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I'm 57 and I bought some low end barefoot shoes for walking around the house. What I immediately noticed was my balance is significantly better inmy barefoot shoes than my padded shoes. I've been walking in my socks more than I ever had and on occasion my soles will become sore but the barefoot shoes are heaven for my feet right now.

What is interesting to me is that all of the possible injuries related to barefoot shoes that you mentioned, I already had, with regular shoes. Extreme ball of the foot pain and plantar fasciitis were by far the worst. I couldn't walk to the mailbox with shoes one. I noticed it basically over night with my left foot. Pain with shoes, no pain in the mornings without shoes. Flap cheap flip flops were fine. Running shoes, work shoes, boots, nope! Barefoot shoes were what I went to and there was no pain. But the issue wasn't gone because if I put regular shoes back on it still hurt. Four months later and the pain seems to be gone even when I put on regular shoes, but I think I'll stick with barefoot because it is working for me. I know that is anecdotal, but my feet feel better.

Yes, they are absolutely amazing. My feet and legs have never been stronger, my posture has never been better, after a year of using them.

When people talk about barefoot runners and other countries like Africa, they’re not trying to say that they’re faster than us. They’re trying to show that these people can run barefoot for miles without problems. We’re not trying to Usain Bolt here. They are showing what a natural foot looks like when you don’t cram them into a shoe your whole life. I think you completely missed the point. Edit: I noticed you replied to someone else about the same comment. Why bring up some thing that was talked about 15 years ago? Points that were made that long ago are irrelevant to what people are saying today. I have seen very few barefoot shoe advocates claim that it will make you faster or superhuman in someway. Yes there are some people that go too far but the vast majority of barefoot shoe KZfaqrs we talk about the potential risks. One of the main things that’s brought up every time we talk about barefoot shoes is that vibom was sued because they made claims that they couldn’t prove. We’ve gotten past this and you’re acting as if we’re still saying this stuff. The vast majority of barefoot advocates give fair warnings that you should go slow and start with shoes that work for you until you’re able to fully transition. my mom wears Ultas. They are wide in the toe and zero drop but they have cushion. If KZfaqrs weren’t giving fair warning, she would’ve went straight to barefoot shoes and hurt herself. But she didn’t because KZfaqr warn you of the potential risks and older people shoe that they could use to transition slower. And I have even seen a lot of these KZfaqrs tell some older people that it might not be possible. 100% being barefoot is better for you in the long run. But if you’ve put your feet into crush shoes, your entire life and you’ve walked in a weird way then of course you’re gonna have a hard time. People in those situations need more intense therapy. Of course you can’t expect a 60 to 80 year old to be able to do this when they’ve been wearing pointy shoes with a heal lift their whole lives.

You used that opener in another video too, runners in super shoes win races over the natural runners. Sure, Motorcycle driver smoke Bicycle riders too. But whats better for the body? Nobody goes barefooot to be the fastest, obviously.

Honestly. After I had my 5th baby my body hurt. My joints and feet and I just felt so heavy. Took up running. Kept getting injured. Finally just got so tired of shoes not fitting correctly I bought a 10 dollar pair of barefoot socks online and everything stopped hurting. My legs and feet are strong as hell now running is also easier.

I started wearing barefoot shoes two years ago. Have the vibram five fingers, various zaqq, and various merrell vapor gloves. I’d say the greatest thing about them is the wide toebox. I didn’t really care that much about the zero drop or flexible sole. I’ve recently tried Lem’s and Altra shoes. I’d take those over minimalist barefoot shoes any day. They basically give you a super wide toebox but have plenty of cushioning as well. Walking long distances with the thin sole just puts a lot of stress on my heel, since I walk with a heel strike and that hasn’t changed over the two years as some people claimed it would.

I go barefoot in the house because it makes me more stable when my feet connect with the surface I am walking on. I wear good shoes outside when I walk to protect my feet. Works for me.

Do yourself a favor, if you are in pain try all your options and take it slowly. Took me 2 years to get my wife to try barefoot shoes because she doesn't like the way they look. In her 40's and suffering from knee, hip and back pain most of her life. I've watched her struggle with it for 30 years myself. Finally got her to try them, and for the last almost 2 years, she refuses to wear anything but barefoot shoes now, even though she still doesn't like the way they look. Her knee/hip/back pain is 99% gone from the day she started wearing them. It's crazy. Of course, this may not be the same for you but might be worth a try. No, you don't need to be healthy first for them to help you. But you have to proceed with caution, I can say from experience, too much too soon can lead to setbacks. The last time I went to a foot doctor they immediately told me that barefoot shoes are really bad for you, no explanation, just blanket statement. There seems to be a stigma in the profession, maybe because they only see the people who had a problem with them, not the thousands of people who are doing well. That's just our experience. Appreciate the content.

