Walking in the same shoes every day is bad for your health. We already knew that. But it turns out that you should also indulge in barefoot walking at least once a day to prevent health problems.
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The benefits of being barefoot
Kristiaan D'Août is a lecturer in evolutionary biomechanics at the University of Liverpool, UK. He has published over a dozen articles on barefoot locomotion and barefoot kind of footwear. We should also be spending time every day barefoot or in minimalistic shoes.
Among the harms of classic shoes is the raised heel, which one study has linked to both discomfort and various injuries. Most shoes are also too narrow, especially at the toes, which D'Août says compresses the foot and can, over time, cause bunions and other deformities.
A study published in 2010 by Harvard evolutionary biologist Daniel Lieberman concludes that natural walking can:
Protect the feet and lower extremities from some of the impact-related injuries currently suffered by a high percentage of people.
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Walking barefoot also strengthens our immune system
A 2015 study by scientists from the University of Oregon and the University of California showed that bare skin contact with solid ground allows 'free electrons'' to pass from the ground to the body. This transfer of electrons can help improve the functioning of the immune system.
A 2021 study published in the journal Scientific Reports, found that when people switched to minimalistic shoes over a six-month period, their foot strength increased by almost 60%.
Dr D'Août explains:
You might consider that an improvement, but I think it's more accurate to say that you regain the strength that conventional shoes take away from you.
However, not all research supports barefoot in all circumstances. We should be careful not to damage our ankles.
This article is translated from Gentside FR.
