The Barefoot Runner by Brett Lark

Do you hate the feeling of being bloated? Or how about when you’re weak or fatigued from not exercising? Well believe it or not, your feet need exercise too. The foot and ankle contains more than 26 bones, 33 joints, and over 100 different muscles. Our feet are the first point of impact to support our weight. If each intricate component is not exercised properly, this results in a domino effect of catastrophic conditions that creep up our body.

Most people believe that walking or running are a sufficient source of exercise for our feet, however, many of these muscles go overlooked. This is due to of our change in footwear over the years. Much of our running, fashion, casual and walking footwear cater to our visual aesthetics and comfort, rather than form and function. Even performance footwear can be rigid and pliable, but they restrict the foot to bend at it’s full range of motion. Often times there is so much cushion and padding, the only true movement of our foot is at the ankle joint.

From an anatomy perspective, our weigh directly translates into the heel and then spreads through the extension of the foot and toes. If the muscles in the extension of the foot and toes are bound by rigid fabric and cushion, it is like we are walking on stilts rather than disbursing the pressure through our foot. This causes further problems and creates more impact. Even though more cushion is used in our footwear, it often creates lower back pain, tight hamstrings, and a slew of other complications.

The arch of our feet is a marvelous design. It contains most of the muscles in the foot that are woven together, building a supportive structure, much like the design of a bridge. In fact, our arch is designed to be strengthened as we apply and disperse pressure to it. Therefore, when we walk on packed cushion that supports that arch inside our shoes, the muscles, over time, grow weak as they atrophy with less and less use. Those muscles need to be exercised just as our body needs to be exercised. And to do that, we need to remove the support from the arch.

A lot of research has gone into arch support, and more and more people are turning towards barefoot running. Yes switching to running without shoes can be somewhat dangerous and ultimately uncomfortable, which is why there have been so many developments in the barefoot shoe industry. Whether from Vibram, a more popular brand, or the conservative innovative brands, there are now many options available when purchasing a shoe that will exercise your whole foot.

Research is shown that our foot responds best when walking or running in barefoot shoes. A good regimen includes exercising our feet 3 to 5 times a week for 15 to 30 minutes periods. Even if you have flat feet, consistent exercise in barefoot shoes has been shown to increase the arch and create more stability in the feet. Barefoot running will even increase the aesthetics of your feet, creating definition and reducing swelling.

The less structured we can make the range of motion in our feet,  decrease the limits on their flexibility and exercise, the more vitality our feet will have. Do we need to take it to an extreme and live like the Flintstones? I hardly think that is necessary and I for one would definitely not put up with the smell. However, purchasing a pair of barefoot shoes has added one more sizable pebble to the scale of adding value to my life, and I believe it will be the same for you as well. You can read more about this from the references listed below.

Brett Lark  is a guest blogger and he founded, TheCureforCancer.com.co , after curing his cancer without surgery or radiation. He now helps clients cure their cancer through instructional videos, writing, and one on one sessions. Brett also is an actor, model, and singer in his spare time.