Working from home? Go Barefoot.
No joke, one of the best forms to show yourself some love right now is to go barefoot. Think of going barefoot as allowing your feet to rise to their full potential for strength and flexibility.
Why going barefoot is important
In 2019 I went to Hawaii and took part in a charity 10K trail run. On the day of the race, I noticed that some of the local kids ran the whole 10K barefoot, which I guessed is also how they lived a lot of the time. I also noticed that the kids were incredibly springy and fearless about jumping over puddles along the trail.
Whether you are training or simply moving about, the strength and joint range of your feet plays a huge role in how you move. If your feet are unstable, or your ankles too tight, you’ll see the instability or tightness affecting the movement of your knees and hips, in how you walk, in how you get in and out of a chair, and long-term in whether you are prone to pain and injury.
For those of us in urban environments, our habit is to put our feet in shoes and forget about them. Our feet are then at the mercy of that shoe enclosure. Whatever happens to them will depend on the shape of the shoes you tend to wear the most. Two really common things that happen to feet are bunions and hammer toes. These visible changes in shape are the result of your feet adjusting to the shape of your shoes.
Image from www.instagram.com/barfussfreaks
Shoe width
The job of our toes is to spread out and grip the floor, and give the foot (the base of our body) as much stability as possible. Shrinking that base of support into narrow shoes does not do us any favours. Equally, creating a slippery surface inside a shoe does not encourage gripping. Removing your shoes and going barefoot can encourage both a wider base of support, and better grip.
If the shoes you’ve been wearing are narrower than the footprint of your foot, chances are your toes have been squished together as a result and going barefoot will give them space to breathe. To help that process, there is a range of toe spacing products out there, not dissimilar to those you’d wear during a pedicure.
Shoe heel
The arch of your foot has developed to be a spring mechanism that helps to absorb shocks underfoot. To use this arch, you need to be able to contact the ground under your forefoot and under your heel. When your heel is cushioned or away from the ground, your arch is unstable. Staying barefoot allows you to train your foot to support your weight in different positions.
In terms of buying shoes, I would recommend weaning yourself off cushioned or heeled shoes and choosing flat shoes with a wide toebox.
If you are a runner, there is a lot of research that shows that barefoot running is a longer-term approach for foot health. However it is not easy to get into, if you have been using cushioned shoes. If you are interested in transitioning to a flat, minimalist shoe, this is a helpful read.
Image from www.instagram.com/myfootfunction
In summary...
While you’re working from home, take this as an excellent opportunity to use your foot and strengthen it.
Go barefoot, or wear flip flops that let your feet breathe.
While you are working, stretch your toes, and curl them using a towel. See here for good exercise suggestions.
Roll your feet on a massage ball or any other hard tennis-ball variation. Here is how.
Get toe spacers, either these or any other brand. Walk with them around the house and also use them to train with. (I'll be delighted to see you wearing them in class!)
Watch this video to find out more about toe spreaders and how they can help you use your feet better.
OK but what happens when I need to actually wear shoes?
When the weather permits, choose sandals. When it's cold, choose shoes with a wide toe box and a flat sole. I like these but if you've seen a brand you like, go and try them before you buy them online. Can your toes move inside or are they cramped? Can you spread them and grip the floor as you walk?
I hope this is helpful and gets you showing your feet some love this week! Let me know if you have any comments, thoughts or questions.
