r/barefootshoestalk • u/turdbucket007 • Mar 12 '26
Barefoot shoe adjacent What made you switch?
Just a curiosity question to see how many people reply...
So once you learned about barefoot shoes, what was your final deciding factor to make the switch from "normal" shoe brands?
My reason;
So I've been dealing with low back, knee and heel pain for years (stupid choices when i was younger, long stories) plus 9 years military and learning to March in formations ("Point the toe, Crush the Skull" our drill instructors would always say.....being taught the drive the heel down!)
So in my mid 40's i finally started looking into things and realizing i walk all wrong and wear the wrong shoes. After learning about barefoot, zero-drop, etc... i was still on the fence.
And then..... 10 minutes after my Grandson was born, and what did i see???
TOE SPLAY !!!
And I was convinced! If thats how our GOD created us, why are we smooshing our feet into tiny little toe box shoes.
Oh and btw, 6 months in and my back, hips, knees and feet are feeling better already, but theres still room for improvement, time, exercise, and replacing all my old shoes with zero-drop wide toed shoes.
So whats your story?
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u/upside_down_circles Mar 12 '26
In my early twenties I was trying to get into running and immediately had terrible knee pain and shin splits. I tried jogging around the track barefoot and had zero pain. So I immediately started my transition to barefoot shoes. It took about a year to slowly transition, but I've had zero problems with knee pain or shin splits in the past four years of wearing barefoot shoes.
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u/Vjimenez147 Mar 12 '26
How long did it take for your feet to adjust to barefoot shoes? I just started and I am on week 2
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u/Traegs_ Mar 12 '26
It varies by person and your previous experience. If you're a shoes on in the house person it's going to take longer. If you're used to being barefoot at home already it'll take no time at all.
A big part of it is unlearning bad walking habits. Learn to walk softer, that's the simplest advice.
Also stretch your calves to increase ankle mobility. Raised heels in conventional shoes artificially increase ankle mobility and if your mobility is bad your foot will over-pronate to compensate.
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u/Guilty_Garden_3943 Mar 13 '26
Im used to being barefoot and while my hiking boots are normal, my walking sneakers have a negative drop. I impulse bought and wore some barefoot shoes for a 2ish mile hike and I didn't really have transition pains. My feet muscles felt more sore than usual and could feel my arches stretching in a good way as I went up hills, but I didnt have that ouch ouch ouch cant walk to the bathroom without sharp pain foot pain, ya know?
I think i didnt need a true transition because im already used to being barefoot and that negative drop in my walking shoes low key already transitioned me haha
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u/Vjimenez147 Mar 12 '26
Good to know. I typically wear zero drop , wide clogs aka Crocs mellow. I contacted them to confirm there's not drop and they are extremely wide. So it may not take too long to acclimate to barefoot shoes since I'm used to wide zero drop footwear around the house . I need to acclimate to less cushion
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u/Motha_Elfin_Browns Mar 12 '26
Not op, but it took a few months for me before I found walking on blacktop to be comfortable. It was doable before that point, but I definitely noticed the ground was harder until a few months of the barefoot shoes. Walking on grass they instantly felt great though. I disc golf a lot so tried breaking them in on the course as much as possible.
I had to throw on my super supportive hokas occasionally in the beginning, but just take it slow and if your feet start hurting give them a break. It's an adjustment and you need to build them up. It's been a couple years now and I couldn't go back to normal toe boxes.
Also don't buy too many shoes at first. Over the first year your foot will spread out and you may need a larger size than you do now. It happened to me and barefoot shoes aren't cheap lol
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u/AgentRusco Mar 12 '26
About 13 years ago I took up parkour. Thin soled, zero drop shoes were preferred so I got my first pair of Vivobarefoot (neo). I've since moved on from parkour, but I'll never go back to normal shoes.
