Are Barefoot Shoes Good for You?

🦶We review the best minimalist barefoot shoes, the best barefoot shoes for flat feet, bunions and plantar fasciitis!🦶

Chapters:
0:00 – Barefoot Shoes vs. Orthotic Slippers
0:12 – Research and Experience with Patients
0:23 – Barefoot Walking: My Experience
0:33 – Myths and Misconceptions
0:48 – Not Everyone Benefits from Barefoot Shoes
1:29 – Injury Risk with Barefoot Shoes
2:23 – Research on Barefoot Walking
3:11 – Running Form and Barefoot Shoes
4:03 – Transitioning to Barefoot Shoes
5:03 – Natural Walking and Running Myths
6:01 – Pros of Barefoot Shoes
7:05 – Risks of Barefoot Shoes
7:52 – Biomechanical Exams and Adjustments

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Barefoot Shoes:

Best Flat Feet Arch Supports:

Flat Feet Stretching:

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📢Come See Us in Detroit, Michigan, Berkley Michigan; Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Lansing Michigan; and Grand Blanc Michigan📢

DISCLAIMER:
Dr. Tomasz Biernacki received his Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree from Kent State College of Podiatric Medicine in 2013; he completed his Surgical Reconstructive Foot Surgery & Podiatric Medicine Residency in 2017; he completed 2x traveling Fellowships in Diabetic Surgery, Skin Grafting & Nerve Surgery. He is double board certified in Podiatric Medicine and Foot & Ankle Surgery. Dr. Biernacki is a licensed podiatrist & surgeon in Michigan. This video should not be used to self-diagnose and is not a substitute for a medical exam, cure, treatment, diagnosis, prescription, or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Biernacki and you. It would be best to not change your health regimen or diet before consulting a physician and obtaining a medical exam & diagnosis. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.

[DrTomBiernacki]

I actually do really like going barefoot! I just want everyone to do it safely and practically!

Related Videos:


👉-- LINKS --👈
(With some links, we use affiliate links and may earn a commission. Check with your doctor before using any product!)

Barefoot Shoes:

Best Flat Feet Arch Supports:

Flat Feet Stretching:


👉 Shoes 👈
Best Shoes:


Best Orthotics:


📢Come See Us in Detroit, Michigan, Berkley Michigan; Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Lansing Michigan; and Grand Blanc Michigan📢



DISCLAIMER:
Dr. Tomasz Biernacki received his Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree from Kent State College of Podiatric Medicine in 2013; he completed his Surgical Reconstructive Foot Surgery & Podiatric Medicine Residency in 2017; he completed 2x traveling Fellowships in Diabetic Surgery, Skin Grafting & Nerve Surgery. He is double board certified in Podiatric Medicine and Foot & Ankle Surgery. Dr. Biernacki is a licensed podiatrist & surgeon in Michigan. This video should not be used to self-diagnose and is not a substitute for a medical exam, cure, treatment, diagnosis, prescription, or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Biernacki and you. It would be best to not change your health regimen or diet before consulting a physician and obtaining a medical exam & diagnosis. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.

[ChosenMJ]

I'm 57 and I bought some low end barefoot shoes for walking around the house. What I immediately noticed was my balance is significantly better inmy barefoot shoes than my padded shoes. I've been walking in my socks more than I ever had and on occasion my soles will become sore but the barefoot shoes are heaven for my feet right now.

[kitcraft]

What is interesting to me is that all of the possible injuries related to barefoot shoes that you mentioned, I already had, with regular shoes. Extreme ball of the foot pain and plantar fasciitis were by far the worst. I couldn't walk to the mailbox with shoes one. I noticed it basically over night with my left foot. Pain with shoes, no pain in the mornings without shoes. Flap cheap flip flops were fine. Running shoes, work shoes, boots, nope! Barefoot shoes were what I went to and there was no pain. But the issue wasn't gone because if I put regular shoes back on it still hurt. Four months later and the pain seems to be gone even when I put on regular shoes, but I think I'll stick with barefoot because it is working for me.

I know that is anecdotal, but my feet feel better.

[Faforino]

Yes, they are absolutely amazing. My feet and legs have never been stronger, my posture has never been better, after a year of using them.

[SK-uttw]

Honestly. After I had my 5th baby my body hurt. My joints and feet and I just felt so heavy. Took up running. Kept getting injured. Finally just got so tired of shoes not fitting correctly I bought a 10 dollar pair of barefoot socks online and everything stopped hurting. My legs and feet are strong as hell now running is also easier.

[olil]

You used that opener in another video too, runners in super shoes win races over the natural runners. Sure, Motorcycle driver smoke Bicycle riders too. But whats better for the body?

Nobody goes barefooot to be the fastest, obviously.

[Zaekyr]

Sorry, but I think your wrong. If the barefoot ideal were utilized instead of stigmatized and shoes were made for feet instead of fashion, then from a young age people would wear them and have less issues throughout their lives. Certainly, shoes could be developed for extreme athletic purpose but for average people barefoot would be better. I do not believe humans just automatically have genetically ingrained foot issues.

[mikemikemikemikemikemeup]

When people talk about barefoot runners and other countries like Africa, they’re not trying to say that they’re faster than us. They’re trying to show that these people can run barefoot for miles without problems. We’re not trying to Usain Bolt here. They are showing what a natural foot looks like when you don’t cram them into a shoe your whole life. I think you completely missed the point.

