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Walking Barefoot: Reasons to Lose Your Shoes More Often

walking barefoot benefits
Photo: CC0 Public Domain / Unsplash – Brina Blum

For many of us, walking barefoot on the beach or at the pool is one of the simple joys of summer. But these don’t need to be the only times we walk around without shoes. Walking barefoot is not just a hippie thing – it’s actually good for you. 

Walking Barefoot: Good For More Than Just Your Feet

By walking without shoes more often you will not just make your feet happy. Walking barefoot can correct misalignments responsible for back pain. If you simply start walking around in your house without socks and shoes, your back pain could soon be a thing of the past.

Foot deformities can also be a consequence of wearing the wrong shoes for your feet. Foot lesions, skewed, sunken, and splayed foot are not uncommon and could very well be avoided by simply giving your feet a little more freedom. 

walking barefoot on rocks
Walking barefoot can help back pain. (Photo: CC0 Public Domain / Pixabay – Free Photos)

By walking on bare feet, you stimulate all of your reflexology points. That means, just by walking barefoot you may be able straighten out incongruities in your body that you didn’t even know existed, bringing your entire organism into better balance. 

Walking barefoot is the most natural way to get around, and we should practice it more often for many reasons:

  1. It is a free foot reflexology massage. 
  2. It trains small foot muscles that otherwise are not activated.
  3. It brings you into contact with nature. 
  4. It improves your circulation and alleviates cold feet. 
  5. It takes pressure off of your back. 

Tips for Walking Barefoot

If you have avoided walking barefoot for a very long time, you should start out slowly. Walk around without shoes at home first. If you like, keep your socks on for the first few times. Enjoy the unfamiliar feeling of your feet being in contact with the ground. 

walking barefoot on concrete
When walking without shoes, try to be mindful and consciously enjoy each step you take. (Photo: CC0 Public Domain / Pixabay – Pexels)
  • Walking barefoot too much at the beginning can lead to light abrasions on the soles of your feet; it will take a bit of time for the soles of your feet to toughen up. 
  • If you are a morning person, try walking outside on the dewey grass just before the sun comes up. The soft grass won’t abrade your feet and the cool water will soothe any burning sensations caused by previous friction.  
  • Try to be relaxed and consciously enjoy each step you take. If it is a bit painful walking on gravel or concrete, don’t worry. Your soles will build a tolerance very quickly and become much less sensitive. 
  • Use your judgment before walking barefoot in any certain area. For example, walking on fields with hard, stubby grass is not advisable. 

Some people walk barefoot year round (yes, even in winter). But for most of us, peak barefoot walking time is May through August. 

Tip: Conscious walking is a great mindfulness exercise. Why not try it while walking barefoot?

If you want to get all of the physical benefits of walking barefoot but are just not ready to have your feet be in physical contact with the ground, so-called barefoot shoes might be for you. This way, you can enjoy the sensation of walking without shoes but still have your feet covered. Check them out on Amazon**.

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This article was translated from German to English by Christie Sacco. You can read the original here: Barfuß laufen: Deswegen sollten wir öfter auf Schuhe verzichten

Important Information regarding Health-related Topics.

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