How to transition to barefoot and what to watch out for?
In recent years, barefoot footwear has been booming across Europe, and the Czech Republic is no exception. This trend, which is based on foot space, the maximum flexibility that the footwear offers, and feeling every step, has an increasing number of followers, but also its detractors.
Although we look at barefoot footwear a bit differently than other manufacturers, as we have already mentioned in one of our previous articles, for your transition to footwear that respects the natural shape of the feet to go off without unnecessary complications, it should above all be gradual and adhere to the following recommendations.
Start by walking on soft surfaces and choose a thicker sole!
Just as with walking barefoot itself, the same applies to barefoot footwear: this type of walking is natural for the body, but not on hard surfaces. Therefore, start wearing barefoot footwear mainly on walks through meadows, forest paths, and trails, and only gradually move on to harder surfaces.
If you already know from the start that you will be walking mainly on paved and concrete paths, definitely choose models with a thicker sole, which, however, does not restrict the flexibility of the foot. Especially in the case of long walks on concrete, the feet can easily become overloaded, and the joints take most of the strain.
Start gradually with barefoot footwear
In the beginning, wear barefoot footwear for shorter time intervals and gradually increase them. In a barefoot shoe, the individual muscle chains, not just in your feet, will be more active, and you will soon feel muscles you didn't even know you had due to conventional footwear. Starting with barefoot footwear is a bit like classic strength training, so mild muscle soreness while they are being conditioned is normal. But don't worry, your feet will soon get used to it and appreciate the space and flexibility that barefoot footwear provides. It is the sufficient space for the toes to fully spread that allows for a high-quality push-off when walking.
If you want to properly stimulate your feet when transitioning to barefoot shoes, you can try pleasant massages or exercises to activate your feet.
Sole flexibility is crucial when getting used to barefoot footwear
If you really want to start walking in barefoot shoes, in addition to the correct shape of the shoe, focus on the flexibility of the sole itself. Only with a sufficiently flexible sole will you achieve the desired flexibility of the footwear, which will allow the foot to move naturally in all directions.
So, we return to the correct choice of sole thickness, because the fact that the sole is thicker does not necessarily mean that it does not provide this flexibility. It depends primarily on the materials and their processing. Thanks to this, you can enjoy natural walking even in our Nallu Journey line sandals.
A thicker yet flexible sole (e.g., 10 mm for the Journey line) also provides several advantages. These include the fact that it is suitable for longer walking on hard surfaces because it absorbs shock upon impact. In addition, it is an ideal choice if you have had little muscle activity in the area of your feet and lower legs until now. Furthermore, you will gradually get used to the sensations that will reflect what we are stepping on, as well as what is happening under our feet. Classic robust soles do not allow for this.
The absence of a heel will support ideal posture, but will trouble heel-wearers
Barefoot footwear also stands out for the fact that it has a completely flat sole, without any heel. More precisely, in barefoot footwear, there is no difference between the thickness of the sole in the front and back of the shoe (so-called zero drop). For the human musculoskeletal system, this is an undisputed advantage, because even a slight elevation of the heel in footwear affects overall posture, as it inappropriately shifts the body's center of gravity. This fact then leads to an unnatural forward tilt, which a person must consciously or unconsciously compensate for. The result is usually overloading of the front part of the foot and the leg.
Even though the flat sole of barefoot shoes has its positives, it can trouble women who regularly wear high-heeled dress shoes. Very often, they have shortened muscles in the calf area, and longer walking in barefoot shoes can be painful for them. Of course, this can also be fought! You can either start wearing shoes with a slight heel elevation and exercise your calf muscles in a suitable way, or walk barefoot at home and then gradually get used to barefoot shoes.