Walking in the same shoes every day is bad for your health. We already knew that. But it turns out that walking barefoot at least once a day is also a good way to prevent health problems. This was also shown in the Corona pandemic, as you can see in our video.
The benefits of going barefoot
Kristiaan D’Août is Lecturer in Evolutionary Biomechanics at the University of Liverpool, UK. He has published more than a dozen articles on barefoot movement and barefoot-like footwear. For him, it’s clear that more of us should spend time barefoot or in minimalist shoes every day.
Among the misdeeds of classic shoes is the high heel, which in a study has been linked to both discomfort and various injuries.
Most shoes are also too tight, particularly in the toe area, which D’Août says compresses the foot and can lead to bunions and other deformities over time.
One released in 2010 study by Harvard evolutionary biologist Daniel Lieberman concluded that a more natural running style “could protect the feet and lower limbs from some of the impact-related injuries that currently afflict a high percentage of people.”
Walking barefoot also strengthens our immune system
One study by scientists from the University of Oregon and the University of California in 2015 found that when bare skin comes into contact with solid ground, “free electrons” are transferred from the ground to the body and that this transfer contributes to better immune system function can.
For a study published in 2021 in the journal Scientific Reports published, he and his colleagues found that when people switch to minimalist shoes over a six-month period, the strength of their feet increases by almost 60 percent. His conclusion:
You might see that as an improvement, but I think it’s more accurate to say that you regain the power that traditional shoes take away from you.
However, not all research supports going barefoot in all circumstances. It can damage the ankles, explains Dr. D’August.
Translated from French by Gentside France
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