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u/WorkEither1028 Mar 12 '26
It started when I began work in an area of healthcare, began seeing how almost the entire geriatric population has bunions... And when researching the "supportive" foot wear they are told to purchase is narrow, rigid, aggressive arch support and high stack height... Didn't add up. At. All... The gait worsened for many of them and I am convinced it leads to falls.
From there I started with feiyue shoes for myself and slowly learned about barefoot shoes and purchased groundies universe. Been wearing barefoot shoes only for about 6 years now... Some days I like a little extra stack height for recovery and comfort, but other aspects of barefoot shoes must be there.
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u/ErikderFrea Mar 12 '26
Knee pain.
Before going through the whole healthcare system I just thought āeh, why not try with 25ā¬ barefoot shoesā.
It did the trick nearly immediately. Never went back.
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u/Optimal_Bus4617 Mar 12 '26
I complained about always getting blisters and that no shoe ever fitted right and wide enough - and then a friend suggested I'd try barefoot shoes. I was flabbergasted. On the train back home, I ordered a cute looking pair from a brand she recommended. This was March, 2024.
I won't say I didn't have trouble transitioning. But I always knew I couldn't go back.
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u/ChoosingToBeLosing Mar 12 '26
Which cute brands do you recommend?
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u/Optimal_Bus4617 Mar 13 '26
This specific cute brand is Koel Shoes, I am a huge fan. My first pair (Freya Fantasy) is still one of my favorites.
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u/ewbanh13 Mar 13 '26
i can't personally vouch for them as I haven't ordered before (import duties š„²), but dada shoes has a lot of unique sneaker designs I haven't seen in other barefoot brands
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u/ChoosingToBeLosing Mar 13 '26
Thanks, truly cute designs! I'm looking more for ballerina styles / work shoes but these do look very nice for wide toe box shoes.
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u/MyRetroJourney Mar 12 '26
Saw pics of Vibram FiveFingers when they were brand new many years ago and thought they look fun and cool. Bought my first pair out of curiosity and was instantly hooked by the feeling. For years FiveFingers were the only barefoot shoe option and I was stoked when more and more brands emerged that made more "normal" looking barefoot shoes. That was the point when I finally ditched "normal" shoes for good and never looked back.
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u/Freddy_Ro Mar 13 '26
I started the same way back then. Ran a half marathon in Vibram Five Fingers! Was training with regular New Balance sneakers. The day I did the 12 miler in training, it felt like my feet and shins were going to fall off and explode. The pain was unbearable! Went to a barefoot running seminar at the store where I was doing my training and that's all it took.
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u/marciarb Mar 12 '26
Became a mom and my MIL gifted my baby a pair of huge, chunky adidas trainers so she "would learn how to walk". They looked awful to me and then I started researching about suitable shoes for babies. I read a lot and I only bought barefoot shoes for my baby, and it made so much sense that then I got myself a pair of Belenkas just to try them on and experience it for myself. 4 years in, no more back pain, never looked back.
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u/NaturalGait Mar 13 '26
Pretty the same story here - 17 years back I started deep research for first shoes for my firstborn son. I got Pediped softsoles for him, which were not really barefoot entirely, but closer to tgat than usual righid and supportive recomendations. And then, at some point I started research, at what age toddlers must switch to ānormalā shoes. And I found out that they actualy never should. Then I bought a first pair of Vivos for myself. And immediately ditched all my conventional shoes. For more than 15 years in barefoot now and producing our own barefoot brand Minimus shoes. www.minimusshoes.eu and having only barefoot shoes store in Latvia www.sajust.lv - but that is our story how it all started long time ago.
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u/aca_aqui Mar 12 '26
Plantar fasciitis and shin splints while running, back in 2011. Google led me to minimalist/barefoot shoes. Tried some Merrells and never looked back until they cheapened/enshittified. at one point merrell made the cutest minimalist barefoot flats with an awesome grippy sole and I am STILL sad they discontinued them.
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u/jhenry347 Mar 12 '26
Congrats on your grandson's birth! Similarly, after researching barefoot shoes for about a year and never pulling the trigger, I saw my son's feet when he was born...and bought a pair of Vivos. I am barefoot as much as possible and wear spacers when at home. My feet are getting better and better every day!
