Loved this! Transitioning into barefoot running (and largely trail running) has been one of the best decisions I've made in my adult life.

I have had flat feet since I was a kid. I had been barefoot or zero drop for a year when I got out of the shower and noticed something different. I saw my footprints have really changed , I have arches, it just took 60 years to get.

As someone who never really wore shoes and really struggled when I was forced into them. Imagine my joy when I discovered barefoot styles!

I have been wearing Vibram five finger shoes now for over 4 years full-time. By wearing the toe shoe design I do not need toe spacers. I had moderate dorsal bunions for decades. I am 73. I am a avid hiker mountain climber. I recently hiked 5 miles with a 2500 foot elevation gain. Yes, got tired, but after 3 days fully recovered. The transition was not easy or pain free. I have no longer any significant pain in my hips as well. No more tendonitis, plantar faciitis, chronic fungus, my arches are back, no more flat feet. I am a health care provider, optometrist, and only a few podiatrists and medical doctors will talk or email me back. They work, I will not and cannot go back to regular shoes.

About a year ago, I got a pair of minimalist steel toe shoes. I wore them exclusively for about 6months or so. I don't remember the shoes being advertised as barefoot or zero drop heel or anything like that. It started raining heavily (PNW) so I went back to my waterproof hiking boots. My feet felt fine while I wore the boots, like wrapped in pillows walking on clouds, then I took them off. When I did that, my feet would join the rest of my body in pain. One day, I was in the middle of cleaning when a barefoot shoe commercial came on. I had heard at least some of the commercial beforehand, but this time, something made me go hmmm. I ran into my room, grabbed my steel toe shoes, and went oh. They literally had the zero drop heel, I could feel the ground through the sole, they were very flexible but the toe box wasn't quite big enough to truly be a 'barefoot' shoe but close enough. I remember at first, when I would wear them, I had to walk differently, or I would slap my forefoot down like a clown. I immediately went back to the shoes, and all of my pain went away. I am 40 and have had knee pain and back pain for several years and have had stiff weak ankles my whole life. With barefoot shoes, I feel completely renewed. My balance has improved; my energy level is through the roof now. I didn't seek this out. I am not a runner or athletic in really anyway. I found it by complete accident. I literally stumbled into it.

I really struggled in general due to flat feet that he me dependent on thick soles and orthotics. Picked up my first pair of barefoot style shoes in September 2019 and even though it was as slow and painful (initially) as you describe, I just knew it was the right thing to do. 2021 now and doing regular 10-15 mile hikes and everything is so much better than it’s been with any other type of shoe before, completely orthotic free. That and I love how you can feel the ground you are walking on!

Great video. I wore and ran in Vibram Five Fingers for over 4 years and relearned how to run (mid foot striking instead of heal striking). I have since then went back to minimally soled shoes but I have maintained my mid foot strike. It is a long road to transition but totally worth it! The book Born to Run was what originally inspired me to research into it more. Love your content! Keep it up!

Great video. I started wearing barefoot shoes around 2016 for training in the gym, a few runs a week and when out on the bike. Over the last 2 years I’ve worn them and them only, around the house tend to go shoeless. My feet are pain free, and I no longer have any issue with an inflamed IT bands. Thanks for taking the time to share with us 👍

Love this! I bought my first pair of vivobarefoot shoes in 2015 and haven’t looked back since. I’m not a runner so didn’t notice much of a transition, but I cannot wear normal shoes now. It feels like I have wooden boards strapped to my feet. So all my shoes are vivo now and I love the freedom of movement they give me.

This is a comprehensive video on the transition to barefoot shoes or minimal shoes and I really enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing this. I have VFF for last 5 months and the transition is definitely slow, patience is key. Vivo are gonna be my next purchase for sure

Excellent overview of your experiences. Really love the way you broke it up in the different sections.

Very gratifying to know about the increased ankle mobility and foot size growth. I was struggling with chronic sprains and plantar fasciitis for awhile with all my hiking and trail runs over the years. Have only recently seriously transitioned. Appreciate your valuable information. Thanks!

