Today is National Go Barefoot day! Do you ever spend time in your bare feet? Doesn’t it feel so great to walk in the warm sand, or on freshly cut grass? How about dipping your feet in the water? How good does it feel to take your shoes off after a long day of being on your feet?
Not only are our feet important for our balance and stability but they are also important for our sensory system (hence why putting our feet on different surfaces can feel so good!). Our feet have over 200,000 nerve endings which sense and relay information to our brain.
Some shoes can prevent this sensory input and prevent our small muscles (intrinsic muscles) from activating. On the flip side, spending time barefoot can help strengthen the intrinsic muscles that support our arches. Spending time barefoot is not realistic for all of us so looking for a more minimalist shoe can be of benefit, as long as you don't have any underlying foot or health conditions. Vivobarefoot offers great shoes, which mimic the natural shape of our feet. Vivobarefoot shoes are wide, thin and flexible; as their website says, “Shoes should let their feet do their thing”. Check out their website for more details!
Why it’s important to go barefoot at any age:
- Infants and toddlers: helps to develop the arches of the feet and provides sensory stimulation
- Children: helps with developing proprioception and balance
- Adults: helps with falls prevention
So today and beyond, let’s kick off our shoes and go barefoot!
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