Countless generations of humans before us went barefoot. And even today, there are many people that do not wear shoes because of poverty, religion or because they are simply hippies. Well, who wears shoes on the beach anyway? Again and again, this raises the question whether shoes are really this unhealthy for us, as it is stated by many barefoot fans and alleged foot experts and podologists. Barefoot walkers are convinced that shoes have negative effects on the posture or cause flat feet or contracted feet. Furthermore, they are of the opinion that shoes make us forget our deep connection to Mother Earth although our ancestors have been touching the naked ground with their feet every day from the moment they learned to walk.
Of course, it feels relaxing walking without heavy and restricting and tight shoes. Walking on the naked ground massages the soles of your feet. Nevertheless, shoes weren’t designed for no reason. They protect our soles from sharp and spiked objects like thorns or even dangerous biting insects. Nevertheless, barefoot walkers say that foot soles are only this sensitive because they are never properly used, unless you are on the beach or at home.
Yes, it is true that going barefoot strengthens the foot muscles because you actually use and challenge them. However, you should be careful if you want to try out this new trend. Make sure not to burn your feet or step into something sharp or even venomous and toxic. Furthermore, extreme cold can damage your sensitive feet as well. If you are supposed to wear orthopedic shoes because of bad posture or unequally long legs, then going barefoot is no option for you!
Well, I will probably stick to wearing shoes because I’m too afraid to step onto angry wasps and other insects, honestly.