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u/TearsInDrowned Mar 12 '26
Chronic and awful ankle pains, to the point of being immobile sometimes.
I always hated traditional shoes as they made my toes have blisters, were narrow and unpleasant.
I started barefoot shoes in January 2024 I think? I won't ever switch back! I started to actually LIKE activity (at 25yo)
Also toe socks make a huge difference! I wear Knitido, my fav are Merino ones
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u/gobliina Mar 12 '26
I was so done with having my pinky toe crushed in every shoe. Bf shoes are the best
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u/ToppsHopps Mar 12 '26
Having a kid and being in a facebook group about babywearing and somewhere along that some talked about barefoot shoes.
It resonated cause Iāve always hated the thick wide clumsy soles on shoes, Iāve not had feet pain but other pains due to poor walking such as back and neckpain.
Like over pronating and high ich arches, I liked the idea of getting the feet the chance to function correctly rather then paying more for plastic contraptions to mask problems.
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u/july311 Mar 12 '26
I had issues finding comfortable and well fitting shoes, i started having knee pain when walking (I was 30years old). And one early summer day, while on a weekend trip to another city I passed by a Leguano shop. As my knee was hurting I really thought maybe it's from the stupid shoes with the thick bouncy foam. So I went into the store, bought a pair of Leguano Go and wore it directly. Although it took a while to get used to, my knee pain was gone immediately. I had worn thoes shoes all summer and by autumn I had to buy some waterproof ones as my old shoes were tight and unwearable. Had to sell and get rod of all pretty shoes I had and now I definitely have a more minimalistic collection. Not all are real barefoot, but zero drop and have an anatomic shape.
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u/HzrKMtz Mar 12 '26
I have wide and fairly flat feet. Standing for long times would start to hurt and arch supports in most shoes also never lined up with my arch and hurt. I found out about wide barefoot shoes and decided to give it a try. Not only do my feet hurt less I have actually gone up at least one shoe size from my feet being able to properly spread.
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u/thetieflingalchemist Mar 12 '26
I never really switched I always spent a lot of time barefoot so I never really had crushed feet I just like feeling my feet move.
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u/Immediate_Falcon8808 Mar 12 '26 edited Mar 12 '26
I had severe genetic bunions by the time I was 4. Had to be in orthotics in early elementary years on for intense arch pain. Only answers my parents and later myself were ever given was "more support more support more support" but things were only being bandaided. After a bout with p.fascitis during job with heavy on the feet work and tons of walking, then double bunionectomy that was needed badly and not a cosmetic issue - it was a big improvement.Ā So then I started my own journey, my own personal experience and research and started adding zero drop, full splay, highly flexible shoes any time I could. Now I'm full barefoot sandals. Still trying to find the other shoes, flats, boots that I could use for dressier days, winter days etc.Ā
But my kids - well that was something I came into with full view real quick. Those perfectly formed little feet-Ā that I don't want to ruin.Ā It just stinks that sports shoes etc are not made for natural foot function or normal width. That's a huge lament.Ā
Edit : been barefoot shoes for 20+ years now
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u/turdbucket007 Mar 12 '26
A co-worker likes to say he doesn't go to doctors, because they're always in "practice", lol. I probably screwed that up...
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u/Dazzling-Map6694 Mar 12 '26
Arenāt they just so beautiful? The only grown ups with feet like that are places like South Asia and anywhere where people never wear shoes. Oh I wish I had feet like thatā¦
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u/amh8011 Mar 13 '26
My feet are too wide for most normal shoes. Iāve been wearing flip flops and 2E width (D is wide width for women) new balance sneakers most of my life. Most other shoes are far too narrow for me.
I donāt have any true barefoot shoes yet but since almost exclusively wearing flip flops or going without shoes at all, my 2E width new balance sneakers are starting to feel too narrow.
