Going Shoeless: A discussion about barefoot living

Casey, absolutely loved the information you have given.

Generally speaking, I don't bother arguing with people about my footwear. When they have already made up their mind, there is little point. But, it's always nice to have someone else reinforce my ideas.

Casey: Yup, when I started going barefoot, and converted to fox-walking, my whole body changed... I'm getting lots of comments these days about my nice butt. Nobody ever said anything like that to me before I started going barefoot as a lifestyle! The comment about slow and steady is right on target. Thanks for the great post!

So thanks to this thread, today I was paying attention to how I walk in boots (working heel, rubber barn boots), thongs, and barefoot. And I do walk differently, more forward on the foot when it's bare. But in thongs, I walk much more like barefoot than like shod, and always with some toe-grip on the sole. Occurs to me to wonder if that's why I almost never "lose" one off my foot, they don't "flap" as I walk, and I can run in thongs, too.

Yeah, you young whippersnappers might call 'em flip-flops or zorries or sandals, but when I was growing up, they were thongs!!

Casey, I'm a long way from being willing to go barefoot at work. But I do comfortably spend most of my nonwork time barefoot (up to using a shovel if I only have one or two holes to dig). I'd be very interested in hearing about the 'step off' portion of the gait. I think I can almost form a mental picture giving me a clear understanding of what you're talking about here.

I've been assuming that I've had sore feet at the end of my shifts because I weigh too much. After really long shift I feel the pain all the way up to my hips. This thread makes a strong argument that a large part of this may also be related to me buying the most supportive shoes I can find for work.

I'm now considering entirely changing my sandal hunting strategy. Flat, non supportive sandals are easy to find and can be worn nearly year round here. This line in particular "the surest way to collapse an arch is to push up from underneath it" gives me a way to think about shoes that I've done before. Even more important, I'm going to change my strategy in looking for school shoes for my nieces.

edit: using not when I mean now completely changes the meaning of the whole paragraph. Fixed

It kinda depends on your feet. If you have normal arches, they take care of themselves, they don't need to be "supported" -- the whole idea of an arch is to support what's above it, not to be supported itself.

I have high strong arches, and if the shoe has an arch, it makes my foot sore, probably because it puts pressure on the wrong area and doesn't let my foot flex naturally. If I can feel the shoe's arch at all, it's too much.

But I know people with flat feet who practically can't walk without arch support, in fact sometimes their arches bend the wrong way, ow!

Heels are kinda the same way. My uncle always wore heeled cowboy boots because that helped his back (construction injuries). I've found that walking any real distance (especially on hills) in completely flat shoes stresses the tendons in my lower legs, but with a slight heel I'm fine.

It doesn't hurt to try something here. If it just needs your body to make an adjustment, that happens fairly quick. But if it's painful and the pain doesn't soon go away, it's not the right setup for your body. Everyone's structure and balance are different.

This may help people make the switch to barefeet:  Nearly bare feet

Todd Parr wrote:This may help people make the switch to barefeet:  Nearly bare feet

Since they're waterproof -- wouldn't that be kinda counterproductive? because waterproof means it won't pass sweat either.

A friend has such 'barefoot shoes', totally made of synthetic stretch material ... not at all my choice!

I suppose that waterproof in this context means that the glue still sticks if they get wet.

I'm thinkin' you could use rubber cement and inner tube material, or maybe duct tape, a lot cheaper

Deb Rebel wrote:For multiple hours standing or walking (job) I used to buy nurses shoes

Barefoot is an acquired taste, methinks.

Have you tried SAS Classic loafers? They are super comfortable slip-ons and last forever. When I had a job and wore shoes, I wore them most of the time and Tony Lama boots part of the time.

I think most kids start out wanting to stay barefoot and people push them into shoes. I went barefoot all the time as a kid and am barefoot all day long working at my computer. I often work in the garden barefoot and sometimes slip SAS shoes on to go out to the mailbox and sometimes don't.

I put Ariat H20s (a cross between a light hiking boot and a leather tennis shoe with a raised heel) if I'm going out in the pasture or doing heavy work.