Edit: I noticed you replied to someone else about the same comment. Why bring up some thing that was talked about 15 years ago? Points that were made that long ago are irrelevant to what people are saying today. I have seen very few barefoot shoe advocates claim that it will make you faster or superhuman in someway. Yes there are some people that go too far but the vast majority of barefoot shoe Youtubers we talk about the potential risks. One of the main things that’s brought up every time we talk about barefoot shoes is that vibom was sued because they made claims that they couldn’t prove. We’ve gotten past this and you’re acting as if we’re still saying this stuff. The vast majority of barefoot advocates give fair warnings that you should go slow and start with shoes that work for you until you’re able to fully transition. my mom wears Ultas. They are wide in the toe and zero drop but they have cushion. If Youtubers weren’t giving fair warning, she would’ve went straight to barefoot shoes and hurt herself. But she didn’t because YouTuber warn you of the potential risks and older people shoe that they could use to transition slower. And I have even seen a lot of these Youtubers tell some older people that it might not be possible. 100% being barefoot is better for you in the long run. But if you’ve put your feet into crush shoes, your entire life and you’ve walked in a weird way then of course you’re gonna have a hard time. People in those situations need more intense therapy. Of course you can’t expect a 60 to 80 year old to be able to do this when they’ve been wearing pointy shoes with a heal lift their whole lives.

[jadr]

Do yourself a favor, if you are in pain try all your options and take it slowly. Took me 2 years to get my wife to try barefoot shoes because she doesn't like the way they look. In her 40's and suffering from knee, hip and back pain most of her life. I've watched her struggle with it for 30 years myself. Finally got her to try them, and for the last almost 2 years, she refuses to wear anything but barefoot shoes now, even though she still doesn't like the way they look. Her knee/hip/back pain is 99% gone from the day she started wearing them. It's crazy.
Of course, this may not be the same for you but might be worth a try. No, you don't need to be healthy first for them to help you. But you have to proceed with caution, I can say from experience, too much too soon can lead to setbacks.
The last time I went to a foot doctor they immediately told me that barefoot shoes are really bad for you, no explanation, just blanket statement. There seems to be a stigma in the profession, maybe because they only see the people who had a problem with them, not the thousands of people who are doing well. That's just our experience. Appreciate the content.

[serenitygoodwyn]

I'm middle aged, wonky, significantly hypermobile and overweight. I use barefoot shoes and have for years. Barefoot shoes for me mean less foot, ankle, knee, hips and neck pain. I've tried custom orthotics, they reduced foot pain (not as much as barefoot) but increased the pain in my ankle, knee, hips and especially my neck to the point of being unbearable. Less pain tells me that despite being all the things you warned about and a couple more, they are a good idea for me.

[Kopetefish]

I started wearing barefoot shoes two years ago. Have the vibram five fingers, various zaqq, and various merrell vapor gloves.
I’d say the greatest thing about them is the wide toebox. I didn’t really care that much about the zero drop or flexible sole. I’ve recently tried Lem’s and Altra shoes. I’d take those over minimalist barefoot shoes any day. They basically give you a super wide toebox but have plenty of cushioning as well.

Walking long distances with the thin sole just puts a lot of stress on my heel, since I walk with a heel strike and that hasn’t changed over the two years as some people claimed it would.

[kulch-eysn]

I've reversed a bunion and now my feet are like hands, super strong. I feel so young again. Never going back to narrow cushioned shoes they change the way you walk and run in an unnatural way

[A.Bellini]

Even if a personal example doesn't mean much, my experience with bare feet is tremendously positive. I'm 56 and have been barefoot almost exclusively for two years.

[helanna]

I go barefoot in the house because it makes me more stable when my feet connect with the surface I am walking on. I wear good shoes outside when I walk to protect my feet. Works for me.

[vivian]

At age 66, I'm tired of squeezing my feet into shoes that feel like vise grips, especially as the natural padding in my feet thins out with age. Just tried my first pair of minimal shoes and I couldn't believe how immediate the relief was having my feet in a wide toe box. Having said that, I do notice sensations in my leg muscles and hips that were not there before. Not pain but the type of ache you feel when you work out a muscle you haven't used before. I think if the transition is taken slowly along with foot strengthening exercises, minimal shoes can produce good results. While I have no intention of ever running barefoot or walking outdoors in bare feet, I am never going back to "fashionable" toe boxes again.

[scottchapman]

When my niece was a little, I was amazed when she was walking on our gravel driveway barefooted, I tried, it killed my feet, her little feet were stronger than mine, I've been wearing bare foot shoes for about 5 months and I believe my feet are stronger, it's harder to wear regular sneakers and dress shoes on account of my toes are spreading out more and feel uncomfortable in regular shoes, I love barefoot shoes, I wouldn't change back!

[redzy]

We indonesian and maybe most south east asians are use to walk barefoot in our houses...we love it..wearing shoes (conventional) for a long time hurts me..😅

[GreasyFox]

It took me almost 3 weeks to fully transit to barefoot shoes and it is worth the effort. I rarely get foot sore now.

[theachieversnetwork]

Best decision I have made was going to a barefoot shoe, been wearing the Hykes Escapes and love them, soo comfy and my feet feel so good. Feel like I have been lied to all these years with regular shoes and Never going back to regular shoes.

[scottchapman]

I've been working on concrete flooring for over 28 years, it has took a toll on my body, the human body wasn't meant to walk on concrete, there's no give to your feet, my body is in pain and I've paid the price, all I have to say is pay more for good shoes, our feet have to support our body, if your feet hurt, you hurt all over!!!