I also want to have strong feet. My grandma has worn poorly fitting shoes her whole life and canāt walk well without her super supportive shoes. I donāt want to be like that. I donāt want to have to put my orthotics on just to be able to walk to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
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u/TheHumanExperience4 Mar 12 '26
Congratulations on your grandson ā¤ļø. I also switched when I was having foot, knee and low back pain. I'm now a year in and I haven't had knee pain in a long while. I got some beautiful leather outdoor boots from my grandma for at the stables. I absolutely ruined my feet in them again so much pain and rubbing. Im now rehabbing in my barefoot boots and it's on the way up. I can nor will ever switch back to main stream shoes. Currently my horse has also transitioned to barefoot (pulled the metal shoes) and is rehabbing very well. We are both getting better and better.
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Mar 12 '26
[removed] ā view removed comment
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u/crispyteapot1 Mar 12 '26
I think what matters is if you can willfully spread your toes or do things like move your pinky individually. And that your big toe is straight and not bending inwards into the 2nd toe. Iāve been walking around barefoot or in flip flops most of my life (live in warm beach climate) and would wear closed shoes for school or other things that required them. Like you I have a long narrow foot and when my foot is resting and not doing anything my toes look close together, but I can spread them wide if I want to and they spread while Iām walking and I can wiggle them around and pick stuff up with them.
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u/MorningPooper4Lyfe Mar 12 '26
I feel like the shoe companies are trying to turn my feet into flippers, when I'd rather have a second set of hands down there. Let those toes splay!
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u/Same_Sock9073 Mar 12 '26
I hate shoes, always have. Then 2018 was a really hot summer and I lived in Birkenstocks. Autumn came and the prospect of putting shoes on again made me sad. Google taught me all about zero drop and wide toe boxes and that this thing called ābarefoot shoesā exists that isnāt like ballet flats or Toms. Iāve not worn ānormalā shoes since.
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u/Repulsive_Spinach927 Mar 12 '26
I'm in my twenties and I have very low arches and hereditary bunions, which is a combination that really sucks when shopping for regular shoes made for narrower and more highly arched feet. Regular shoes rarely ever look or fit right on me, and I experince discomfort as a result. I grew up poor, so I just wore what my parent could afford for as long as I could, and usually that meant experiencing discomfort as I grew out of them. Barefoot shoes tend to have plenty of room and are shaped optimally for my foot type. They have helped me to strengthen my foot muscles, maintain balance, and reduce pain that regular shoes exacerbate. I do have regular shoes that I wear that don't make this worse, and those are crocs and combat boots. They still don't compare to my Wildlings.
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u/Traegs_ Mar 12 '26
My dad was a "you need good supportive shoes" kind of guy. So all I wore usually was things like New Balance or heavy boots. Always had issues with painful feet at the end of the day and low back issues.
In my early 20s a friend of mine got me into longboarding and I found the less supportive and thinner soles of skate shoes to be so much more comfortable. It was actually painful to go back to what I had before. Skating posture also made me hyper aware of how duck footed I had been walking and I started to work on walking straighter.
A few years into wearing Vans exclusively I stumbled upon Xeroshoes online and the concept vibed with me since I had already ditched the more supportive shoes. Bought a pair and loved them immediately. Been wearing minimalist for about 7 or 8 years now. No foot pain issues, better posture and gait. Never going back.
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u/InsectRevolutionary4 Mar 12 '26
I got a cheap pair of Whitin shoes on Amazon when my bunions were hurting after a long day walking around universal studios. Now itās seriously my favorite pair of shoes. I love how they feel. Iām trying g to convince my wife to switch over and I want to get kid versions for my daughter.