Rez Zircon wrote:Heels are kinda the same way. My uncle always wore heeled cowboy boots because that helped his back (construction injuries). I've found that walking any real distance (especially on hills) in completely flat shoes stresses the tendons in my lower legs, but with a slight heel I'm fine.

Yes, it depends on your feet. I have high arches, very wide across the front with narrow heels. I cannot stand to wear Justin ropers or many other brands of cowboy boots. I used to say they must have been made for people with flat feet.

Noconos are torture. One other brand felt great for 1 hour and then hurt. Tony Lama I could wear 36 hours straight and be fine (back then when I wore riding heels a lot. Probably not now that I go barefoot 95% of the time.)

There is absolutely no way I could go barefoot outside for longer than a few feet of smooth concrete. I am allergic to grass and also have VERY sensitive feet - so sensitive that I had to have a doctor remove a shard of glass from my foot, and needed two lidocaine shots before she could actually remove it.

I do prefer less firm soles, however. Since I broke my foot a couple years ago (well, my foot AND a toe), firm soles make walking even short distances painful as it puts pressure on the places where I broke my foot.

Stacy Witscher
For the plantar fasciitis cut a block of wood into a triangle like for holding a door open.  Then while holding on to support step on the wood on the foot that hurts.  Put the tall part of the triangle under your toes and the thinning part of the triangle under your heal.  Work your way into having the foot on the triangle move a bit farther back each time.  You can feel the pull of this all the way up your leg.  Just hold the position for a few seconds maybe ten times.  Do this a few times a day.  This is what got rid of mine when physical therapy did not much other than remove $$$$ from my pocket.  Pretty soon you will get so good at doing this a few times a day that when you have a few spare moments you will do a few of these stretches because the foot feels a bit better right away.  So toe higher than heal by an inch or two and foot behind you about a foot.
 

I love being bare foot but I haven't been able to shovel without shoes. I think there needs to be tools for barefooters

I can only do it for a small hole or two.  Any larger and I must have shoes.  I tend to impulse buy decorative perennials and so regularly have tiny digging projects

I've been running a reality check while reading this thread, comparing it to my acres of heaven, and I have to say that I will never be able to lose my sole the way some posters have done.  

My place is overrun with Himalayan blackberries, wild roses, and poison oak. So I don't imagine I could ever go shoeless except in strictly controlled areas like my annual garden, where I weed regularly and the paths are strewn with wood chips and straw.  

Now when I get my runner bean hedge going I might shed whatever gets in the way of the sun, but only while in the curated patch for annuals, and for sure a session of blackberry picking has got to include boots and overalls.

Hal, I found out too there are circumstances in which I can't do without a sole (sandals, flip-flops), even some in which firm and closed shoes are necessary. In my garden here in the Netherlands all paths are paved, so I can walk there barefoot (as long as the neighbours in the upstairs apartments don't throw glass down). But I was at Curaçao, helping at an organic plantation for some weeks. Some bushes growing there (sorry, I don't know the names) have such dangerous spines, falling on the ground everywhere, It's impossible to be barefoot! They even pinched holes in the soles of my sandals!

How do you guys cope with cold and wet?? My feet always feel cold and i can't imagine being barefoot even in the house except for a few weeks of 'heatwave' a year.

But i do remember, as a child, going barefoot as much as I could and have been known to walk home barefoot when I've had way too much to drink and have been wearing slip on shoes that just wouldn't stay on....

I also used to wear slippers that were just knitted. Nice and warm, but got wet and then cold.

I'm asking seriously - do I just practice? Do I just wear socks at home and change them when I stand in drips?  How do I get started in a cool and wet climate?

Wool will keep you warm even when wet. Just have it knit or crocheted or woven thick enough.

Cold and wet, you just DO. Then go home, have a nice warm footbath, massage your feet and TLC them, dry them well, and maybe put something on them for moisturizing. Some pamper. If I've had an hour or so of wet and not in clay (that does horrid things) my horrendous callousing will soften enough I can do 'hoof maintenance' and trim so they don't crack. So I make it a win-win situation. Cold and wet is just going to be cold and wet, period. Do pay attention because when your callouses soften, you can cut and puncture that much easier.

Wet in shoes, is worse than wet barefoot. Just ask soldiers. Barefoot dries faster.

