Barefooting

Inspired by this thread, I tried barefooting today for the first time in almost 40 years (not counting beach time and such); inside the house only, just to get used to it. It was quite nice actually. Quite different, but nice.
 
To be honest, I've always found it strange that people even wear shoes inside of houses. The first time I saw this, I was baffled. Where I live, it's not common to barefoot outdoors, but I never understood why people get the urge to wear shoes inside.
 
From my perspective, wearing shoes is like wearing gloves. I only do it when environmental conditions require me to. Otherwise, I go without - after all, you wouldn't live your live wearing gloves, would you? Think of all the subtle interactions and textures you'd miss. For me, feet and footwear has the same effect.

So CBI, I'm glad you gave it a try and liked it. Now take a few steps outdoors and rediscover the world :)
 
Kier said:
If the weather and terrain permits, Devon can be a lovely place to walk barefoot. You and your daughters should give it a try sometime, you might surprise yourselves with how capable the human foot can be, when freed from the confines of a stiff and unyielding hiking boot.
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Actually honey, Claire, my middle daughter lost two toes last years whilst playing in the field we were camping in, her foot went down a small Rabbit rest where some damn idiot had smahed a beer bottle, the wound was horrendous, she lost two toes and needed 97 stitches, nope, trekking = boots for me and mine, it's not worth the risk.
 
Ouch, sorry to hear that. One can never underestimate the capacity for people to ruin the environment for everyone else.

I'm all for going barefoot, but it's important to be sure of the surface you're walking on, and a terrain with hidden dangers such as rabbit holes etc that are not clearly visible is not a good candidate.
 
Something I wondered about...

Right now my pinky toe is slightly curled in because of the years of shoe wearing. Does barefooting correct this over time as the foot expands out or will the foot expand but the toe orientation stays the same?
 
Onimua said:
Right now my pinky toe is slightly curled in because of the years of shoe wearing. Does barefooting correct this over time as the foot expands out or will the foot expand but the toe orientation stays the same?
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The curl will gradually become less pronounced, but it's likely that its shape is a result of childhood development in shoes, so it will never completely resolve itself. Thankfully, the last toe has very little role in stability or movement so it shouldn't really affect you.
 
Speaking of toes, I did a bit more video yesterday and looking back at it, it's astonishing quite how much more balanced, steady and strong my feet appear to be without shoes. I'd post the video here, but it's just a five minute long sequence of steps, jumps and balances with and without shoes, so unless anyone has a particularly burning desire to see it...
 
Kier said:
The curl will gradually become less pronounced, but it's likely that its shape is a result of childhood development in shoes, so it will never completely resolve itself. Thankfully, the last toe has very little role in stability or movement so it shouldn't really affect you.
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Hm... alright then. I've always through that toe looked weird, but glad it's not actually that important. Oddly though, I haven't done much different but I went down a shoe size and I'm not sure why. I used to be a size 12 US, but now I'm an 11 without a clue as to why. :confused:

Kier said:
Speaking of toes, I did a bit more video yesterday and looking back at it, it's astonishing quite how much more balanced, steady and strong my feet appear to be without shoes. I'd post the video here, but it's just a five minute long sequence of steps, jumps and balances with and without shoes, so unless anyone has a particularly burning desire to see it...
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Not sure anyone wants to see your feetures. :p
 
Onimua said:
I used to be a size 12 US, but now I'm an 11 without a clue as to why. :confused:
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How tall are you? Are your feet in proportion to your height?

I'm 6'2" and I (don't) wear UK size 10 shoes (Euro 44, US 10½), which seem to look about right for my height.
 
Meh, I'm diabetic and they say I shouldn't go barefooted.

I don't listen when it comes to the beach though, the beaches around where I live are really sandy, hardly any stones at all.
 
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