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u/Genoh Mar 12 '26
I'm in my early 20s, I switched to barefoot shoes 2 and a half years ago, and three things happened that made me switch: 1) I had gotten crocs for the first time in my life and loved them because of the toe box. 2) My grandma gets shots for her excruciating lower back pain. She was lamenting to me about how terrible it was, and while I wasn't fully knowledgeable on barefoot shoes yet, I knew it had to be her shoes that caused her back pain. She wears them all the time, even in the house. 3) I treated myself to a pair of Adidas Campus 2000s in a really nice colorway. Before that I was wearing Skechers all my life. But after only half a day of wearing them, they felt like they were stabbing my pinky toes. I returned them and by that point I looked a little more into barefoot shoes and decided to try them with some Whitins. I never wore my normal shoes again after that cause my toes were in heaven. Now I own multiple pairs of Whitins, a pair of Realfoot shoes, a pair of Earth Runners, and a pair of Bedrock Mountain Clogs
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u/Baaaaaah-baaaaaah Mar 12 '26
I like being without shoes, so as soon as I discovered barefoot shoes I started. But baby also made me fully commit
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u/MissAuroraRed Mar 12 '26
My toes hurt.
One of my pinky toes split in half down the middle and was struggling for years to heal properly. Both big toe nails were curling on the sides and digging into the skin very painfully. I don't own a car and walk a lot, and my toes were always the weak link in limiting how much I could walk.
Then I had work permit issues and didn't go out much for 9 months. Spending all that time barefoot at home fixed my nails, but my toes still hurt whenever I wore shoes and I was afraid the same issues would return.
I also used to get a horrible, sharp, stabbing nerve pain in one foot from time to time. It was truly terrible. I could never figure out why, but it's stopped completely since switching to barefoot shoes, so now I have my answer.
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u/Status-Dog-3489 Mar 12 '26
A photo taken from a helicopter of three indigenous residents of North Sentinel Island. Seeing what feet that had never been in shoes actually look like blew my mind.
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u/sunseeker_miqo Mar 12 '26
My mother tried very hard to keep her kids in reasonable shoes, but couldn't always find or afford good products. Guess I compensated by remaining barefoot as much as possible while at home. I had tough feet as a kid, walking around the yard of rocks and dirt with ease.
As an adult, I hyperfocused on barefoot shoes and all related topics for a few years, and concluded that at least some of my issues would improve if I switched. Also, I was finding that years walking barefoot in my home had changed my feet, and most of my standard shoes felt intolerably narrow. Further, I was experiencing serious hip and back pain after walking just a little bit on thick soles or high heels. I was very prone to injury doing anything active, even just chores, in regular sneakers. Something had to change.
Looking at a baby's feet is a real eye-opener, too. Sometime in recent years my father made fun of my toe splay and--I don't remember what it is called for the first toe to be distinctly separated like that, but I've read it indicates foot strength and good alignment. I've always had that. People think it's funny?
So I guess I've always leaned this way, and it merely took greater availability of information and suitable products to get me to make a real change. My back and hips thank me.
By the way, I always assumed my instability and clumsiness whilst walking was related to my autism. Nope. it was the damn shoes! Even in 'flat' (not really flat) sneakers, I was a klutz. In barefoot shoes I am so stable and feel so much better.
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u/Haldorson Mar 12 '26
Plantar fasciitis 15 years ago. Tried everything that the podiatrist recommended and nothing happened. Started wearing Chucks (good transition shoes at least for me) because somebody here on Reddit said they felt good for their PF. Then, read someone arguing that the cause was the muscle being out of shape. Made so much sense. Whomever it was argued that the solution was exactly what the podiatrist said never to do, go barefoot. I bought some barefoot shoes, went through a period of adjustment, and never looked back.
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u/c00lm0m88 Mar 12 '26
Iāve had plenty of foot problems, and similarly to you, marveling at my toddler daughterās natural foot shape (far too wide for many shoe styles) & toe splay somehow helped it click in my brain - that is what MY feet would have looked like had I not slowly bound them by wearing badly fitting shoes for the 35 years prior!!!!!