As far as cold, I live in California, not particularly cold here. It would have to be in the 40's before it would bother me.

I think that a lot of it is what you are used to.

Linda Secker wrote:How do you guys cope with cold and wet?? My feet always feel cold

Get your thyroid checked (full workup, not just TSH test). Borderline or low thyroid is the usual cause of chronically cold hands and feet (especially cold feet at night, or inability to quickly warm up again after being cold).

Linda Secker wrote:How do you guys cope with cold and wet??

I ran barefoot last winter. It was fine. I don't remember what my low temperature limit was, but it seemed incredibly low. When I was always shod, I wouldn't have imagined going barefoot in such cold temperatures! I really like being barefoot during cold/wet weather. Much nicer than wearing a pair of wet shoes.

I fondly remember my first barefoot run in a rainstorm. There was a huge puddle in front of me. My typical shoe-wearing response would have been to pick my way around the puddle to keep my shoes dry. Instead, in a burst of joyful enthusiasm, I ran right through the puddle: Laughing in joy at my newfound freedom. My current running trail often has puddles of mud or water on it. I laugh every time I run through them!

I've been irrigating barefoot this summer. It's a pleasure. I don't have a care in the world about stepping in mud, or puddles. I used to hate getting my shoes wet while irrigating, and have to spend the day in messy/damp shoes.

My garden has a lot of thistles. I spent an hour today walking through it, taking photographs. I wasn't constantly stepping on thistles. My awareness has expanded so that feet land in safe places without me focusing on it. And even if I stepped on one, they are just thistles, barely registering as a pain.

ok guys you have me inspired I am going barefoot in the house and see how I get on with that first... well, socked but without slippers..... I think I may have poor circulation causing cold feet, but I will get my thyroid checked out - thanks for the tip.... also, I realise that subconsciously I have been choosing footwear with softer soles for some time (and no-to-very low heels) and my feet ache.... time for some more changes here

PS love that skirt

That photo reminds me of a childhood story from when my brother was three years old and we had a super rare snowy winter (record setting). My mother had to chase him down when he ran outside to play in the snow wearing a pair of shorts and nothing else.

I can just about imagine wearing shorts and no shoes outside in the cold, but I couldn't do that tank top. As long as I keep my upper half well insulated, I don't feel the cold much. Of course, that's relative to my climate. We don't really have much cold to feel most years.

This morning suddenly a lot of rain fell. My rain barrel was overflowing. It couldn't handle that much water at once, the overflow hole (leading to a gutter to the small pond) was too small. I wanted to make it bigger, that's why I went outdoors quickly. Because I did not want my slippers to get wet, I went barefoot.
No, not like Joseph in the photo who hardly wears any clothes, to keep my clothes dry I had an umbrella!  

I thought I'd add a quick addendum to my previous post on some minimalist work boots I recently purchased and have been using this past week.

I just purchased a pair of LEMS Boulder Boots for farm use and tasks that are best performed with some foot protection.
LINK: https://naturalfootgear.com/products/lems-boulder-boot-navy-stout?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=googlepla&variant=1227753456&gclid=CKTD4P71gtUCFQqRfgodMX8EXg



These boots have a wide toe box, zero-differential heel-to-toe, minimally upswept toe that goes away when actually wearing the boot and great traction. They are incredibly light weight, very flexible and at least for my feet the toe box is wide enough to comfortably accommodate me wearing my CorrectToes toe spacers as I rehab my domesticated feet.







While I still prefer to be truly barefoot, sometimes it is safer to have shoes on (working with manures, working around/with sharp tools, other people etc). I am a huge fan of these boots, which is saying a lot because I'm generally not into shoes at all.

If anyone is looking for a minimalist work boot this is worth a look!

Those look comfy and practical. I like a broad toe box myself -- dunno how anyone stands having their toes mashed together!

After all these months of dealing with plantar fascitis and achilles tenditis, my pain is even worse. When trying to go barefoot more, I find I supinate more than I should, other than being aware and trying to not supinate, are there any tricks to correct this problem. Thanks in advance.

Always barefoot, kids barefoot.  Is always a struggle going to store.  To find shoes cuz we simply don't think about them til it gets really cold.

