Anyone else barefoot walking/running?

[tridim]

I"ve been on a major health kick lately and have been walking/jogging about 5 miles a day... And absolutely loving it!

I found this site:
http://runbare.com/barefoot-benefits

Barefoot Benefits

Top 10 Health Benefits of Going Bare

Going barefoot works by reawakening a light, natural stride in the body, through the feedback we get from our feet touching the ground. There’s less impact and joint torque than in a shoe, it reawakens muscles that have atrophied in our shoes, reawakens nerve endings and our balance system, stimulates reflexology points on the bottom of our feet, and even has anti-inflammatory benefits through grounding. This all means a stronger body, less joint pain, better posture, more mobility, greater health, and greater freedom.

Going barefoot is like discovering a new fountain of youth. When our feet, knees, hips and backs are no longer in pain, we’re more likely to be active again. You’ll feel younger, your body will act as if you’re younger, and you’ll be stronger and more active than you’ve been in many years. Your mind will become sharper and your concentration better focused.

That made obvious sense, so I decided to try walking barefoot tonight, in the city. It has been a long time, maybe 20 years since I last did that.

It was amazing! Shoes kill the feeling in your feet and toes, it'll remind you of childhood. I'm going to be doing this a lot.

Walk on!

[Hoyt]

1. I bought some of those "barefoot," minimalist shoes. They were cool for awhile, but with a lot of

hiking, they just did not provide the support and I started getting some pain in my heals and arches. Decided I needed something more substantial. But, I have a lot of miles/years on me. Hope you get to keep enjoying the experience. I may try them again this year, but work up to distances.

Now, a couple of miles on a beach is different.

[MannyGoldstein]

2. A friend of mine did that for a while

Running barefoot.

Broke his foot.

Don't remember the details.

[tridim]

3. Definitely don't try it, Manny.

[MannyGoldstein]

8. OK.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

4. I keep thinking about a pair of vibrams.

But do you just not wear socks if you're wearing shoes with toes? Or do you have to buy endless pairs of little toed footies made of nylon?

[HuckleB]

5. I do love walking around in grass and rock free dirt.

I suppose going barefoot bouldering might not be too bad. It's the tiny rocks I hate.

[PADemD]

6. Barefoot stories

When my son was about 2 years old, I let him walk barefoot in the house all day. By the end of the day, his feet were very dirty. When I placed him in the tub for his bath, there was already a red streak going up his leg. He had to take antibiotics.

In late 60's it was the fad to walk barefoot. We took a bus to the shore, with a stop at the bus terminal at Atlantic City. The terminal was filthy, with garbage and some kind of liquid on the floor. There was a barefoot guy walking through all that muck. Yuk!

If you are going to try barefoot walking or running, I wish you good luck. From past experience, it's not something I would do.

[tridim]

7. I cleaned my feet really well after.

And I trust my immune system.

[BarbaRosa]

9. Not in New Mexico

[tridim]

10. Yikes! Thankfully I can still see.

[SheilaT]

11. Going barefoot is a good idea in some places,

not such a good one in others.

If you live in a really hot place, like Phoenix in the summer, you can tell which kids grew up there because they can walk barefoot on the sidewalk. Out in the desert, the cactus makes walking barefoot not a very good idea.

[rurallib]

12. used to play basketball barefooted when I was a kid

for about 2 years. Since the courts were usually pretty clean I wouldn't worry about rocks or sticks or other stuff in the wild.
It did feel good, but those in charge forced me to wear shoes eventually.

I could cut quicker and seemed like I could jump higher. My feet were so calloused I could walk barefoot in the snow and not feel it for a while. I had to sleep with my feet out of the bed at night they were so hot.

[mopinko]

13. being an old lady with advancing arthritis

doc orders stiff shoes that do not let my toes bend.
have arch supports that i wear in my main shoes. does feel like foot prison sometimes. i always was a barefooter.

but, my feet dont hurt any more.

[polly7]

14. I rarely wear shoes if I can help it ...

I grew up barefoot and never got hurt except when a horse would step on me, I just learned to watch their feet a bit better. I remember my girlfriend and I sewed inserts into the sides of all our jeans at school just so we could hide our bare feet .. except for phys ed, but we finally got caught after a few months.

I pay for it when I have to wear good shoes to go out - after a few hours they do hurt.

Barefoot feels great!

[Dorian Gray]

15. I've heard good things about it

but I live in NYC and I'm not comfortable barefoot running in the park. I've seen all sorts of barefoot shoes, though, and I'd consider them. My problem that I worry about most is shin splints. I'm prone to them even with supportive and bouncy shoes. I'm afraid they'd be worse if I wen tbarefoot.

[Heddi]

16. uh oh. Vibram shoes not soo good

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2014/05/08/say-it-aint-so-vibram-say-it-aint-so/

[HuckleB]

17. Yup. Another baseless method of selling crap to people.

Ugh.