As a dancer, I will share that one way I believe I have managed to prevent serious injuries over several years, and maintain healthy strong arches, has to do with taking care of my feet…a big part of which is being very picky about what shoes I wear.
Anthropologically, humans have evolved to be barefoot and our feet do great (in terms of health and supporting great posture) when they are either devoid of shoes OR in foot wear that is not overly padded or constricting. In my book Delicious Healing, I write about the science-backed health benefits of grounding, and part of grounding includes walking barefoot in Nature. When we move with our bare feet, we are getting (apart from healthy free electrons the earth), great feedback from the ground beneath us that help us make needed micro-adjusments as we move. These micro-adjustments can in turn help protect our spine and prevent injury. However, it is not always practical to be walk/move with bare feet (grimy city streets and rocky terrain are two reasons that come to mind), and that is where barefoot shoes come in. This type of natural footwear allows our feet to relax into a non-restricted position and minimizes over-padding of the feet soles, so that the above mentioned feedback from the earth to our feet, is maintained.
The barefoot sandals I have been wearing for over 5 years now are Xero Shoes. They are one of just three pairs of shoes that I own and I wear them 90% of the time that I am wearing shoes.
Pros of the shoes in my opinion:
- the lightweight-ness of it (a traveling minimalist’s dream).
- the comfort: I almost feel like I’m not wearing anything on my feet with these on.
- its versatility: I wear it running, hiking, for water sports…and I’ve worn it with the right dress to cocktail parties.
- its a vegan and ethically sourced product
- it’s stylish and looks good!
The only cons for me are:
- the floppy straps in the back (though they don’t bother me)
- the grip is pretty good but could be even better on slippery terrain.
As you can see, the pros heavily outweigh the cons and this is the reason I continue to wear this shoe through the years, AND wear it as often as I do.
If interested in purchasing a pair of Xero shoes for yourself or as a gift, here's a link to them (through my affiliate account): https://xeroshoes.com/go/TumiJ