I switched to vivo hiking boots last year and within the past two months I’ve begun wearing their sneakers, I started every other day and now my feet feel disgusting in my Vans. I sold most of my shoes on poshmark. It’s been so much fun seeing my foot mobility increase. I wiggle my toes with awe every time I look at them! My sciatic pain isn’t around anymore. I can’t wait to see what happens! I’m glad you mentioned your feet grew, I’ve been trying to limit my shoe buying, so that’s motivating ❤️

I have MS, and after a relapse left a lesion on my brain stem I had numbness tingling, pins and needles, and altered sensation in my feet and legs. It became really hard to walk. I had another kind of shoe help me walk before, clog shoes, so when those failed to help I remembered the barefoot shoes my brother and showed me a couple years before. Since I walked a little better being barefoot in my house than when wearing shoes outside I thought it may help. I had an REI credit that was expiring, I purchased my first pair of barefoot shoes. I worked with my physical therapist and gradually started improving my balance and gait, though the numbness persists. Two and a half years later, and though I struggle a lot a times, I am able to do 2-4 mile hikes in my barefoot shoes. I need all the sensory perception I can get to make up for what I have lost, and the barefoot shoes help phenomenally.

I’m just one week into my barefoot shoe journey and I’m glad this video came up in my feed. It’s early days and all good so far. Thanks for sharing. Subbed.

Thanks for the excellent video! I switched to vibram 5 fingers and couldn't be happier.

I made the switch maybe 5 or 6 years ago, not only to barefoot shoes, but also walking "really" barefoot a lot. It has changed my life in a fantastic way.

Thank you for an excellent explantion of the benefits and some cons of barefoot shoes. I have been running with barefoot shoes for 8 years now and I swear that they have corrected many of my running forms, mistakes, and relieved by injuries, especially around the knees and ankles.

My first pair of VivoBarefoot shoes came in today and they’re the new Geo Racer Knit Men’s and it’s incredible I’ve never had this much feeling and connectedness with the ground since at least 10 years ago! And I’m pretty sure I’m going to wear this brand for the next 10 years. I just turned 20 years old a few days ago and I want to take the initiative of finally working out my calf muscles out properly

Really well done. Thank you and I'm glad you are doing so well.

The honesty about the time it tales to adjust and the potential injuries👍🏾

It's interesting to me, as someone who discovered barefoot shoes totally separately from sports and by accident, just how much of an impact it's had on a non-runner. I was looking for a smart/casual ankle boot and found the Vivobarefoot Gobi's in a sale, and they were the same shape as my feet! Loved them, and 6yrs later still wear them (do need replacing soon)... along with some VB Motus', VB Primus trails, VB Tracker boots (best hiking boots ever). In fact I wear bare foot shoes exclusively now, as I find shoes with too much cushion feel vague and wallowy, impact my balance, and actually not that comfortable anymore. I also cannot stand shoes that cramp my toes, and as a guy who has duck feet that means pretty much all non-bare foot shoes. It has also made me a LOT more aware of my feet and ankles, which are significantly stronger, and has highlighted to me just how much my hips are out of alignment, something that has been the case for over 20yrs since I badly broke my ankle resulting in surgery as a kid, but I've only become physically aware of it in the past 2yrs since switching shoes! I walk better, with better balance and stronger feet and ankles. It has occurred over a few years and it took me surprisingly long to work out how to walk properly, but I didn't know any better. I can only imagine what it does for runners who do their research and make the right changes in training.

Bought my first (vivo) barefoot shoes this winter and I love them! Got to pairs of barefoot shoes now and I'm already starting to feel and see a difference. Slow transition but it's worth it! love your comments about the awareness for the people around us and the planet!!!!

Nice video! I first switched to barefoot shoes for running 3 years ago. Then a year ago, I started wearing exclusively barefoot shoes the rest of the time too. It's been a great journey -- pretty much for the reasons you detail in the video! I couldn't agree more about patience! Expect to ramp up running miles over the course of seasons and years, rather than weeks and months. Shoe tip: the Merrell Vapor Gloves are wonderful barefoot shoes, especially if you have narrow heals. (Vivos are high quality, but never seem to fit my feet quite right.)

Great video! Thank you for creating this.

That’s awesome insight, thanks for sharing, I am a great fan of vibrams but haven’t quite made the transition to full barefoot yet. When I started it made a huge difference to my posture and running form.

You are a really talented story teller

For the most part this was a beautiful and clear report. Well done and God bless you. Thank you.