John Saltveit wrote:There is a lot of research about "earthing", and a book by a doctor named Stephen Sinatra.  Walking barefoot is said to be a way to ground yourself electrically with the earth.  It is said to decrease pain and be like an antioxidant. Concrete floors and leather work the same.  Most people wear synthetic or rubber shoes, which don't ground.

My wife the physics teacher mentioned that you can just touch a grounded sink faucet for the same effect.  I live in the PNW and I like Nicole's posts but I prefer no socks when possible due to athlete's foot. I prefer sandals and clogs when I need footwear, which is often because I also live in the wet side of PNW. They don't work for skateboarding or baseball, two of my favorite activities.
John S
PDX OR

Speaking of Earthing, there is a great documentary about it and one man's journey discovering it, and trying to spread information about it.

url link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRW0XO2xWn4

Jane Southall wrote:Always barefoot, kids barefoot.  Is always a struggle going to store.  To find shoes cuz we simply don't think about them til it gets really cold.

Jane, that is too bad you cannot go into a store barefoot. Myself, I am not really a barefoot person because I have a bad back and need support from and in my shoes. However it is interesting that this issue you raise might be regional.

Here bare feet in the summer is really tolerated. In my local area it is the Permicultural Capital of the World and quite common to see people going into stores, attending events, and basically out and about town barefoot. We are also on the coast though too, so with so many yachts plying the waters...a sub-culture where shoes are strictly forbidden on those expensive teak decks...inevitably the people aboard those vessels wonder into town barefoot. There are signs up that do say, "No shirt, no shoes, no service", but it is highly ignored. Summer is tourist season and this is the poorest county in New England, so while store owners might put a sign up for liability purposes, but they are not about to shoe anyone out willing to spend money...pun intended.

Just kind of interesting how different areas react and why.

I just got back from a 3 day, 600 mile bus trip. I was barefoot the entire trip. People only had nice, kind, respectful things to say about my barefootedness. I am delighted that I have transitioned to bare feet being the default, and shoes being something for special tasks. Much like I do my farm work barehanded, and only put on gloves for special tasks like harvesting okra, or pruning roses.

It was remarkable to me, how much time I stood around, twiddling my thumbs, waiting for other people to put shoes and socks on.

Would you ever have expected Cache Valley to be a hot-spot for barefoot living?


If it weren't for the harsh snowstorms, I may have gone barefoot for 3 years straight when I was at USU, 2008-2011. And I wasn't the only one by a long shot. One semester I counted at least 15 different people barefoot on campus--several of them I recognized repeatedly. When it started warming up, and even some warmer and dry winter days, I left my shoes in the closet and never once had an issue at any store, restaurant, bus (although I think they have a rule printed, but no one ever said anything), or on campus. I almost always seemed to be the only one barefoot in off campus places, but I did see younger kids or teenagers from time to time.

So yes, Cache Valley is a great place to be a barefoot enthusiast. And yes, it is surprising. I am not in a position to go barefoot for literally months at a time anymore because of work, but in my own time I am still almost always barefoot. I have been all over the state and have never been denied service. I think the worst thing that has happened is I caught a group of people in a restaurant talking about me, but it really doesn't bother me at this point.

It's that time of year when the goat-head caltrops are in full bloom, and making lots of puncture-seeds. On my runs, I'm stopping to pull them up and deposit them in garbage cans. Here's what half of the collected plants looked like a couple days ago. I gather similar amounts whenever I run. What I get rid of now, are seeds that won't be puncturing my feet. And they won't be germinating next spring. The plants that I am collecting are up to 20 feet away from my running trails. I'm getting stabbed in both hands and feet while weeding. Seems like a worthwhile trade-off to me. I could wear gloves or shoes, but whatever!

Stacy Witscher wrote:After all these months of dealing with plantar fascitis and achilles tenditis, my pain is even worse. When trying to go barefoot more, I find I supinate more than I should, other than being aware and trying to not supinate, are there any tricks to correct this problem. Thanks in advance.

