Walking in barefoot footwear as part of balance and coordination training
Poor balance and coordination have been troubling more and more people in recent years. The reasons are simple: an increasing number of people have sedentary jobs and set aside less and less time for exercise or natural movement in the form of walking. However, working on our body's balance is very important. In the following lines, we will explain why and how to work on it effectively.
How can you recognize balance problems?
You may not only recognize balance problems in the form of falls or dizziness, but also through headaches, a stiff neck, neck pain, or hypersensitivity to increased noise or light sensitivity. Proper balance is thus closely related to human health, as evidenced by the expert study The relationship between occupational balance and health: a pilot study from 1997[1].
How to improve your body's balance?
Basic methods for improving human body balance naturally include exercise and upright posture. Yoga, tai chi, Pilates, and other exercises that focus on strengthening the core can help you in terms of physical activities.
Mindful standing is also a significant help, i.e., focusing on standing upright – the more often you apply this method, the better results you will soon achieve.
You should also be careful when sitting at a computer. Try to consciously straighten your body several times an hour. As a rule, raising your laptop or computer monitor, for example with a shoebox, also helps.
Walk upright
Walking is the most natural movement for a person, and you should dedicate enough time to it every day, whether you are just taking short breaks in the office to get a cup of coffee or water, or getting off the tram one stop early. For walking to help you achieve better stability, it is advisable to walk upright. Of course, you won't master this overnight; after all, most people have built the bad habit of slumping over many years.
Suitable footwear in the form of barefoot shoes can also help. With them, you can work on your posture at home as well, if you walk barefoot or in barefoot house slippers. Especially in warm weather, you will certainly appreciate our highly open minimalistic Nallu sandals, with which you strengthen the necessary muscle chains and thus contribute to achieving a natural connection with the ground.
Sources used:
[1] Wilcock, A.A., Chelin, M., Hall, M., Hamley, N., Morrison, B., Scrivener, L., Townsend, M. and Treen, K. (1997), The relationship between occupational balance and health: a pilot study. Occup. Ther. Int., 4: 17-30. https://doi.org/10.1002/oti.45