Are barefoot shoes good or bad?
Barefoot shoes are neither good nor bad, but they will not necessarily be good for everyone.
If you have spent your life in either heeled shoes or cushioned trainers then it's likely that you will need to have a period of transition into a barefoot shoe otherwise you will probably experience some muscle and joint pain.
The same goes for transitioning from running in cushioned, built up trainers to running in a barefoot shoe.
The way we walk and run in these types of shoe is different. In a heeled or cushioned shoe we tend to heel strike more, whereas in a barefoot shoe we will midfoot strike more, so our whole gait changes.
There are also certain foot shape types and foot conditions that will not cope best in barefoot shoes and will benefit more from a more supportive shoe.
It is possible that wearing a barefoot shoe can help to strengthen the muscles in your feet, but this will take time to happen. I would recommend doing some foot exercises alongside starting to build up to wearing barefoot shoes.
So how do you know if you can wear a barefoot shoe? Try it and see.
And if you would like to know what exercises to do to help then get in touch.
