The foot is the foundation for the body, and the foundation cannot be insecure if we want to live a pain-free, healthy and active life. Unfortunately, years of using uncomfortable, tight, often heavy shoes and a sedentary lifestyle have not left us without some dysfunctions. We feel a lot of tension in the body, contractures develop in the nervous system and bad movement habits are the cause of chronic pain in many people.
We need to turn to nature again. Try to walk barefoot, relax, change our posture. We need to activate muscle parts that are dormant on a daily basis, move unused tendons. This applies to the whole body, including the feet. We will focus on them here.
What does it mean for the shoes to be minimalist?
Minimalist shoes… in other words, for minimalists? Not necessarily. For everyone. Of course, minimalists love them because they are extremely light, versatile, comfortable and flexible, which means they can even be stored in a pocket. However, minimalist shoes got their name from the fact that their interference with the natural movement of the foot is reduced to a minimum. First of all, in minimalist shoes, the slope of the surface between the toe and the heel is 0 mm (the so-called zero-drop), which makes the foot lie flat in the shoe. The same as when we are not wearing it. Secondly, the toes are not restricted in any way in such shoes. They can retain their original characteristics and position themselves freely during gait or running, allowing for even better balance and ground feel.
Minimalist shoes – as in barefoot
Minimalist footwear is made of thin, airy material. When you put your foot into it, at first you feel like you are wearing slippers. After a few minutes, we no longer feel that we have any shoes on our feet. As we walk, we can feel the ground very clearly, while at the same time our feet are protected from sharp objects by the strong sole material.
Minimalist shoes give the feet a sense of freedom because:
- they correspond perfectly to the movement of the foot,
- they provide sufficient space for the toes to move freely,
- they allow you to walk in them without socks due to the soft cushioning and smooth seams,
- they provide a natural massaging action when walking on uneven surfacesthus reactivating many hitherto dormant nerve endings.
Health-promoting effects of minimalist shoes
In third world countries, where many people still do not use shoes, some of the conditions that plague western society do not occur at all. These include back pain, spinal curvatures, hip, pelvis, knee or ankle pain and deformities.
Minimalist shoes can contribute to correcting posture. We can use them to correct acquired foot deformities. If you have problems with hallux valgus, hammer toes, clawed toes, etc., you should also use special toe separators. These are soft silicone pads that separate the individual toes from each other. They help correct their position on a daily basis. When buying separators, make sure they are made of safe medical silicone, as is the case with Magical Separators.
Minimalist shoes, due to their flexibility and considerable toe space, are perfect for wearing separators. We particularly recommend the Explorer model.
Minimalist shoes versus going barefoot – the differences
Of course, by walking barefoot we use all nerve endings, our feet are not restricted in any way, all tendons, muscles and joints work perfectly. By putting on any shoes, we limit this freedom, and by wearing the wrong footwear for years, we cause ourselves problems.
Since it is quite difficult to live barefoot in our country and few choose to do so, minimalist shoes are becoming increasingly popular. In a way, they replace barefoot walking. Of course, without contact between the skin of the feet and the ground, we won’t get the same effect as when walking without shoes, but we still save our body from foot deformation and pain, while at the same time providing comfort and pleasure when walking.
Leave a Reply