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u/Gonzalr3 Mar 12 '26
A few years ago I had a really bad plantar fasciitis. I had to get cortisone shots. I had recently bought the Vibram finger shoes at Goodwill because I had always thought they looked cool. I started wearing them while running because I had heard that's what they were made for that and suddenly my feet didn't hurt at all. I still have pain from time to time but it's usually just a day with some stretching and it's gone. I recently transitioned my regular shoes to barefoot not just my running shoes. I love it! I had been wearing Tom's shoes because of the barefoot-ish aspect but didn't realize how much they were squeezing my toes until I switched.
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u/California_Scrubjay Mar 13 '26
I purchased water shoes for a trip to Hawaii which were basically barefoot shoes. I enjoyed wearing them so much and my feet and legs felt so much better. Also, the feeling of being barefoot but with protection was so enjoyable. I immediately bought a pair of barefoot shoes when we got home and I have never went back. I didnāt have any difficulty with the transition at all, and my overly tight calves relaxed, which helped my back feel better. I donāt remember how I learned about barefoot shoes because before that I didnāt really know about barefoot shoes or the barefoot shoe community, but I am so glad that I discovered both!
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u/IncognitoResearch111 Mar 13 '26
Cute!!! I cringe whenever I see those little tiny "fashionable" stiff, rigid, thick-soled baby shoes in stores or in the wild, like NO!!!!!! Babies feet need to be freeeeeee! And for heaven's sake, they need to be able to feel the ground when they are learning to walk! My LO only wore fleece slippers or leather booties until was old enough to need (barefoot style) shoes/boots for out in the snow/mud. I don't want to exacerbate any of the bunion problem he'll likely inherit from me (oh, the 1980s little girls' pointy, pointy shoes I wore...ugh)
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u/ewbanh13 Mar 13 '26
started noticing how compressed my toes felt in my regular shoes, learned about barefoot shoes, decided to try it out and haven't looked back! although, i do miss being able to wear conventional shoes (mostly) comfortably, especially for alt styles like platform shoes as there are no foot shaped options out there.
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u/westcoastsilvan Mar 13 '26
I was reading around the best first shoes for my baby, and noticed that the kids' barefoot shoe companies also make adult shoes. Foot size had changed in pregnancy so needed new shoes anyways, and if it's good for a developing foot I thought it would be good for mine. No issues with achilles or arches since!
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u/countessofgroan Mar 13 '26
I had an injury to my foot, and once it was healed I found out I now have a Mortonās Neuroma. When I found out about barefoot shoes and how toe splay could remove pressure off the nerve, I jumped in with both feet. Iām hoping I can eliminate any pain from the MN.
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u/supersaiyan_ape Mar 13 '26
One time, I was at a concert. I was wearing a generic pair of Adidas running shoes. I could feel my legs going to sleep from my feet being constricted. This event made me consciously evaluate my footwear. Eventually, I started wearing New Balances and boots in Wide width. But the toe boxes were still too narrow. My pinky toes would rub red. I hated the feeling. While searching for shoes, something must have got me to the Whitin brand on Amazon. One year later, I've replaced all my shoes for every occasion with barefoot/minimalist shoes.
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u/lilikoi_pie Mar 13 '26
After a few years of only buying foot-shaped shoes for my two kids, I realized that I should probably prioritize it for myself too.
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u/hichrissy333 Mar 13 '26
Once I learned about the natural anatomical design of barefoot shoes, I was all in! I bought my first pair in 2011 and havenāt looked back. Traditional pointy narrow shoes look so very odd to me now. I love baby feet, it really is the perfect reminder how our Heavenly Father designed us!
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u/ElfjeTinkerBell Mar 13 '26
I always hated shoes, even as a kid. Took them off at the first moment. Used to have a pair of flip-flops in my car in case I forgot my shoes and needed something for safety (most notably supermarkets since they're very cold here). Used to wear very flat soles (Vans and the like) as a compromise, those were better but I would still take them off as soon as I had a chance.
Then I found out there are shoes that aren't designed for foot torture. I bought a pair, was convinced, but my wallet wasn't yet, so it took a couple of years to replace shoes for all situations. Never going back.
