As a podiatrist and osteopath, I see patients who experience injuries or increased pain when switching from conventional to barefoot or minimalist shoes. However, this doesn't mean that barefoot shoes is inadvisable or harmful; it just means that it hasn't been observed, assessed, or prepared for.
We must be aware that we are moving from a foot that is possibly atrophied and weakened due to a lack of free movement and stimulation, being confined to conventional shoes, to a shoes that simulates the sensation of going barefoot, and this is a noticeable change for your feet, and of course, for your body.
That's why, to get a change of barefoot shoes that is beneficial and barefoot to your health, I recommend you follow these steps:
1. Look at your feet and your current shoes
First, you should observe yourself and conduct a thorough self-examination (what we technically call anamnesis) to determine how prepared your feet are for the change and whether you will need professional support during this process.
You should analyze what type of shoes you have worn until now, since it will not be the same if you have been a user of heels, wedges or sports shoes with large drops (more than 2 cm difference in height from the back to the toe area), than if you usually wear more casual retro-style sports shoes, since this type of shoes usually has less height at the back and fewer reinforcements and/or lateral stabilizers.
Next, you should become aware of whether you usually go barefoot at home , or doing certain tasks or activities (whether sporting or not), and you feel comfortable with it, or, on the contrary, you need to always wear shoes even at home, even on smooth and flat ground, since you notice that your feet are overloaded, or a specific area hurts, or you simply notice too much impact from the ground when walking.
You should also examine your feet to determine their current health status, as they will not be the same for a 7-year-old child, a 17-year-old teenager, or a 40-year-old adult. The transition process will vary depending on your health trajectory and whether certain pathologies or dysfunctions have developed that make it difficult. Therefore, ask yourself:
- Do I have any obvious deformities in my toes, such as bunions, hammer toes, or claw toes?
- Am I able to stand on one leg for at least 10 seconds?
- If I stand on tiptoe, does the medial arch appear or increase?
- Do I deform or wear out my shoes because my foot has a high arch?
- Do I usually break the inner sole of the shoe quickly in the inner heel or big toe area?
- Have I suffered any injuries such as plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, repetitive sprains, heel spurs, stress fractures, Morton's neuroma, etc.?
- Does my knee, hip, or lower back pain sometimes occur?
2. Assess the habits, sensations and condition of your feet
If you have observed yourself once, you identify with any of these statements:
✓ You have been a regular wearer of shoes with features that weaken and atrophy the feet, such as the examples mentioned (heels, wedges, sneakers with drops of more than 2 cm, etc.).
✓ You're not a fan of the feeling of going barefoot. You try to avoid it, either because of the discomfort or strain you feel on your feet, or you haven't even tried it at all, as you always wear shoes or slippers.
✓ You notice your toes are somewhat deformed, you think you have flat or hollow feet, you have poor balance or spatial awareness with frequent falls... or you have suffered injuries and/or experience pain in your feet or in distant areas such as the lumbar region, hips, knees...
If you identify with one or more of the statements, I recommend that you make this change to minimalist shoes accompanied by a healthcare professional who is an expert in this field . Based on my experience, I would recommend either an osteopath or a podiatrist.
I honestly believe that the foot has a high capacity to adapt and restore its functionality if we give it the opportunity, but when there are symptoms or structural alterations, beyond the positional deformities that can be caused by shoes with little space in the toes, this becomes complicated.
These statements are telling us that your feet may have had to undergo some form of compensation and are no longer sufficiently prepared, on their own, to make the switch to environmentally friendly shoes without any prior, during, or afterward treatment.
It is important to be clear about certain concepts before moving on to the next step:
- Structure and function are related , for example, excessive pronation (a foot that falls too far inward) can lead to structural changes in the bone where the tendon that performs this function is inserted, but a structurally flat foot also generates changes in the function of that foot. If the ability to adapt to different terrain, to changes in direction, or the ability to cushion is lost, this could be responsible for the development of a disease or deformity.
- Conventional shoes could affect your epigenetics , meaning it could act as an external factor that affects the activation or deactivation of genes linked, for example, to the formation of hallux abductus valgus, also known as bunions. That's why I always say that conventional shoes acts as an aggravating factor, just as an unbalanced diet or sustained stress can predispose you to cardiorespiratory pathology.
- The body is a unit ; it doesn't function in independent parts, but as a whole. It's essential to understand that the foot doesn't move alone, but rather forms part of a whole lever that includes the lower lumbar region, pelvis, hips, and knees. It's essential that all its parts work in harmony. A clear example would be all the scientific studies that show that a lack of ankle dorsiflexion can lead to knee problems such as patellar tendonitis or early osteoarthritis (study, study).
3. Prepare your feet for barefoot shoes
At this point, you may find yourself in two different situations: one where you don't identify with any of the statements detailed in the previous section, or, on the contrary, you do.
If you find yourself in the first situation, you're in luck! All you need to worry about is:
- Find a shoe that best fits your morphology (forefoot type, instep, width, etc.) and make sure the shoe size is at least 5 millimeters larger than your longest toe.
- Choose the type of shoes according to your intended use (walking, sports, hiking, etc.).
- Use your new barefoot shoes gradually , for example, starting with 15-30 minutes a day and increasing by 30-60 minutes each week depending on how you feel.
However, if you identify with one or more of the statements, your transition to barefoot shoes will be somewhat more complex.
Ideally, you should start with osteopathy. You'll be surprised, but yes, we must prepare your body for the change . Or why do you think most pregnant women need osteopathic support for all the changes their bodies endure? Switching to flat, flexible, unreinforced shoes also involves a shift in your center of gravity, which will lead to a new overall adaptation of your body to its environment.
Next, you should see a podiatrist, preferably a posturologist, to assess whether your foot is pathological or dysfunctional . This will be very important when deciding whether you'll need custom insoles along with barefoot shoes.
There are different types of custom insoles, some that offer greater cushioning and motion control and are more targeted at pathological feet, and others that simply stimulate to improve function with very thin elements.
We must keep in mind that sometimes custom insoles may not be necessary, but rather simply a series of exercises to prevent injuries and/or reduce established deformities, and other times a combination of these may be necessary.
Finally, you should buy shoes that fit your morphological and functional needs . Not only should you carefully consider whether the size is correct in both length and width, as a store specializing in this type of shoes will be very helpful in determining, but you should also include all the characteristics recommended by your healthcare professional.
In your case, it will not be beneficial to suddenly wear only minimalist shoes. It will be better to start by walking barefoot at home or for specific tasks, doing exercises to prevent injuries, and gradually adding this shoes to your daily routine , to finally include it in your sports practice or in your work environment if it requires many hours of standing or long walks, and all of this under the supervision of a professional.
Add that I don't really consider it necessary to buy a transition shoe (with drop, with a thicker sole, or a consistent heel counter...) before a 100% barefoot one, since we can apply certain tricks such as changing the internal insole for one with greater cushioning or thickness, adding heel cups inside the shoe that simulate a drop, opting for a box sole (that rises on the sides) to obtain greater control of movement... And in this way it will be easier for you to make this change of shoes that you will surely benefit from.
