Millions of individuals suffer from painful feet. Some have plantar fasciitis, neuromas, calf and Achilles tendon issues. Many of us have tried orthotics, inserts, cushioned and other types of shoes or sneakers to help our aching feet! Do these efforts really help or are they actually the cause of so many feet problems? Healthshifter recently listened to Dr. Peter Attia interview “Irene Davis, director of the Spaulding National Running Center at the Harvard Medical School. They discuss her research and views on foot health and the role of modern footwear in running-related injuries. They also discuss how minimalist footwear helps resolve subsequent biomechanical issues.” We also watched the short documentary Shoespiracy. “This feet-first short documentary will challenge you to think differently about your shoes, the negative effects your footwear is having on your feet, the way you move and ultimately your health. Shoespiracy, was made with the some of the biggest brains connected to feet and barefoot science today, including professors, doctors, bio-mechanists, movement experts, opinion formers and cobblers.”
Here are some of the many fascinating takeaways from the podcast and documentary:
For most of human existence we were barefoot. Our feet are well designed to stand the load of walking and running. Approximately 40,000 years ago shoes were developed to protect our feet against the elements, sharp objects and everyday life. Over time, footwear went from playing a protective role to a starring role in fashion. In the 1970’s along with the boom in running, shoes were developed with a cushion, heel drop and other design features which removed our feet from their natural and necessary contact with the ground. As we moved from protection to fashion our feet began to change and people began to experience feet problems. As there was a disconnect between our body and the ground, modern footwear began to weaken our feet and cause plantar fasciitis, neuromas, calf and Achilles tendon issues. Fashion, look and appeal came first; at a tremendous cost to our foot health.
So, do our feet need the support that developed 50 years ago? Many experts believe they do not. Studies have shown that we need shoes which allow our feet to do what they were adapted to do and that we should become in sync with our evolutionary legacy. Our feet, riddled with sensory neurons, need to be close to the ground and feel what we are stepping on. As we wear a minimalist shoe and strip away all the bells and whistles, individuals will reap and feel the benefits– our foot muscles get stronger. Dr. Davis’ clinical studies show that the closer we are to the way we were evolved to move, the less injuries will be sustained. She believes it is not a good idea to wear orthotics for life as the muscles get weak. She claims that without orthotics, your arch won’t fall, but will become even stronger. She advocates for a slow ween from orthotics with specific feet exercises so eventually our feet can take on the load that they were meant to have.
Dr. Davis believes everyone should wear minimalist shoes. She, herself, has 3 different minimalist shoes: INOV-8, Xero, and Vivobarefoot. Wearing these shoes is very powerful when it comes to strengthening our feet. They help change the impact if you run on the ball of your foot and bring a person away from the injury threshold (If you plan on landing on your heel, you might need cushioning). While Dr. Davis’ lab has foot strengthening programs, simply walking in a minimalist shoe is as effective as a foot strengthening program. It may take 2-3 weeks to acclimate. Children should be barefoot for as long as possible while their brains and nervous system develop. When we bring elderly people closer to the ground we develop and preserve their foot strength, improve their balance and minimize their fall risks!
So, what’s on your feet? Healthshifter challenges you to think differently about your shoes! Listen in detail to the podcast and documentary below.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-peter-attia-drive/id1400828889?i=1000491173363
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