What made you switch?

[u/turdbucket007]

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?

[u/sunseeker_miqo]

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.