Walking Barefoot

Walking without shoes may be something you do at home. But for some people, walking and exercising barefoot is a daily practice.

When children learn to walk, this process happens naturally, and without shoes. This is because shoes can affect how a child exercises their muscles and bones. Children also being stimulate by the ground when they are barefoot, and this increase consciousness of body orientation in space (proprioception).

As children grow older, we give them shoes and they lose the benefits of walking barefoot. Because of this, supporter of barefoot practice encourage us to take off our shoes and free our feet from the constraints of our shoes.

Benefits of Walking Barefoot

According to Dr. Jonathan Kaplan, an orthopedic surgeon and orthopedic surgeon at the Hoag Orthopedic Institute, "The benefit of walking barefoot is that in theory, we walk closer to our 'natural' walking pattern or style."

If you go to any shoe store you will find most shoes have cushions and extra support. Even though the cushions on the shoes make it very comfortable to wear, according to Dr. Bruce Pinker, a foot specialist and foot surgeon, these soft cushions can prevent you from using certain muscle groups that actually strengthen your body.

Other benefits of walking barefoot include:

• Better foot control over land
• Improve balance, orientation and body consciousness, which can help relieve pain
• Better use of feet, which can improve the thighs, knees and body core
• Maintain a various of good movement on your ankles while increase strength and stability to your muscles and ligaments
• May prevent improper footwear, which may result in bunions, hammertoes, or other foot defects. 
• Stronger leg muscles, which support the lower back of the body

How to properly barefoot?

• Barefoot in your home are quite safe. But when you go out, you expose yourself to potentially dangerous risks. So be careful when you want to practice outdoor barefoot. Here are some tips to help you strengthen your feet with barefoot.
• Start slowly. You need to be patient and start with a 15- to 20-minute walk without shoes. This is important to allow your feet and ankles to adapt to the new environment. When your feet are used to walking barefoot, you can increase your distance and time.
• Identify the surrounding risks. Consider the surface you are walking on. There is a risk of injury due to rough or wet surfaces or problems with temperature, glass, or other sharp objects on the ground. You are also exposed to the risk of bacteria or harmful infections when barefoot. Therefore, avoid dangerous places and clean your feet before entering the house. Check your feet for injuries because most people have a low sensation to the feet and are unaware of the injury.
• Practice on a safe surface. Try walking on less dangerous exterior surfaces, such as rubber tracks, sandy beaches, and grass. 
• Consider wearing minimalist shoes. As your feet adapt to the less supportive and cushioned structure of your shoes, you may want to consider using minimalist shoes before barefoot. These shoes are designed to not interfere with the natural movement of the feet.

If you have diabetes, you may experience peripheral neuropathy, cause you do not realize if you have injury at the bottom of foot and could be protracted to more severe consequences. Therefore, also consider your health condition before freeing your feet from the constraints of shoes.