In shoes, but what about barefoot – what are minimalist shoes?

The foot is the foundation for the body, and a foundation cannot be unstable if we want to live pain-free, healthily, and actively. Unfortunately, years of wearing uncomfortable, tight, often heavy shoes and a sedentary lifestyle have left us with certain dysfunctions. Our bodies experience a lot of tension, the nervous system develops tightness, and poor movement habits in many people are the cause of chronic pain.

We need to turn back to nature. We should try walking barefoot, relax, and change our posture. We need to activate muscles that are dormant every day, and move unused tendons. This applies to the entire body, including the feet. We will focus on them here.

What does it mean that shoes are minimalist?

Minimalist shoes... for minimalists? Not necessarily. For everyone. Of course, minimalists love them because they are incredibly lightweight, versatile, comfortable, and flexible, making them easy to even fit in a pocket. However, minimalist shoes got their name because their interference with the natural movement of the foot is kept to a minimum. First and foremost, in minimalist footwear, the drop between the toes and the heel is 0 mm (so-called zero drop), meaning the foot rests flat in the shoe, just as it would when barefoot. Secondly, in such shoes, the toes are not restricted in any way. They can maintain their original shape and freely adjust during walking or running, which helps maintain better balance and ground sensitivity.

Minimalist Shoes – Like Walking Barefoot

Minimalist footwear is made from thin, breathable material. When we first put our foot in, it feels like wearing slippers. After a few minutes, we no longer feel like we're wearing any shoes at all. While walking, we can distinctly feel the ground beneath us, yet our feet are protected from sharp objects by the strong material of the sole.

Minimalist shoes provide a sense of freedom for the feet because they:

perfectly correspond with the natural movement of the foot,
provide enough space for the toes to move freely,
thanks to soft lining and smooth seams, allow for wearing without socks,
guarantee a natural massage when walking on uneven surfaces, thereby reactivating many dormant nerve endings.

The Health Benefits of Minimalist Shoes

In third-world countries, where many people still don’t wear shoes, some ailments that plague Western society are virtually nonexistent. These include back pain, spinal deformities, and issues with the hips, pelvis, knees, or ankles.

Minimalist shoes can contribute to correcting posture. They can help address acquired foot deformities. If we suffer from conditions such as bunions, hammer toes, claw toes, etc., we can also use special toe separators. These are soft silicone inserts that separate the toes from each other, helping to correct their alignment on a daily basis. When purchasing separators, make sure they are made of safe medical silicone, as is the case with Magical Separators.

Minimalist shoes, due to their flexibility and ample toe space, are ideal for wearing with toe separators. We especially recommend the Explorer model.

Minimalist Shoes vs. Barefoot Walking – Differences

Of course, when walking barefoot, we use all the nerve endings, our feet are not restricted in any way, and all the tendons, muscles, and joints work perfectly. When we put on any shoes, we limit that freedom, and wearing improper footwear for years causes us problems.

Since living barefoot is quite difficult in our country and few people choose to do so, minimalist shoes are becoming increasingly popular. In a way, they replace barefoot walking. Of course, without the direct contact of the skin of the feet with the ground, we won’t achieve the same effect as walking barefoot, but still, we protect our body from foot deformities and pain, while ensuring comfort and pleasure while walking.