Do I really need to prepare for shoes?
That’s probably the question that crossed your mind while reading the title of this article. Let’s put it this way: if you’ve always driven a vehicle with a manual gearbox, then switching to an automatic will require at least a couple of dozen trips to get used to the different control system. It’s no different with your feet. If you’ve been walking since you were a child in shoes that cushion the heel, squeeze the toes, and force toe-to-toe movement, Or worse, they get you used to being able to walk from the heel!
As you can see, getting back to your roots won’t necessarily be easy, so we’ve put together a few points to look out for to get your feet back to their full glory and fitness. As always, if you have any injuries, health problems, or degeneration, we recommend you see a specialist.
Start slowly and let your feet get used to it.
It’s natural to want to start right away when reading about the problems minimalist shoes solve. Since others are experiencing miraculous results, why not have them right away? In the meantime, it’s worth treating it like a workout and starting “with a little weight” and then increasing the intensity. With us, the weight will be nothing but time. Start wearing minimalist footwear for short periods during the day. Whether it’s going out to the shop or maybe walking around the house in your new shoes, Some people will get used to them quickly, while others will need a few extra days to get used to them. The most important thing is to listen to your body (especially if you have arthritis or foot disease!).
Choose minimalist shoes after proper research
Just because a shoe is minimalist doesn’t mean it will be appropriate. Be aware that with the popularity of barefoot ideology, there will be a growing number of manufacturers, including mass-market ones. When it comes to shoes that are meant to be healthy for your foot and not further damage it, it’s not worth saving money.
What should your first minimalist shoes be?
- Completely flat (zero drop), they will allow you to maintain correct posture.
- Breathable and very lightweight, you won’t feel them on your feet.
- Incredible flexibility means your foot can finally work naturally.
- Wide at the toe, the shoe doesn’t pinch your toes or squash them.
- Thin, abrasion-resistant sole for maximum sensory feel and extra acupressure
- Top-quality materials mean the shoes will last a long time.
- Fully functional shoes: shed the weight of uncomfortable, hard shoes.
You will, of course, find all these features in minimalist footwear from Magical Shoes. The shoes are handmade precisely to provide all these features.
Give the whole body time to get used to
It is not only your foot that needs time to get used to a completely new sensation. The whole body is also affected. After all, the feet cushion the entire body, and a misplaced heel can even be felt in the skull.
Your spine, your knees, and your hips all need to get used to the new balance distribution and the different positioning of the foot. Therefore, as we wrote in the first point, it is advisable to treat this like a workout and implement barefoot footwear gradually. Over time, you will even notice physical changes, e.g., a wider spread of the toes.
Pay attention to change, especially health.
During your first adventures with minimalist footwear, it is especially worth paying attention to the changes that occur in your body. Examine how you place your feet on the ground in regular shoes and how you place your feet in barefoot minimalist shoes. Pay attention to things like balance, the feel of your foot, your toes, and the distribution of support points in your foot.
This point is especially important if you suffer from any of these conditions:
- Hallux valgus (bunion) toe
- hammer toe
- excessive pronation and supination of the foot,
- inflammation of tendons or muscles,
- chronic foot pain.
Listen to your body!
Exercise your feet in the meantime
Did you know that you can also exercise your feet? You’ll find as many as 107 muscles in one foot, so why not treat them like any other muscle part?
Don’t try natural running without preparation
Natural running is the ‘higher level’ of barefoot or minimalist shoe walking. It is based precisely on running training with barefoot shoes. This type of running is even more challenging for the body, especially the feet, so we do not recommend trying it without proper preparation. It should be implemented slowly, monitoring your body. The beginnings can be difficult, and you should start with walking, then very short runs, until finally switching completely to barefoot shoes. The most important thing is to watch the correct movement of the foot and to run from the midfoot, so that the heel is not stressed by impact on the ground and the weight of the body is evenly distributed.
Help with finger separators
Toe separators are simple silicone blocks that allow you to stretch, strengthen, and relax your toes, e.g., after a hard day in work shoes. Wearing such separators for, e.g., one hour a day has measurable benefits, both in terms of health (preventing foot deformities) and rehabilitation after surgery. They can also simply serve as relief after prolonged walking!
Start walking barefoot more
Walking barefoot like our ancestors did has tangible benefits that not only strengthen the foot but also get it used to barefoot footwear faster. Some of the benefits that have been proven by research include:
- Walking barefoot strengthens foot muscles.
- Barefoot walking toughens you up. If you step out onto a cold lawn in autumn or, for the more advanced, onto the snow in winter, it will not be a very pleasant feeling, but it is nevertheless confirmed by research that such a procedure strengthens immunity.
- Walking barefoot improves circulation in the feet, and experiencing different surfaces with bare feet stimulates the nervous system.
- Barefoot walking helps children develop a stronger foot, which translates into later years, as well as other parts of the body like the whole leg and even the hips or posture.
- Barefoot walking is a natural foot massage. Stimulation of the soles of the feet by various external factors can be simply pleasant.
If you would like to expand your knowledge of minimalist footwear, we invite you to visit the Magical Shoes blog, where you will find much more educational material.
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