Walking Barefoot: Good or Bad? (& What to Do Instead)

*About Will Harlow*

**Any information in this video should not be used as a substitute for individual medical advice. Please seek advice from your local healthcare professional before taking action on the information in this video. Use of this information is strictly at your own risk. Will Harlow will not assume any liability for direct or indirect losses or damages that may result from the use of information contained in this video including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness or death.**

[NatureStarved]

I don't have any health issues (except allergies 🤧).
For me, there was no transition period at all.
I started going barefoot from one day to the next after a lot of information. Living barefoot felt so natural to me that I gave away my traditional shoes six months later.
The only problem was finding really nice shoes for my wardrobe (gym, city walks, business, evening wear).

Two years later my dear husband followed my barefoot lifestyle.
He also started from day one and never went back.
His severe neck and back pain (spinal disc herniation), which he had for many years, has now almost completely disappeared. He is living barefoot for a year and a half now.

[deidrekline]

As a little kid, I constantly took off my shoes and aggravating to my mom, usually lost them. Been barefoot all my life! Was hiking in the wet Olympic Peninsula once. The trail was soft, cool mud. Met a guy hiking barefoot so I joined him, wonderful barefoot day in the forest! It’s nice that the benefits of barefooting are finally being respected.

[Paeoniarosa]

Thank you very much. Your point about walking on very hard modern surfaces is a good one.

[lesleywatkins]

I have vestiblur disorder and was advised by my neurological physiotherapist that it’s better for my balance issues to help me feel grounded.

[helenamcginty]

Never thought about cushioning. I have walked barefoot for over 50 years at home. Both inside and out. I must have developed cushioning. The first 2 things I do when getting home is lose the shoes and lose the bra. 😊Walking on hot pavements will burn your feet. Even dogs feet will burn if they are walked on hot roads and pavements.

[A_Bee_Sting]

I started wearing barefoot shoes because I developed plantar fasciitis. Barefoot shoes are RECOMMENDED for plantar fasciitis because the weight is distributed to the entire foot rather then striking the ground with your heel

[mmay]

I’ve always had a problem finding comfortable shoes but as soon as I bought a pair of Vivobarefoot shoes from their shop, admittedly they have a thermo insole and are all terrain, I could stop wearing them as I felt such freedom in my whole body. My feet are so wide I can only wear the men’s, not so flattering. I recommend that brand and they have a trial period. I can now bend my toes. It’s also hard to walk in other boots now as they are not so flexible. I am 74 years old!

[Houdini_Bob]

one of the things people who suddenly take to walking barefoot is they do not change their gait, they are used to walking heel to toe, where as most habitual barefooters land on pad of their feet. this helps cushion the joints.

[Hemond]

I had a problem with ankle rolling. Even wearing heavy hiking boots with an ankle brace I'd still roll my ankle. Since adopting these minimalist shoes, that doesn't happen anymore. I can't believe it. What's happening is the foot/body/brain somehow senses my foot is in the proper position to bear weight before transferring my weight with each step. I've never rolled my ankle while wearing these. Despite doing long hikes in the woods, over rocks, roots, gullies, slopes, ice, snow, and constantly changing surfaces, I've never injured myself.

[Hemond]

I've been wearing a pair of Xero minimalist Trail Runners for 2 years. Got 'em at REI. I wear them as daily kick around sneakers and for hikes of 2 - 4 miles. 1st day, my shins and lower legs were pretty sore. Within a few days. I adapted so well that I removed the inner cushion liner. Making them nearly the same as barefoot. These have no heel, no support, and are maybe a couple of millimeters thick? Basically the same as ballet slippers despite looking like normal sneakers.

[TadeuszCantwell]

As someone who walks in minimalist shoes the one thing that I disagree with is the hardness of ground humans evolved to walk on, like the hard pan deserts in Africa or look at the stony ground in Grecce where messengers ran back and forth between cities.

[manysubjects]

I fight against pain because walking on barefoot and subjects like that I know it will eventually improve and it won’t hurt anymore

[cbcb]

As ever Will a really well explained video and practical help.
At the end of your video you stated that 89% haven't subscribed. May I offer an observation? Here goes... On another channel I subscribe to the presenter said he had spoken to people through the comments section and many thought that subscribing meant paying to follow him. As he put it YouTube use the wrong language. He just mentioned that to clarify to folks who are not YouTube savy that subscribing involves no financial commitment. May be it will help?

[outdoorsman]

Thanks, great video. What do you think about foot shaped cushioned, zero drop and near zero drop road and trail running shoes. These aren’t minimalist barefoot shoes, but have many of the features with added cushioning and are also foot shaped (i.e. not pointed toe boxes) which may resolve some of the cons identified? Your thoughts on these types of shoes?

[debraraby]

Excellent explanation on this subject, thank you. I bought your book a while ago, definitely worth the money and a good reference too.

[raquellopez]

Very interesting 🥿👠👟🥾👣🩴🏃‍♂️you covered good and bad choices. Thank you. 3:30 pm in Chula Vista, California.

[wandabrady]

Such an information and interesting video thank you God bless!

[mkscott]

I have been wearing Hykes Escapes which are barefoot and zero drop. So far loving them and not sure I will be going back to regular shoes.

[burgundymarcia]

I've been at aerobics classes when I literally had to remove my trainers because the constant pounding in the shoes was unbearable. The leader would scold me, but I couldn't continue the class in the "all purpose" trainers. When I'm at home I NEVER wear shoes around the house and only wear slippers when it's too cold for just socks. I'll even remove my shoes when driving long distances, as my feet swell up from the cramped conditions.

[veronicabrown]

At work is the only place I'm wearing my work boot. My show and high heel friends have weird feet. I like to dance barefoot. The only thing that gave me foot issues was medication. I had to stop feel a lot better after I quit the meds for 2 months. Now pain free