Loved this too, Laura you've made a really great video so well explained! thank you,

Thank you for this information. I've had my eye on Vivobarefoot shoes for a while, so I will try a pair as soon as I can.

I'm about 2 years into my barefoot living and I absolutely will never go back. I'm not a runner, but I am experiencing all the same results you speak about here. Except I haven't hurt myself as you did. I was previously developing bunions and had severe back and hip issues with a pinched nerve in my lower spine that they wanted to correct with surgery. Now I do have achy feet and legs when I'm on my feet a lot, but like you said, it feels more like a workout, not an injury. I am balanced, and my hips swing naturally when I walk, with no pain. Bunions are almost completely straightened out and my body feels in alignment. I recommend barefoot shoes completely for people who want real healing and aren't afraid to put in the effort. ❤️❤️❤️

I’m so glad this video was in my recommendations! 🤓

This is amazing, especially because i’m going on year 2 of the process and my experience so far is exactly like yours.

That’s amazing! Thank you for making this vid

Thanks Laura for this video! You have a very pleasant way of sharing information :)

Amazing. Thank you. Let the journey begin 🙏🕯️🤍

Thanks for the video. I'm only about 6 months into the transition to barefoot, so it's really interesting to see a long term review. I agree with your comments about patience. I was told it would take time, but I'm only now (after quite a few setbacks) at a stage where I can do 5K without worrying about it.

Nice vid!! Thanks for the info and your experience.

This is a very good video representation of the transition to barefoot shoes. Me and My 11 year old daughter transition too to stop her plantar facitus . Mine was for my bunion and knee. awsome video

I had a bad sprain too and been wearing barefoot shoes for about 2 years now. Can't run in them because my metatarsals aren't up for it yet but my feet are slowly but surely getting stronger - so maybe one day. As you say - patience is key. Nice to see your video.

Awesome video, thank you! I'm so glad you mentioned the going a size up! Ive transitioned some years ago (not fully yet) and notice the same, I though I was going crazy! ;) . I do feel I need a bit more cushioning in longer runs (30km up) but love the feeling of barefoot so much . Big fan of vivobarefoot too!

Thank you Laura... everything is clear and well explained.

Thanks for posting this. It gives me encouragement to keep going. I transitioned cold turkey to barefoot shoes about 4 to 6 months ago. It's been a painful process, but I look at it as muscle pain as my feet are strengthening. Getting a workout for the first time in a long time after living in cushioned overprotective shoes. Most of the pain is at night. After walking a few steps in the morning and giving my feet & ankles a full stretch in bed, I can get through most the day with minimal pain. I've found rolling my feet in the morning and evening helps as well. I'm looking forward to year one, two and three to hopefully less pain as my strengthening continues. One benefit I've already notices is less back pain and stronger core muscles. This is definitely a whole body experience. Thanks again.

A very interesting video - thanks! And one that very much matches my experience: In September of 2018 I was just 2 months off my 60th birthday and I reluctantly started a trial at my wife’s gym on a months free trial after a bit of ‘badgering’ by her. At 5ft 3ins I weighed 13st (83kg) and had a belly on me that friends would often ask when “it was due”. Long story short I really enjoyed the gym and became a bit of a health fanatic, (annoyingly at times), and this included discovering Vivo’s in November of 2018. I must admit I went at it 100% and wore nothing else and paid for it with particularly sore Achilles Tendons as well as sore feet and calves. It’s now 30 months later and over the last 14 months I’ve walked my dogs 4 to 6 miles every day and all on pavements and have at times had a bit of tendon soreness etc. - I’m not a runner. After an original ‘tut’ from my wife I’ve now converted her to Vivo’s - oh and I have lost over 2st (14kg) - win win. The moral of my story: It’s never too late!! I’ll be 63 this year.

Its amazing how something as simple as just having extra room and flexibility in your shoes can really help your feet. My feet also expanded from a size 10 to an 11.5 in us sized shoe and some times even size 12.

Excellent video! I appreciate your insight.

I just want to say thank you! After watching your videos about barefoot shoes, I bought my first pair. I absolutely love them. I always had trouble finding shoes that were wide enough and still comfortable. These are wide, comfortable and the zero drop feels so good. I will never go back! Yes, some getting used to, but not difficult.

Thanks for this video! This felt very helpful.

