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Walk The Right Way - Why Your Shoes Are Harmful
By Steve West: 2008-04-24 14:52:04
There are movements for just about everything in the world. We’re so used to hearing about the Browncoats and their shenanigans, or for a mainstream feel the religious right. Whatever your belief, cause or ideal you can bet there’s a group out there for you. And that goes for those who enjoy going barefoot in life. Not only are their organizations to help you adjust to the barefoot lifestyle, but there are some compelling reasons for you to join up.
In his lengthy editorial on walking, shoes and the human foot, Adam Sternbergh takes a look at the truth about footwear. It appears that our shoes are designed to work against the natural architecture of the foot. Thus making them a hindrance to good walking. More padding equals greater shock to joints, which is exactly the opposite of what physical therapists have been telling us for decades. Admittedly, there’s something counterintuitive about the idea that less padding on your foot equals less shock on your body. But that’s only if we continue to think of our feet as lifeless blocks of flesh that hold us upright,” Sternbergh says. “The sole of your foot has over 200,000 nerve endings in it, one of the highest concentrations anywhere in the body. Our feet are designed to act as earthward antennae, helping us balance and transmitting information to us about the ground we’re walking on.” There isn’t a lot we can do about the issue though. No one will be going barefoot down your average city street, and the “no shoes, no service” policy has us firmly believing it’s bad to be bare in a restaurant or store. And yet, I never run into cross contamination problems at home with my food. Perhaps that’s because I don’t cook with my feet, and if I did I have soap to wash with. The most amazing thing of all is that there are honest to goodness groups out there that specialize in being barefoot. Now I’m off to find out if there’s a group for people who like to top their orange sherbet with chocolate and peanut butter sauces. RELATED: barefoot, shoes, walking
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April 25th, 2008 at 15:37
Sternberg's article is well-researched and a great read...he makes a lot of excellent points about how shoes limit biomechanics.
The big problem that he (and lots of well-intentioned barefoot advoces) ignore is: PAVEMENT. Our feet evolved for millions of years and are perfect for moving over natural terrain. But continuous, uniform, hard, flat surfaces are rare in nature--they disable the foot's biomechanics and pound the joints.
What's needed is an interface that allows the foot's structures to operate naturally in an unnatural environment...I recommend www.ALINE.com -- a "suspension" system that balances the foot and enables natural biomechanics within most shoes.