Is Walking Barefoot Beneficial or Risky? Experts Weigh In

Jakarta –

Walking is a form of physical activity that is healthy, especially for the heart. Even though it’s just a simple movement, walking can be an alternative exercise for people who feel they don’t have much time to exercise.

One of the habits of Indonesian people when exercising on foot is to wear shoes, aka not wearing shoes. Indeed, there is often a narrative circulating that walking barefoot can bring good benefits to the body. Actually, is that a myth or a fact?

Indonesian sprint athlete who won the 2023 SEA Games gold medal, Hendro Yap, said that walking without shoes is actually not recommended. He emphasized that walking using footwear is still a priority to avoid possible injuries that could arise.

“Walking without wearing footwear can increase the risk of injury. So it’s better to use sports equipment, according to our needs,” said Hendro Yap when contacted by detikcom.

In line with Hendro’s explanation, sports medicine specialist Dr Sophia Hage, SpKO also advises people to wear footwear when exercising on foot. Especially if the route taken for walking is considered unsafe for walking.

Dr. Sophia said that actually walking barefoot is fine, but people must ensure safety so that this activity cannot cause injury or damage.

“It depends on where the plug is. If the plug is on the asphalt, it will be hot. If it’s on the ground, if it has glass or something, it can cause the wound to become infected,” said Dr. Sophia when met by detikcom, Wednesday (20/9/2023).

“It’s not that it’s not permissible to walk, but you have to be able to look around at the environmental conditions. If you’re familiar with the environment, that’s fine. Moreover, this is walking, not running,” he continued.

Furthermore, Dr Sophia said that walking barefoot does not bring any advantages for health. Instead, he advised people to use the right type of footwear when walking.

NEXT: Tips for choosing the most appropriate footwear for walking sports

(avk/vyp)

2023-09-22 00:00:11
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