It took me almost 3 weeks to fully transit to barefoot shoes and it is worth the effort. I rarely get foot sore now.

I'm middle aged, wonky, significantly hypermobile and overweight. I use barefoot shoes and have for years. Barefoot shoes for me mean less foot, ankle, knee, hips and neck pain. I've tried custom orthotics, they reduced foot pain (not as much as barefoot) but increased the pain in my ankle, knee, hips and especially my neck to the point of being unbearable. Less pain tells me that despite being all the things you warned about and a couple more, they are a good idea for me.

We indonesian and maybe most south east asians are use to walk barefoot in our houses...we love it..wearing shoes (conventional) for a long time hurts me..😅

Even if a personal example doesn't mean much, my experience with bare feet is tremendously positive. I'm 56 and have been barefoot almost exclusively for two years.

I flip from vivobarefoot shoes too on cloud for walking. Sidewalks are tough with barefoot shoes on, better for forgiving ground.

Great video. I wear barefoot shoes, the Vivo barefoot, I also wear Altra shoes, both for the same reason, the wide toebox. I'm always barefoot at home, I have extremely wide feet and the regular 2E or 4E sizes in major brands do not deliver as the toebox remains too narrow. I'm weary of walking long distances with my Vivos as I have flat feet and I think a bit of support would be less taxing.

When one goes 'barefoot,' it's hard to 'toe' the line! Interesting breakdown, thank you Dr. Tom, and Team MFD!

When my niece was a little, I was amazed when she was walking on our gravel driveway barefooted, I tried, it killed my feet, her little feet were stronger than mine, I've been wearing bare foot shoes for about 5 months and I believe my feet are stronger, it's harder to wear regular sneakers and dress shoes on account of my toes are spreading out more and feel uncomfortable in regular shoes, I love barefoot shoes, I wouldn't change back!

I suffer with peripheral neuropathy. How do I find wide toe box walking shoes that aren't barefoot shoes and have sufficient cushioning for my 61 yo feet?

It surprises me to hear that some people get more pain. When I switched over to barefoot shoes, I almost immediately got rid of all of my knee and ankle pain. Now I did this transition at 28 so maybe that made it easier. But it’s crazy to hear that some people end up having more pain. Almost everything about my feet ankles and knees feel better than they used to. the only problem I’m having is that I have two little toes that point inward towards my middle toe. I could be wrong about this, but it seems to be causing some of my left knee pain and ankle pain. But my right leg and foot have never felt better and I have no pain. I agree that if you start barefoot shoes, you should probably do it slowly. my mom started off with wide to zero drop shoes, but they still have the cushion. She started this transition at 55 so she has a lot harder time. Personally I would recommend everybody to do barefoot shoes unless you’re so old and your feet are so messed up that you can’t do the transition. I imagine an 80 year-old is going to have a really hard time fixing 80 years of destroying their feet. If you do transition, just be careful. Assess how bad your feet are to begin with and go from there. There are options as crazy as the five fingers or normal options like the ones, my mom wears. Either way, I think everybody could benefit from at least some form of barefoot shoe. If you can get the very least get a wide toolbox and I think that’s better for you.

I agree with the doctor to a certain extent. 1. He’s admitting that the people he regularly treats are elderly so adaptability is harder for them. 2. The injuries he mentioned are more common in elderly. My concerns are that he is looking at the symptoms and not the root cause. Thus extending the recovery time while also not addressing the common person. All the injuries he mentioned are possible but with improper technique and lack of exercising. Barefoot shoes are not meant to be a miracle shoe. There’s exercises that are meant to be accompanied by them to actually receive the full benefit of using them.

OK, I'm 68 years old, a practicing martial artist so I am barefoot on the mats a lot. Around the house, I'm usually barefoot, even though being a well controlled diabetic I should wear shoes all the time. In reality I wear shoes outside. I do not have any hip, knee or other issues and am in pretty good shape. Not interested in running, just day to day walking around. These barefoot shoes interest me but the information I am seeing has me on the fence. In your opinion and I a viable candidate for this type shoes. Any suggestions or comment would be appreciated.

What do you think about barefoot hiking and backpacking? thanks

I do agree that those shoe commercials are totally misleading and are just like al others in the shoe industry out for profits and not your health. there ae very easy and safe ways to transition to walking or running barefoot as we should be but the problem is that most think they can switch instantly.

I've been working on concrete flooring for over 28 years, it has took a toll on my body, the human body wasn't meant to walk on concrete, there's no give to your feet, my body is in pain and I've paid the price, all I have to say is pay more for good shoes, our feet have to support our body, if your feet hurt, you hurt all over!!!

Isn't this video a reposting?

