Barefoot Hiking: Strengthening the Feet Naturally

[victoryparty]

There's been a fairly big media splash about barefoot running lately, which, based on my won experience, is a good thing. Once I ditched the shoes, I was able to run pain-free again (used to have an on going battle with shin splints).

At any rate, one thing that I think is often overlooked in the discussion of barefoot running, and by those wanting to try it, is the importance of conditioning the feet first. A few barefoot hikes of just a mile or two can help "recalibrate" the soles of the feet for actually providing valuable sensory feedback through interaction with the natural environment rather than just sweating inside of shoes and socks.

For an article on barefoot hiking, see:

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/5150115-barefoot-hiking-strengthening-feet-with-tactile-treats

[Roon]

1. I am always barefoot

cept for when i go outside during the winter or i am going to the store.

My family used to freak out because I would run around our cabin in the mountains in bare feet..I have a nice thick pad of calluses on the soles of my feet.

[UTUSN]

2. I did treadmill barefoot for about 8 yrs. Don't know what to believe.

I thought it was more natural and never had problems. I didn't think it was a medical issue. But after all those years I mentioned it casually to my doctor, who promptly freaked and told me I absolutely needed to use sneakers.

So I started that, and it took a bit of adjusting. Here's what I don't know what to think. A few months later I had my very first attack of plantar faciitis -- yay, what a milestone. I didn't know what that was at the time. I learned about the plantar fixes, like using a towel to stretch the foot. Who knows whether that worked or not, but after about a month, it went away.

Fine. Well, two or three months later this calcium deposit or whatever it was developed on TOP of the great toe joint, on the foot side, not the toe side of the joint. Painful, could no longer wear closed boots/shoes.

Everybody ---doctor, a pharmacist relative, lay friends--- told me that foot surgery was to be avoided and had poor success rates. The doctor said foot surgery is as delicate at spinal. The relative said podiatrists are not respected by other medical practitioners.

Quaking, I went ahead. Luckily, the procedure did not get down into the joint, just involved a "cleaning out of the JUNK" as the podiatrist eloquently explained it. He never was specific about what the junk was or what caused it. He said it could have been triggered by a "silent" gout attack, OR that the daily treadmilling for nine years had worn down the joint bones through walking/bending friction, and that the resulting void triggered a deposit of calcium to fill the void.

So treadmilling/walking was deemed bad. So I asked what to substitute. First he suggested swimming. No. Then he suggested eliptical because the toe joints don't bend. I asked whether this would move the pressure points to the hips, meaning future hip replacement problems. He said there is always a trade-off. So we ended up with RECUMBENT eliptical, which I haven't started yet after two months since the procedure.

So. Was the barefooting good? I don't know. Did the sneakers bring on the problem? I don't know. The good part is that the procedure was of the simplest kind and appears successful, although the podiatrist said whatever-it-was might come back.

[Schema Thing]

3. the barefoot was good. the sneakers fucked you up.

why did you listen to a doctor after 8 years of success?

[victoryparty]

4. Feet cannot get exercise in shoes

That treadmill story is really depressing. While shoes can be helpful in some situations, think about why they originally came about: to protect the feet from sharp objects, cold weather, etc. Contrary to popular belief and practice, they were not invented to show off one's status or taste in fashion.

If you read the article I posted, you saw that many experts believe that shoes simply teach our feet to be lazy (quote from the story by a researcher). Yes, some people who have let their feet weaken through habitual reliance on shoes have, sadly, probably doomed themselves to a lifetime of dependency on shoes. But for people who are used to regular locomotion in bare feet, wearing shoes (as in your case on the treadmill) can lead to problems when the muscles, ligaments and tendons in the feet lose their ability to function because of the rigid, cast-like properties of most athletic shoes.

Here's a roundup of foot-related articles, including an advice column from the 1950s by a widely syndicated doctor at the time. This was before the hippies (who changed society's perception toward bare feet) and before the advent of running shoes as status symbols.

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/5327630-holistic-health-news-roundup-barefoot-edition

My personal belief is that the body (including the feet) need exercise. For feet to exercise, they need to be able to move freely. This isn't to say that with some conditions, stabilizing the foot so it cannot move freely is a bad thing. But to inhibit the foot from moving when it is a healthy, functional foot to begin with seems to invite trouble. Some podiatrists understand that, others p for reasons I don't understand - resist it.

See various articles at the America's Podiatrist site for more info: http://www.americaspodiatrist.com/2009/10/the-top-3-ways-wearing-shoes-harms-our-feet-%E2%80%93-and-what-we-can-do-about-it/

[Schema Thing]

8. If you haven't read it, you'd really enjoy the book "Born to Run"

[nickinSTL]

5. I've gotten the impression that podiatrists aren't well respected

which is odd.