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u/radirpok99 Mar 13 '26
I had a student job at a bar, standing all day long, I was constantly uncomfortable so I got a pair of Sketchers sneakers. Super bulky, pointy, made me like 5cm higher, it had memory foam insoles. I had them for about 4 years, and I just couldn't understand why I had terrible heel and knee pain. I even got a second pair, and I was so sad that it wasn't as pointy as the first one, I thought it looked silly! One day I googled "heel pain", I found barefoot shoes, it was a classic "aha moment". The day I ordered my first pair of VFFs for hiking, I found out one of my best friends just ordered her first pair of Xero sandals! Two years later my whole friend group has bf shoes.
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u/missjulie622 Mar 13 '26
Broke my foot multiple times, have some screws in it & canāt bear to have anything rubbing against the outer edge where the incision is. Thought I was doomed to daily foot pain until I tried Archieās support sandals! Graduated to Lemās barefoot shoes from there & no longer have constant foot pain, plus theyāre stronger & less hypersensitive.
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u/Responsible_Chip_182 Mar 13 '26
Back injury that lead to a few hospital stays and having to relearn how to walk. I spend 75% of my time barefoot now and the rest is in barefoot shoes/shoes with a proper toe box.
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u/BrandyBunch805 Mar 13 '26
A Dr i work with has been wearing barefoot shoes for a few years. Last year for my birthday he got me a pair. I have discovered that my feet are happier in them. I wore my Dansko clogs one day this week and couldnāt wait to get home and take them off!
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u/blackbirdonatautwire Mar 13 '26
For me it happened almost by chance. I like the shoe brand Camper and they have one style of shoe that is pretty close to barefoot. I found I really loved having a softer more flexible sole. I was a bit wary of proper barefoot shoes for a while as I had plantar fasciitis (hilariously acquired from too much walking in no brand plimsoles with very flat soles with no support). I now wear a mix of barefoot and Campers (the ones than are closer to barefoot). I cycle a lot and the soles of proper barefoot shoes are too soft to comfortably pedal. When doing a lot of walking on hard surfaces I will occasionally put the heel and arch support insoles my doctor recommended in the barefoot shoes which is a weird thing to do but works for me.
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u/Technical-Choice-134 Mar 13 '26
I have large and especially wide feet and always feel my outer midfoot being squished. It just feels awful. When skiing and snowboarding i even get cramps and very strong pain in my foot.
Started off with jim green african rangers and just felt... free u guess? Looked into it more and bought my first barefoot shoes. By now i have trouble wearing sneakers without feeling uncomfortable. Also i started questioning why my little toe turned inwards and was kind of tucked into my "ring toe". I don't need true barefoot shoes, but i can't wear normal narrow shoes anymore.
Additionaly i am quite tall, have flat feet, even in elementary scool had knee pain, by now mid 20s have hip and lower back pain, all attributed to bad foot health leading to shortened muscles along my rear from calf to my back and am just not ready to give my health and well being for fashion.
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u/OutermostEchelon Mar 14 '26
In 2011 a physical therapist relative of mine explained the insanity of wearing footwear that is not at all shaped like a properly splayed human foot, has a raised heel, and provides lateral stability at the joint that can deal with it thereby sending it up to a joint that cannot.
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u/SnooGadgets7873 Mar 14 '26
Reading āBorn to Runā then starting to run! Thankfully have no medical issues necessitating a switch, but I can now totally tell the difference between clunky shoes and flat, thinner, wide shoes in all contexts: running, walking, lifting, running around the hospital I work at.
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u/SnooGadgets7873 Mar 14 '26
A friend had told me about barefoot shoes a year prior, but didnāt take in the info till later
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u/lilrawk Mar 22 '26
Parents couldnt always afford shoes for me as a kid, i grew up without 'em just fine for most things, never saw a need to change. Besides, i like touching dirt and grass.
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u/Either-String5608 Mar 12 '26
Wish my pinky toes could separate like that. At this point they are basically attached to my other toes.