Are Modern Shoes Ruining Your Feet? (Barefoot Walking)

Discussion of the effects of modern (or any) footwear on the feet and what you should or should not do about it. Dr. Todd Martin, creator of The Walking Code will discuss the pros and cons of footwear and also discuss the possible benefits of barefoot walking. It is common to hear videos decrying the evils of modern shoe companies and the damage caused by their overly manipulated shoes which are trying more and more to affect the way we walk. Millions of people suffer from back, knee, and foot pain related to the impact of walking and running. Shoe companies keep adding elaborate designs and features to try and reduce this impact, but is it working or having the opposite effect.

In this video I will also discuss the debate of heel vs forefoot striking which often comes up in the context of the modern footwear debate. I have debated Grown and Healthy in one of my previous videos on this topic. He and Bob and Brad are championing the idea that heel strike walking is only possible due to modern footwear. I am not sure what the definition of modern footwear is, given the fact that humans have walked heel first for all of known history. Even the fossil record indicates that early humans were walking heel first 3.5 million years ago. The Tarahumara tribe in Mexico, popularized by the book Born to Run, which launched much of this debate, walk with a heel strike. Studies of gait patterns of indigenous tribes that live traditionally barefoot also show that these people also walk with a heel strike.

For more information on The Walking Code Course and to enroll early, go to my website link below. I will see you there.
https://www.movementsphere.com/the-walking-code-online-course-2

Studies show that it is not just modern footwear that ruin our feet. Really, it is any footwear. But is this a necessary tradeoff? Large percentages of people do now wear correctly fitting shoes, and this can cause bunions, corns, hammertoes, and chronic foot pain. Depending on the population, up to 80% of people in some cases are wearing incorrect footwear, either due to fit, or due to inappropriateness for the circumstances. Any type of shoes, even sandals, also increase the impact on the feet when walking. This includes minimalist shoes as well, contrary to what their makers would have you believe. However, minimalist shoes may have some benefit in increasing foot strength in runners. They also may improve balance and decrease fall risk in those at risk of falls.

If you can, you should try to walk periodically barefoot to better assess your walking technique. If you have heel pain, you are probably not walking correctly. The new Walking Code Online Course is coming out on Oct 1st, and it can help you improve your walking technique, with or without shoes. Sign up before the release date and get a special deal you will find on my website.