I started about the same time, and all you said was the same thing I experienced. The only time I can't is at work but I found flat shoes and took the insoles out and bought the wide version. Not quite the same but that is all I can do for now.

I've been wearing Vivo's for around 3-4 years. Transitioned in my late 50's. For around 12 months I had stiff painful Achilles on getting out of bed but that wore off after a few minutes. So glad I persevered. My toes have spread back to "normal" and my small toe that had started to curl under is strait again. I have high arches and they, like the rest of my feet and ankles are strong and flexible. I am on my feet all day as I work full time in the NHS (often for 12 hours solid). Use them for the Gym, dog walking on both pavements and in the hills. I wholeheartedly agree the change to barefoot shoes changes lots of other aspects of life in a positive way. I've lost that annoying postmenopausal tummy as I move more and eat better.

Thank you for sharing your journey

I’ve just started my true barefoot shoe wearing journey a few months ago. I have ugly feet. And this concept totally makes sense and I’m hoping this will help me to become stronger. (I could write more and more but..) I did purchase some inexpensive minimal shows and so far they’re ok. I can feel my ankle and feet muscles going to work finally. . Anyhow, great video. I’m gonna watcha few more. Thanks!

Great review!

I’m a few months in, and I’m hooked. My Vapor Gloves are the last thing I take off in the day. I feel ready for anything when I wear them.

Fantastic video! I wear Vibrams throughout the summer, and L.E.M. boots for wok & winter, and have for five or six years.

I'm 21 and have had flat feet my whole life. After about a year or 2 of wearing barefoot shoes and toe spreaders, I notice a much more noticeable arch in my foot when it's wet. Something I never noticed before. It's crazy the lies mainstream podiatry tell us

Sweet video. Great presentation

Love your video. I am 74 and have always been active. But I was raised in a different era than you. But by the time I hit my late teens I had for the most part had stopped wearing heels. I have better balance and today I have feet like a 20 year old. My mother crocheted some barefoot shoes and I still have them. I really recommend this.

Really appreciate all your effort you put in this video and explaining how we can regain our natural, proper geometry!

When I was in the Navy our Chief Engineer was wearing the Vibram five fingers. So I started wearing them just for exercise on the grass. My runs were better and a lot less taxing. Once I was out of the Navy I started wearing them more out in town. Once I was out massage school and I was riding a bicycle everywhere I started wearing them almost all of the time. Now I only wear Vibram and like you I can’t wear any other shoe unless they are wide. Everything else is like wearing a coffin. I can’t even wear short heels. Thanks for sharing! I’ve been wearing my shoes exclusively for 7 years now.

I’m not a runner but have been hiking on rugged dirt trails for 2 years in Xero Shoe’s Xcursions. I love them! I’d been looking for barefoot hiking boots and these are almost perfect. Like high tech moccasins. They make hiking so enjoyable!

Very good video, Laura. A while back I found some interesting KZfaq videos done by folks who are convinced there are genuine mental/physical benefits obtained from being barefoot, even beyond those you mention. They call it "grounding" and there's quite a sub-culture devoted to this belief. It includes some engineers and scientists who have conducted tests to measure such things as electrical flow from the body to earth when barefoot. According to the group, going barefoot provides all sorts benefits that we're deprived of when "insulated" by shoes. Might be an interesting read for you.

“I decided to chuck in a cheeky little sprint.” … LT MERCH! 😉💪🏼

I spent years thinking I needed a wide shoe, but then my heels always slid in them. Wrong, I needed barefoot shoes. Some call them foot shaped shoes. What a difference it made for me. It took away the foot & calf pain that I had experienced for so long. I also found that using toe spacers helped to stretch my toes & bring them back to proper alignment. I've been told I look like a gazelle when I run now. I think the shoes allow you to spring forward in a more natural way. I'm glad I found your video. I've been preaching to all my friends about the benefits, now I'll just refer them to your video.

Hi Laura, I really like your statement on barefoot shoes. It is a way of living. I experienced the same since 2017 and never wore conventional shoes again. Keep up the healthy spirit!

Great video, I just ordered an inexpensive pair to try out. Between the Freakanomics podcast about these types of shoes and your video, the logic behind the concept seems sound.

