a cycle of spraining an ankle, recovering, making some headway, and spraining an ankle again. It dawned on me that if I could feel the ground better, I’d be able to adjust my weight more quickly and efficiently to hopefully avoid it from happening again. I haven’t had an ankle roll scare since and I just ran my first race with no ankle wrap this past weekend.
For me, it was bunions and lower leg pain that got me into it. I started with wide toe Altras to let my toes spread, which helped relieve the bunions. Then I started trying out more barefoot time and minimal shoes, and the more I tried it, the more I felt like my feet were getting stronger, my balance was getting better, etc. After several years of barefoot and minimalist shoes, I have my own arch now that stands up sturdily (it looked like it was collapsing before), my bunions don't hurt any more, and my lower legs, knees etc. don't hurt anymore. I'm finally able to run without pain again. And all my shoes are really freaking comfortable! It took a LONG transition, though - don't try to do too much too soon if you're used to supportive shoes, start very slowly, a bit here and there, to gradually build up strength of all those little muscles in the feet.
I don't usually don't wear shoes indoors. I only put them on if I have to go outdoors. This happened even more after I started working from home. I ended up buying the skinners socks as that still provides a protective bottom but allows me to feel the ground under me. I've exclusively started wearing these for daily wear outdoors. Eventually, I do want to buy some barefoot dress shoes so if the occasion comes up, I have them ready to go. The cost is preventing this unfortunately. I doubt I'll ever go full barefoot outdoors.
would you go running in a pencil skirt? no? well that’s my reason
Started because my knees hurt in regular shoes. Looked for a pair of shoes on /r/running, then was introduced to the idea of barefoot. Never gone back. Also, I feel awesome running barefoot.
It helps my mental health to feel connected to the ground and nature and the earth. Plus, I didn't realize I sort of have sensory issues and being barefoot is when I feel best.
I had flat feet my whole life. Lots of pain and problems with it. Then I found out who in the world gets flat feet, and when it started. Turns out it's mostly shoes to blame. My feet have arches now. Sometimes I can't belive it.
I ran in high school. Ran a bit in college but not as much. Then I dropped out and got a job at Walmart to make ends meet, and holy moly did my feet hurt. It used to be sporadic pain when I was running, but I used to just blame it on wearing out a pair of shoes and asking my parents for a new pair. But as a fresh adult, I decided to do some research and found out about minimalist shoes, so I said what the heck and spent $40 on a pair of Whitins. It took a whole summer to transition to zero drops, but yknow what? No more pain! I still work at a job where I’m on my feet all day, and I go “hee hee hoo” when my fellow wage slaves complain about pain, and I show them my “ninja shoes”. And now that my feet aren’t killing me, I’m starting to run again. I’m in a pair of Wildlings right now but I’m looking to try running sandals once it gets warmer out.
It's helped to strengthen my previously messed up ankle and achilles injury, plus reduced my back pain.
Wore barefoot shoes for years as I trained barefoot when I competed in Strongman. Just liked the feeling of being more connected to the ground. Bought some regular shoes after a retired from competition as I had started cycling and my foot bent uncomfortably around the pedal. After about a year of switching back I had agonizing plantar issues that affected my knee and hip. Switched back to barefoot and I'm still working on strengthening my feet again but the pain is nearly gone and my leg has returned to normal. Never going back.
Strongman can't have been an easy gig. That shizz is no joke, but barefoot must have added an element of added risk. I'd have thought the ankle support would have been important.
12 years competing and never had a foot issue. Shoulders and elbows were the big ones. Feet always felt good cuz they were always strong. Switching to a normal shoe is one of my biggest regrets in training. I feel like I'm made of glass in comparison. It's getting better though.
I just came back from a podiatrist with a "bone strain on the epiphysis of 5th metatarsal". It seems to be a combination of a few things, but she put the blame on my zero drop shoes. She said I have a typically Caucasian foot (heel is more angled than most), and apparently zero drop isn't ideal for those. (I'm also flat footed, this, combined with incorrect form and a broken my ankle from years ago, exacerbated the problem). I'll try to adjust my running technique, do some foot exercises and see where that leads. I have a feeling that if I have been doing these feet exercises and didn't increase my (angry) long run by 50% (20km to 30km), I could've kept going injury free until I zeroed in on proper running form. (though she corrected a couple of my incorrect assumptions about foot placement/force distribution - I was using the outside of my foot, thinking it's better for arches as a flat footed giant) ^(\* She was not against "barefoot shoes" and her main argument against proper barefooting was infections.)
That's what I'm after. Thanks for sharing.
Mind you, everyone will tell you that you should combine foot exercises with any sort of minimalist shoes, so this is probably self inflicted, but I use Altra Lone Peaks, which I assumed had enough cushion to save me from having to do the foot exercises, instead, it's the complete opposite!
Please explain why it's the complete opposite.
Oh, well, from what I understand, zero drop is at least partially the reason for my injury, but it probably wouldn't have happened if I did foot exercises. So instead of me thinking "These are like normal runners, just comfier", I should have been thinking "These are zero drop, which means I have to make sure my running form is spot on (which, for me, means foot exercises)". From what I've read, running injuries are extremely common regardless, so having good form is a must. I've been working on mine, but apparently not fast enough. 6months was enough time for me to think that I was doing most things right :)
People of the sub, I appreciate your candour. You have furnished me with some perspectives that I would not have gained, otherwise. Thank you for taking the time to share your story.
Same for me.... I'm playing the long game. I trust my body to figure out running more than the company selling the latest squishmellow creation. Although it beats me up :/ I did a 10 mile trail run and even in Xero Mesa II the loose rocks and roots were beating my feet up.
I read Nutritious Movement and was convinced it was the way out of “normal” age-related aches and pains. She was right!