Barefoot shoes are a special category of shoes designed and manufactured to allow your feet to function as if they were barefoot. Barefoot shoes, as such shoes are popularly known, are light, very flexible, without heels and with enough room for toes. They don't miss a leg anywhere, they don't push it, on the contrary - they let it work quite naturally as it is built by nature. Freedom and joy for your feet. :-) In this article we will look at a very important part that determines whether you can walk well in your shoes or not. Learn how to choose the right barefoot shoes.
The word barefoot expresses the term barefoot in English and that is precisely the philosophy of this type of shoe. The word barefoot is also slowly but surely becoming known in our Slovak language, which we are happy about, because it only shows that the number of enthusiasts of "barefoot" shoes is constantly increasing :-) It is very important to know the right choice , because we don't contribute much to our health with improperly selected shoes. It is all the more important to choose the right barefoot shoes for children, as their feet are constantly growing and evolving. Barefoot shoes are a special category of shoes that cannot be compared with ordinary shoes and that we can buy in any store. When choosing, therefore, different criteria must be taken into account than those that we solve for classic sneakers or ballerinas.
Characteristics of barefoot shoes
There are a large number of different types of barefoot shoes on the market today, but there are also those that share a common name and are no longer related to barefoot. It is therefore important to be able to distinguish a real barefoot shoe from one that is only an imitation. The right barefoot shoe must have the following properties:
1. Flexible and thin sole
The sole of the barefoot shoes is flexible transversely and longitudinally. If it were flexible only in the front part, i.e. in the toe area, it would be too hard and would not ensure the correct engagement of the leg muscles when walking. In order for barefoot shoes to mimic walking barefoot, they are equipped with a thin sole (3 - 6 mm) that ensures maximum semi-sensory / proprioceptive function - contact with the surface (sidewalk, gravel, grass, walking in the forest) and perception of the surface through receptors in the feet.
2. Zero drop
The sole of a barefoot shoe must have zero difference between heel and toe (zero/zero drop), i.e. heel and toe are in one plane. This ensures a natural posture when walking or running, where the heel is no higher than the toe, allowing the foot to work naturally. For example, frequent use of high heels, where the heel has a significant height difference from the toe, can shorten the Achilles tendon.
3. Wide toes
Barefoot shoes must provide enough room for toes to move. Only a wide tip, which is anatomical, provides enough space. Narrow shoes do not allow for the involvement of leg muscles that are strengthened by walking barefoot, and so this muscle weakens over time.
4. Without vault
The shoes must not be equipped with a heel cushion inside, which is a classic part of ordinary running shoes, as this prevents contact with the surface. At the same time, barefoot shoes have no arch support, so there is no artificial support for the feet at all, but they can function quite naturally and behave as if they were barefoot.
5. Lightness
Barefoot shoes should have a minimum weight, which is due to a light construction. The shoes can be made with a very strong upper that doesn't even allow you to feel your toes, which is unthinkable with barefoot shoes.
