Walking Barefoot: That’s Why It’s So Healthy

Walking barefoot is only possible on the beach? You thought wrong. Because not wearing shoes can have a positive effect on your health.

In summer it can be quite liberating to walk barefoot across the meadows – but what about at home? Do you leave your socks off there? If not, you should think about it again, after all, walking without shoes is not only healthy for your feet.

Barefoot walking for improved walking technique

First and foremost, walking barefoot has a positive effect on your foot muscles. Because of the constant wearing of shoes, the muscles in our feet have regressed and this can lead to malpositioning. Furthermore, we can change our running style by running barefoot: Heel walkers, i.e. people who put their heels down first when walking, often suffer from knee and hip joint problems. Without shoes, however, one runs much more gently and tends to put the forefoot and midfoot on top of each other, thus protecting the joints.

But running without shoes is not only healthy for our feet. Foot malpositions are also largely responsible for back pain. In order to relieve tension and reduce back problems, you should avoid socks and shoes at home more often.

Barefoot walking for the sensor technology of the feet

In addition to the promotion of the musculature, walking barefoot is also worthwhile to promote the sense of touch of the feet. The constant stimulation of the soles of the feet when running barefoot also activates the foot reflex zones, which are in exchange with other parts of the body. So basically, your internal organs also benefit from running barefoot through your home.

Another advantage: Barefoot runners do not usually suffer from athlete’s foot or nail fungus. It only develops where it is dark and warm and humid – in socks and shoes. In the air, however, the feet remain dry and have better blood circulation, so that fungal infections occur much less frequently.

Tips for walking barefoot

1. Start slowly

If you immediately start walking barefoot on an uneven surface, you are not doing yourself any favours. It is better to start walking in the apartment without socks. The next step is to walk on grass or sand and slowly train your foot muscles. Barefoot parks also offer an excellent opportunity for training.

2. Use barefoot shoes

Because pointed stones can be very unpleasant and nowadays unfortunately there are also many shards lying around, runners can fall back on barefoot shoes. These protect the foot from injury, but still give the feeling of running barefoot.

3. Do sports barefoot

Of course you can also do without your running shoes when jogging and run barefoot. However, the so-called ” barefoot running” requires some practice and should only be tried out when you feel comfortable in everyday life without shoes on your feet. So adjust your training plans slowly so that your feet can get used to the new situation. It is also advisable to start with barefoot shoes.