I've reversed a bunion and now my feet are like hands, super strong. I feel so young again. Never going back to narrow cushioned shoes they change the way you walk and run in an unnatural way

You don't have to go full on 'barefoot' shoes. Most people should just go w a wide toe box shoe. (whitin is a decent cheaper brand) After they're used to those, they can decide whether they want to go w zero drop and/or true blue barefoot shoes. Whitin is a decent brand for a wide toe box shoe and they're a hell of a lot cheaper than custom orthodics.

Can I start using then at 13? I mean I already started and, I’m completely healthy, but I still wanted to ask.

You say the tribe members get smoked in races. That is hardly the point and you're being misleading and dishonest when framing it that way. A tool can be great for its purpose and still be detrimental to your body. You say the people who already have healthy feet and a healthy gait benefit from barefoot walking, sure, but the reason the people who have issues "don't" benefit is that they have been made that way by modern shoes and a modern lifestyle. They need physical therapy to train strength and mobility back, part of that will be barefoot walking.

What are some good supportive shoes with a wide toe box, but aren't barefoot shoes? I'm heavily considering barefoot shoes because I have wide feet and normal shoes don't feel like they every fit or feel right.

Barefoot training do straighten your legs even if you’re bow legged or knocked knees. I suffered a fracture which causes my feet to turn outwards. After training it, it straightened out. Just make sure you’re not heel striking.

Honesty. Thanks.

How can I get my gait analyzed with a bio-mechanical exam and get on a walking program? I’m active, but I’ve recently had a debilitating case of plantar fasciitis and now have occasional knee pain when walking. I’ve called, text and emailed your office, with no answer.

Can people with PTTD wear barefoot shoes?

i have tried contacting you for an appointment are you seeing patients?

barefoot shoes will have a hard time going mainstream, even Kawai got kicked out of Olympic team because he is not a Nike partner what more a small and new shoe company that goes against the going shoe trend

orthotics suck. they really do . ruined my feet, bad advice from doctors . sad. I'm fixing it myself....

I really can't see running on concrete in unpadded shoes. Concrete does not give and the impact can do a lot of damage. You can also just go barefoot as often as possible. I don't wear shoes in the house, I go barefoot outside as allowed by situations. I still don't see the point in buying these expensive, ugly ass shoes. There are a lot of 'flat' wide toe box shoes out there that are not so flippin' ugly. Vans sneakers, moccasins certain sandals brands have all the points made about barefoot shoes, look better and cost A LOT less. It is very nice to see someone who gives the pros and cons of these shoes and how its an individual issue, not across the board great for everyone.

can i see you this week?

Sorry, but I think your wrong. If the barefoot ideal were utilized instead of stigmatized and shoes were made for feet instead of fashion, then from a young age people would wear them and have less issues throughout their lives. Certainly, shoes could be developed for extreme athletic purpose but for average people barefoot would be better. I do not believe humans just automatically have genetically ingrained foot issues.

I used to walk barefoot in the Park, to much puppy and humanz

Omg 😱

Thank you, helpful to hear your info as it's an interesting tho confusing topic.. i love to go barefoot, also have some good shoes, as well as just-leather moccasins for Earthing .. my spine & knees & neck etc could do with more help after 54years & various injuries etc .. salutations & gratitude from UK🙏🫶

I haven't heard half of these purported lies. are U making these up yourself....

To me it feels like you really just focus on older people only in this video. I think for the vast majority of people under the age of 40 barefoot shoes is better for you. I agree that if you have issues with your knees or your ankles or you have a weird walk, that’s causing you pain barefoot shoes is going to potentially cause more problems. But for the vast majority of people, I think it is a better option than normal shoes. To me this feels like you’re only talking about elderly people or older people that have feet and ankle problems. The vast majority of people that I see transitioning to barefoot shoes in their 20s and 30s. Talking about the negatives is important, but this just feels like fear mongering. And the fact that you literally brought up super shoes with insoles tells me that you already just don’t agree with barefoot shoes. Insoles and orthotics are terrible for your feet. That’s my grandfather lost all the strength in his feet. He literally can’t walk without shoes. But I know other people that are older than that walk barefoot all the time and have no issues. He has worn orthotics for so long that it ruined his feet. My grandmother has terrible bunions and it’s because she wore pointy heels her entire life. Even her sandals crush her toes in. I don’t think anyone will ever be able to convince me that a narrow pointy shoe is a good idea for people to wear. It doesn’t even make sense to think that would be a good idea when you really think about it. Also the reason they use super shoes for running faster is because they do make you faster, but they also are not good for your feet if you wore them all the time. Just because a specialized tool makes you run faster that does not mean they’re good for your feet.

personalized approach. no shit sherlock...

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Thanks for the common sense advice on the barefoot shoe trend. 👏👏