Are Shoes Destroying Our Feet?
There is no doubt that the mantra – “Walking without shoes is healthier for the feet” is being repeated and written about more and more over the past few years.
Reproduced from Sternbergh's article, You Walk Wrong
It is self-evident, in my opinion, that walking barefoot is healthier and better for our feet, (in the right environment) compared to walking in shoes. However, the key phrase in that sentence is “in the right environment”. One of the reasons shoes have evolved and become progressively more prevalent in our societies, is the plethora of ‘land mines’ that clutter our city’s pavements (broken glass, nails, other sharp objects etc etc). Shoes offer a barrier of protection to these potential dangers. However, on a safer walking surface, e.g., sand or the countryside, shoes should be discarded and walking barefooted should be the norm.
However, there is another piece to this mantra that needs to be evaluated. That is, embryological alterations in the structure of the foot that leads to problems when we walk. Over the past 40 years of research, I have discovered several embryological foot structures (foot structures that are present at birth) that actually distort the way you walk. If you have one of these foot structures, the way you walk will be distorted “in or out of shoes”. I have linked this distortion in the way you walk to the development of chronic pain in the muscles and joints. (See Rothbart, 2009. Forever Free From Chronic Pain)
For more information, I highly recommend that you read You Walk Wrong in New York Best Doctors by Adam Sternbergh (Apr 21, 2008)
Professor/Dr. Brian A. Rothbart
Chronic Pain Elimination Specialist
Discovered the Rothbarts Foot and PreClinical Clubfoot Deformity
Developer of Rothbart Proprioceptive Therapy
Designer of Rothbart Proprioceptive Insoles
Founder of International Academy of Rothbart Proprioceptive Therapy
Author of Forever Free From Chronic Pain
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