Hi Stacey, not sure if this will help, but I used it to improve my ankle flexibility for squatting/powerlifting and it really helped. Squat stretch: https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Squat-Stretch-24156365

If you put your lower back against an immovable object like a wall or couch, then when you go down you won't fall backwards. I found keeping my heels on the floor key, and I would press my elbows into the insides of my knees to help open my hips and stretch my inner thighs. You need to hold any stretch like this for 2 or more minutes for structural changes to take place and remain.

If you have a step or board you can stand on with just your toes to help stretch your calf and foot that is good too.

Start off by taking some ibuprofen regularly to help reduce swelling; before any stretches warm up your foot by sitting and then pointing your toes, then pull them back to you using a towel under the ball of the foot to pull, and do 10-20 reps of that. Then do the squat stretch for a few minutes and then a few reps of toe raises on a board or step if it doesn't cause pain.

This stretching and strengthening of the support around the ankle and foot can help heal it, but I'm not a doctor so it's just a suggestion.

Joseph Lofthouse wrote:
It's that time of year when the goat-head caltrops are in full bloom, and making lots of puncture-seeds.

Hate those things... I too go out of my way to yank them up everywhere I see 'em. And yep, they have to go into the trash, cuz once they bloom the seeds will continue to develop even after the plant is pulled up.

But it's not the puncture in your foot that will get you... it's the piece that breaks off deep inside, festers, and requires surgical removal.

Devin - Thank you for the information on earthing/grounding. I have used grounding techniques in the past to help with PTSD. I never thought to use it for my feet.

Mark - That kind of squat looks a lot like how I squat while gardening. Which I find relatively easy, I can't kneel to save my life. I do stretch daily, multiple times. I think that all I'm doing is helping, I guess that I'm just getting frustrated. I really hate not being able to do everything that I want to do.

Stacy Witscher wrote:I'm so envious. I'm struggling with plantar fasciitis and cannot go barefoot at all.

I have never liked shoes, and would also prefer to be barefoot all the time.

I put off trying to where shoes all the time to deal with the plantar fasciitis as long as I could. But now the pain is unbearable.

Oh well, hopefully things will get better quickly, until then I will live vicariously through you.

Stacy, I feel for you with plantar fasciitis. I did have it and I know how painful it can be. I went to doctors who recommended NEVER going barefoot, wearing expensive corrective shoes and braces, etc. None of it worked. I finally got fed up with the shoe thing (I am by nature a barefoot person -- flip-flops and crocs are my only other footwear, year round.) I also got fed up with wrapping ace bandages or lacing up braces. They never seemed to put pressure in the right places or they loosened up constantly. Finally, I said to hell with all of it. I chucked the fancy shoes that made my feet hurt worse, tossed the braces and bandages and cured it myself with good old duct tape. Yes, I did say duct tape. (Everyone should have at least 3 or 4 rolls tucked away in handy places.) I put a thin sock on my foot first (with toes cut out so I could wear my flip-flops) and wrapped it good and tight with tape. The tape never stretched or failed to support the parts that needed support. I allowed it to be loose where it didn't matter so my circulation wasn't cut off and, of course, I cut the tape off at the end of the day. I did that for about two straight weeks until my plantar fasciitis was gone. It has not returned and that was about 6 years ago.

Personally, I believe we were intended to be barefoot. It is wearing shoes (especially high-heels and other ridiculous torture devices) that ruin our feet. I don't care what the foot guys say -- chuck the shoes and go barefoot for awhile and see how much it helps. Seriously. (Although you may want to try the duct tape too.)

I am having issues because though I had type II diabetes for four years, am in remission, I still have issues with fluid retention below knee (varicose vein issues aka weak anti backflow valves in there, from both sides of family) and very tender feet. A gentle stub or tread on something is about three times more painful...

Barefoot in house is mandatory. Feet do not like being penned in. Period. I have ugly callous issues but usually keep those in line, haven't had a crack tear in quite a while. Outside in a few places I dare, but. See-ultra-tender. I used to be barefoot all the time. I have to curb that now but. I wear the most basic of flats with soft thin soles... by the time the shoes fit good they have worn out at both toe sides and literally part there.

Barefoot is better, if you can. Though do listen to your feet and treat them better. Most people barely wash them it seems...