The experiences I've had with them have been positive.

I had a long-recurring ingrown toenail problem throughout high school and college - finally, in my early 20s, I went to a podiatrist, who promptly fixed it. Haven't had an issue with it since.

Except - on a toe I'd never had the problem on before, I must have cut the nail back too far and it got mildly infected, that wasn't a big deal, cleared up easily but - it was just enough to allow a fungal infection to take hold on the nail. Off to another podiatrist. I'm now fungus-free.

Treating a fungal infection takes roughly FOREVER, but...

My experience with podiatrists has been good. Wouldn't have any reason not to go back with another problem.

[hobbit709]

6. try that in the desert.

Human feet evolved to run on the savannah. Not on concrete or solid rock.

[Taverner]

7. This is why I don't do barefoot running/hiking etc

This is what will happen.

[victoryparty]

9. Extreme examples

Please note: If you have no problems running in shoes and you like it, then stick with it! I personally battled shin splints while running in shoes (Pumas, New Balance and even Converse All-Stars) but since I have started running barefoot (18 months ago), no problems AND I enjoy running much more than I used to. Another note: I run at a track, just as I did when I ran in shoes. I never liked running in an urban environment, with or without shoes.

As for the examples of the feet in the picture, unless you *want* your feet to start looking that way, barefoot hiking/running will not make your feet look like that. As long as you wash them regularly (most people wash their feet more often than they wash their shoes) and perhaps use a Dr. Scholl's callus file on your heels if they start thickening too much, your feet will be much stronger (and I daresay more "presentable") than feet damaged by excessive shoe usage. I personally apply a moisturizer about twice a week as well. That's the extent of the special care required to run barefoot safely.

Finally, If you think those pictures are bad, you should see pictures of feet that have spent a lifetime in high heels or ill-fitting shoes. At least the bare feet in those pictures appear to be functional; the same cannot be said for some feet that have been damaged by excessive shoe-wearing.

[Kali]

10. say what?

I don't see anything wrong with the bottom picture, and whatever is wrong with the toes on the top pic isn't from going barefoot.

[Taverner]

11. The nails are totally shaved down

In many countries where they do go barefoot or just with sandals, you see this

Sure, it may be healthy, but it's not very attractive

[Kali]

12. I don't get it.

yeah there is some road dust there, but??? Now you are making me paranoid about my feet. cause I go barefoot most of the year and I always thought other than the dirt, they look WAY better than the feet of most people who wear shoes all the time. Post a pic of a foot you would contrast to the lower set of tootsies as "attractive."

[Taverner]

14. Bad foot good foot

Bad foot



Good foot



How many feet you meet!

[Kali]

15. with a ring on the toe, I would guess that is set of regular bare feet.

I have worn one - they don't work well with shoes.

No way to prove the pretty feet are normally shod, but I have to say not all feet that go bare a lot look like your two bad examples. The feet with the copper anklets look fine to me. Age, ground conditions, labor are factors too, I'm sure.

But fungus, gooey, pasty, white, stinky, bunions, hammertoes, ingrown nails are all gross consequences of shoes, so feet can be funky either way.

:toast:

[victoryparty]

17. Good feet, bad feet

I think both sets of feetin this example look fine in their own way.

I'm sure the "bad" feet are a lot more functional sans shoes than the "good" feet. I am making an assumption, however, that the person in the top photo doesn't live in the U.S. and probably doesn't have the same ready access that Americans have to things we can use to help keep our feet looking more like the "good" pair even if we hike and run barefoot.

By the way, the Web site hosting the link I gave was having some problems earlier, but it seems to be working fine now.

See:
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/5150115-barefoot-hiking-strengthening-feet-with-tactile-treats

There is an "images" section with photos for those who want to see how the feet of people who also wear shoes on a regular basis look after hiking barefoot.

[Taverner]

13. It's toes after a lifetime of abuse, eg, going barefoot

[pitohui]

16. it bothers other people, but if you can ignore peer pressure, go for it

i have a lot of experience w. walking/hiking in bare feet, of course, you need to have awareness of where you put your feet -- in most areas where i hike, it's possible for poisonous snakes to occur for example


my feet are well conditioned and most people's feet are not well conditioned, as i can tell from how i'm able to grip with my feet when, say, wading a stream, which i can safely do barefoot, whereas most of the people i hike with just have to hope the waterproofing on their shoes holds out

i also know many people who compromise and actually hike in rainforest etc. with sandals, not sure of the name, i'm gonna guess at it and say teva???

barefoot running doesn't interest me but i'll do barefoot aerobics etc.

people who see me hiking barefoot on forest trails often feel compelled to comment so you have to ignore all those people who know better and think mother nature meant for you to go hiking in a $250 pair of italian hiking boots instead of your own two feet -- so many people think going outside is all about the "gear"