Picking the right pair of shoes

[norseamd]

you guys need to walk barefoot more

 

[Jeff7181]

you guys need to walk barefoot more

That's what I keep hearing recently. Barefoot walking and running seems to be a trendy thing to do. I think it's part of the whole "natural is better" movement, and while I believe there's some merit to it, I don't think walking around barefoot is a viable solution to my problem.

First, I don't think my coworkers would appreciate me walking around the office barefoot, nor would I like to feel every gross thing on the floor that people track around. Nor do I believe walking down the street barefoot is a good idea - there's tiny bits of glass and plastic from previous car accidents, cigarette butts, wads of old chewing tobacco, spit, gum, feces from various species of wild life and domesticated animals (maybe even human?).

I understand I could step around many of these things and wear shoes like these:http://www.amazon.com/Vibram-Fivefin.../dp/B004DSRKTE to protect my feet. However, I'd rather not hop down the street as if I'm playing an invisible game of hop-scotch that never ends while wearing "eclectic" footwear for fear of being picked up by men in white suits and taken away.

 

[norseamd]

That's what I keep hearing recently. Barefoot walking and running seems to be a trendy thing to do. I think it's part of the whole "natural is better" movement, and while I believe there's some merit to it, I don't think walking around barefoot is a viable solution to my problem. First, I don't think my coworkers would appreciate me walking around the office barefoot, nor would I like to feel every gross thing on the floor that people track around. Nor do I believe walking down the street barefoot is a good idea - there's tiny bits of glass and plastic from previous car accidents, cigarette butts, wads of old chewing tobacco, spit, gum, feces from various species of wild life and domesticated animals (maybe even human?). I understand I could step around many of these things and wear shoes like these:http://www.amazon.com/Vibram-Fivefin.../dp/B004DSRKTE to protect my feet. However, I'd rather not hop down the street as if I'm playing an invisible game of hop-scotch that never ends while wearing "eclectic" footwear for fear of being picked up by men in white suits and taken away.

exercise in a park or your yard or somewhere else that has grass or natural ground.

also take your socks off when you are at your house because not allowing the feet to breathe is what causes athletes feet

 

[ScottAD]

I walk around barefoot plenty. Barefoot running is great for biomechanically proficient runner but that doesn't help those blessed with duck feet.

 

[HOSED]

Most of the time I am barefoot around the house (never outside for the reasons you stated), the obvious downside is the chance of a broken toe. When I broke my pinky toe it took about 6 weeks to heal.
I recently bought these http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-13...-Shoes.jsp?isRequestFromHorRichRelavance=true for walking (I do about 4 miles each day). When I participated in sports I always bought the best sneakers I could afford typically New Balance (before their quality plummeted).
I got the linked sneakers in store for 29.99 and will by a few more pairs if I can get that price again.

 

[spacejamz]

you guys need to walk barefoot more

zero drop shoes/minimalist shoes are another alternative to promote a more natural walk...

Most shoes have a higher heel than the front but zero drops shoes are pretty much the same height from front to back.

The shoes that were recommended to me by the running store were Altra Turins which are zero drop. These are definitely the most comfortable running/workout shoes I have ever owned. Typically, I went to a shoe store (rackroom, kohls, etc) and just bought whatever I thought was comfortable. Getting a shoe recommended by someone who knows what to look for was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I was kind of skeptical thinking they would steer me to a higher priced shoe or one that had a higher margin, but the shoe they recommend was even on sale. I was expecting to pay around $120-150 for a proper shoe for my stride and was impressed that the shoe was $85.

 

[JBT]

I switched to Vibram five Fingers, and have never looked back. Lots of Plantar Factitious folks have had good luck with them. http://6pm.com has quite a few in stock for cheap. With that said I would try them on in a store before ordering a pair. Getting the right size could be tricky.

 

[agfkfhahddhdn]

I'd be careful with the whole barefoot running thing. You have to ease yourself into it (like starting with minimalist shoes as mentioned above) or you can seriously injure yourself. And even if you do it the "right" way, it's definitely not for everyone.