Bought some Merrell barefoot shoes last year and have practically lived in them since, also using them for some short trail runs. My feet have spread from a 12 to a 13. I forgot my walking boots when hiking with my wife recently and wore the Merrells instead - aside from hitting the odd stone (ouch!) they were brilliant. I’m still not sure if they’re a little on the large side (thumbs width of space in the toe box) as they can feel a little flappy at times with the added width.

I wear Altra's which are zero drop. I love them. I probably transitioned from 8mm drop too quickly and had tight calves for a long time. I would definitely recommend my Altras but totally agree that you need to take time to transition into them. Really interesting video. Thanks Laura

I'm right at the start of the journey and my feet and ankles are so sore. I start on Vivo this week and will take my time. Thanks for the video.

Thank you, that was very informative!

Well done! Most excellent. Thank you.

Thank you for sharing. I switched to barefoot running in 2012 and have not gone back. The transition for me was pretty easy but I was a forefoot runner prior to this switch. I find running in this way is more enjoyable and actually easier.

I feel like my knees have gotten better since wearing barefoot shoes after a few months. I had my old outgoing heels on last week and my feet killed me! I never noticed how tight they were!

A great video - I find that barefoot shoes (especially Vivo) just aren't wide enough for my feet, so sad. One day I will find the right shoes and be happy like you!

Great video. Thanks. I just started my transition by replacing my Nikes which were at the end of their life with a pair of Hoka Ones that have a 5 rather than 10mm heel drop and also have more room for my toes. Not by any means a barefoot shoe but my first step in that direction and will do the same when I next need to replace my work shoes.

Very interesting. I have been a walker, back packer outdoor working for many years. I have used a German made shoes, walking boots and tree surgery boots for years. Then, I had an accident, the recovery took a long time. Special support from a dentist made a massive contribution, now My left foot and hips are playing up. I have learnt a lot about holistic health, diet and resting properly and just a few months ago. I changed to Brooks mountain running shoes. These very good. I will take a look at the barefoot shoes. Thank you, take care

Lovely message not just about shoes :)

Your videos are popping up on a lot of my interests. Saw your fasting recently

I absolutely can confirm what you said about awareness. I have problems with my right ankle and tensions unfortunately pull through up to the temple which pulls down my awareness of myself and the surrounding.

Great video. Keep us updated!. I'm almost at my first year. I use the shoes from Xero shoes. Great fun

The timeline you described is accurate for me as well. My daily drivers for the last three years are minimalist/barefoot

I’ve lived in Queensland, Australia for the past 9 years and most of the time I wear sandals or am barefoot. Have my feet spread? Absolutely! “Shoe shape” is not natural. Regarding balance and foot strength, totally agree. I used to do a lot of hard rock climbing, and this involves standing on very small edges. My feet got really strong and I have good balance. This was a really interesting video - in particular the bit about eliminating heel strike. I will now try to consciously reduce this.

I'm soooooo very glad that you are covering this. I have been curious for some time. And NOW here is my #1 Crush covering the topic!!! Now only to find them in size 14 U.S. LOL

You’re lovely, I’m so glad the KZfaq gnomes suggested your channel to me 🥰

The fact that your shoe size actually grew is awesome!

Cheers for this video excellent work. After watching this got me thinking and I thought why not, so I bought a pair. Few weeks in, these has made a big difference in my life so I bought a second pair. Few weeks later I have bought two more pairs, and worth every penny. The wide toe box makes all the difference, my feet used to kill me in bed and waking up was the same, no more pain all gone. Cheers for changing my life.

Laura thanks for this video. I haven’t evolved into barefoot shoe running but I do now largely wear them as my everyday shoes. I tend to wear the ones from a company called Lems. I agree with you though that switching is a somewhat long term process and it’s not necessarily going to be a smooth transition

You just opened my eyes that explains something from my past. I grew up in a house with a basement, and I noticed, as a kid, when I walked in the house I did not heel strike. If you do that on wooden floors with a basement beneath there is a very loud "thump" noise. My Dad would not allow that. So growing up from age 6 to 19 I always stepped mid-foot in the house so that my steps would be quiet. I continue to walk this way in my present house, without shoes. Now that I have my first pair of barefoot shoes I already have that understanding of stepping mid-foot, but just have to remember to do it while wearing the shoes.

I just recently moved to walking mostly in barefoot sandals(Xero) and shoes(Groundies) about 4 months ago. I'm a little afraid to start running barefoot to be honest. Loved your video, and your explanations are wonderful.

