“Going barefoot is the gentlest way of walking. It's a way of living that is authentic, vulnerable and sensitive to our surroundings; removing the barrier between us and nature.”
— Adele Coombs in “Barefoot Dreaming”
Happily walking barefoot this summer, as I often do, I was chided by a pair of teens who saw my bare feet as anything but authentic, gentle or vulnerable. Bare feet, they said, are “nasty.”
I felt it was an unfair assessment, especially coming from two people whose most prized possession is a hairbrush, and whose little bare feet only touch the ground in the bathtub for about 45 minutes every day.
Having your feet free of confining, hot, sweaty shoes, open to the air and sunshine, being able to wiggle your toes and feel the various textures and temperatures of surfaces as you walk, is one of life’s most simple pleasures, I suggested.
It is completely natural to walk barefoot, quite healthy and good for your feet, and part of what it means to be human.
But, they weren’t buying it. To them, being barefoot means you sleep outdoors and eat food from garbage cans. I told them I only do that occasionally, and it has nothing to do with my feet.
People ran barefoot for countless centuries before shoes came into fashion, and we not only survived but thrived. Sure, a bare foot will inevitably step on something uncomfortable, but this is no different than all the times I’ve hit my thumb with a hammer, burned my fingers or scraped my knuckles; and you don’t see me wearing gloves everywhere.
Studies have shown that the soles of the feet resist abrasions and injury, and going barefoot is beneficial to the bones and muscles of the foot.
Kicking off your shoes can help prevent a host of injuries, from bunions to heel spurs. The foot becomes passive from wearing shoes, and can lose the ability to support itself. Walking or running barefoot forces the foot to behave naturally, leaving you stronger, healthier and more balanced.
Most importantly, bare feet feel good.
You might not agree the first time you try it, but walking barefoot gives you a greater connection not only to the ground, but to the world around you.
Your strides will be lighter, your posture will improve as you move, and your feet will develop to their proper size and shape; which, in my case, is a lot like a pair of cast iron frying pans.
Most of us can remember happier, younger days when we ran around in bare feet. Cruising barefoot through soft grass, in puddles, mud and dirt, takes you back to a time when life was fun, carefree and simple.
And there isn’t much a person can say is “nasty” about that.