I am 48 and have hEDS and problems with proprioception. I had never heard barefoot shoes could help with this, looking into these now. Thank you!

I've been barefoot for 5 years now and I am super glad I switched the book "Born to run" which changed my life. I have had zero injuries in that time except for one day I didn't want to mess up an expensive pair of zero drop shoes. so I put on an old pair of normal running shoes to carry something out of my back yard and not being able to feel the ground with all that cushion I rolled my ankle worse than I have ever hurt it in my life from 5 mins of wearing Nike based running shoes. I'm never putting those coffins back on my feet. feel the world your feet are just like your hands with all the nerve endings. I suggest you try a brand names Xero Shoes they are a fantastic zero drop shoe company

I really enjoyed this video!

Great video. Thanks. I’ve only recently started wearing barefoot shoes and Im hooked. My feet are spreading and much more flexible after only two months. I’ll never buy a ‘normal’ pair of shoes again!

Been wearing barefoot shoes too for the past 3 1/2 years or so and it's improved my posture, and helped get rid of headaches. Such a good decision!

Thanks for sharing your experience Laura! I'm only starting to wear barefoot shoes. And also I started running on a regular basis two months ago. So, I'm gonna combine these two things carefully and gradually. Your tips are great and will help me with this :) The main reason I decided to try barefoot shoes is that I have wide feet and bunions as a consequence :( I've had bunions since my teens (I'm 37yo now), but now I'm really worried they might get worse due to daily running sessions. The only thing that I'm not sure about now is that here where I live (European part of Russia) we have 6-month winters with plenty of snow and the average winter temperature of 5-14F. WIll have to find suitable barefoot shoes for walking and (especially) running! Anyways, thanks again and looking forward for more content on barefoot shoes ;)

Been wearing barefoot shoes for 5 or 6 years now. Transition took 4 months (thats how long my feet hurt like hell) But i was a bit drastic: 3mm zero insole Merrell Vapor gloves! I got 2 injuries during that first year: aquiles tendon strain from suddenly starting to run forefoot for 8km just out of the blue (used to run on nike pegasus mega cushioned!). And some microfractures of the tarsus bones from excess strain (also from long distance tra running). After those I either shortened the distance or wore slightly more padded shoes like Merrell trail gloves or VFF Bikila evos. That made further transition smoother. These days I walk on Groundies all day and run in VFFs. Dont get much chance to walk actually barefoot but will kick shoes off at any chance I get. My knee pain that made me run less than 3km is gone and ive gone as far as 50km with no pain! Also havent sprained an ankle like EVER since getting bf shoes! Plus my feet look as perfect as baby feet! No bunions, no twisted toes, no bumpy calouses, nothin besides the crooked toe from horse stepping on it... dont wear barefoot shoes around horses... :P

Transitioned to barefoot almost by accident when I started training in karate (where we train exclusively in bare feet), and decided to extend they into the rest of my life. My flat feet developed arches, and the ankle problems from a previous life playing rugby and basketball disappeared. Got rid of the orthotics prescribed to deal with those problems, and have had no real ankle issues in the last 10 years. It is worth trying….but slowly for sure.

I have been wearing barefoot style shoes since 2008, all through high school I would notice my joints and back would hurt . After high school I made the switch and never went back. In 2014 a job required me to wear "regular shoes" so I got a pair of luggs and they wreaked my feet. I ended up getting plantar fasciitis claimed workers comp for the shoe requirement they enforced on me. My favorite is the five finger barefoot running or hikers.

Awesome advice as usual LT. My feet are sensitive from being cozied up in cushioned socks and shoes forever. They are also always cold - so I always wear socks and or trainers around the house. I totally buy into the concept though so will start to give it a go by going barefoot around the house and garden more. Hopefully to toughen them up - I'm hilarious on a stony beach; prancing about arms aloft trying to make myself walk lighter, whatta wuss! How do you get on with stone strikes when trail running - do they dig into your foot?

Hi Laura, I can confirm your findings, perhaps not all of them in full, but ... yeah, all of them. Personally, after about 5 years of using barefootshoes, I still find myself heelkicking a lot of times. I prefer senmotic-shoes, by the way. They are leather with a good rubber sole as underlying, so that the leather does not get damaged on rough terrain.