The Suprising Effects of Going Shoeless: One Month Without Footwear

What would happen if you stopped wearing shoes for 1 month? Find out!
1) Toes Spread Out
2) Less Foot Pain
3) Stronger Feet
4) Better arch control
5) Improved balance
6) Enhanced Lifting Technique
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A special shout out to Dr. Ray McClanahan of @correcttoes for all of the education he provided me on this topic and to @MuscleandMotion for the amazing anatomy graphics.

[@SquatUniversity]

How do you guys like this format for the long form KZbin video (more of a podcast style)? Let me know!

[@lalylaly27]

I didn't even notice really that it was podcast style because, thankfully, you still included physical examples. I also liked the list. [I like when key words are shown on screen, especially big words that i don't know how to even spell like "planter fishiaitus....?" 😂 see]

[@SquatUniversity]

@@lalylaly27 Thanks for letting me know!

[@andrewilliams3630]

Please do a video on turf toe. My big toe has a lot of trouble holding weight during calf raises

[@mariagracialoisrodriguez4428]

Hello, I love walking barefoot but when I do I have severe pain on the ball of the right foot especially without the support of the orthotics.What can I do to adress that? Thank you.

[@mariagracialoisrodriguez4428]

Btw love the educational contet. Thank you.

[@xanhhang9023]

Shot out to ALL the barefoot hippies in Northern California that I grew up around. Kick rocks to all those people who told me I was weird for spending most of my life barefoot. My feet are amazing.

[@danielsempere9507]

😂

[@sharkbait1958]

Right on!

[@LesserMoffHootkins]

I tried going barefoot all summer when I was 15. My dad said it would toughen my feet. It was extremely painful; gravel, thistles, hot asphalt, sticks, debris, constantly hurt and injured me. It was an extremely stupid and pointless exercise

[@kaufmanat1]

Don't kick rocks barefoot... You'd stub your toe.

[@TheHunter-it2ib]

@@LesserMoffHootkins you just did it too hard and too fast, gravel is actually easy to walk on one you get mileage with barefoot shoes, and walking on hot asphalt is just an obvious mistake

[@Sayan_Biswas.]

"The less the shoe does to the foot the better it is for the foot " - what a quote

[@Daniel-Davies-Gonstead-Student]

It's alright, but it doesn't allow for the possibility of *no shoe* ... And if you watched the video (or if you've done other research or the like), you'll know that's really the best.

[@kashperanto]

I've been in barefoot shoes for over a decade, and I recently decided to start running totally barefoot. It is amazing how resilient my soles are. At first even a smooth paved trail was quite "spicy" when I was only walking, and rough pavement was very painful. My feet felt super raw afterwards, but I had *absolutely no blisters or hot spots*. The very next day my soles were totally healed and even reinforced. My next outing was considerably less "spicy", and after that one I started routinely running about 3 miles a few times a week. Now I could walk on smooth pavement all day, and I can walk for an hour on rough pavement with no pain. In another week or so I'll bet I can start running on rough pavement with no problem. Aside from thicker skin on my contact areas my feet look totally normal. I never would have guessed how tough my soles are, and how quickly they can adapt to dealing with rough terrain.

[@unogazzy84]

Doesn't the impact of the hard terrain destroy you joints?

[@godsentjesustosetusallfree9859]

Sometimes too much isn't a good thing. On rough terrain aren't you worried about cuts or damage to your feet?

[@maciejp7829]

​@@unogazzy84nope. Thats's a myth

[@kashperanto]

@@unogazzy84 The impact on my joints is less than running in shoes because I don't have the padding or protection to carelessly slam my feet onto the terrain. They have actually measured the peak shock force of barefoot vs shod runners, and barefoot has a lower measured peak force value because of the change it forces you to make in your gait. I did have a mild shin splint in my right leg when I tried to significantly (like 50%) increase my total running in a week, but after a quick break I've had no issues since I stopped trying to force progress. As I said in my original comment, I've been wearing minimalist footwear for over a decade, so my feet and lower legs are in much better shape to be able to function properly without shoes. YMMV.

[@kashperanto]

@@godsentjesustosetusallfree9859 I have not gotten any cuts while running, and have hiked maybe 10mi one day with no issues. Rougher terrain (like hiking) is actually way better than smooth paved terrain with small rocks or seeds or other pointy unpleasant things. Rough asphalt is probably the least pleasant (even vs gravel IMO), because it's more like rough sandpaper with "sharp" edges on the embedded gravel. Actually, when I was hiking I even walked on a rough paved trail that incorporated recycled glass bits in it. The edges weren't super sharp like freshly broken glass, but they weren't rounded or dull either. I was a bit worried at first, but no cuts or anything else. About the only time I get cuts is when I'm doing yardwork. I always seem to find a way to poke and scratch myself with small twigs whenever I mow, probably from all of the odd maneuvering without looking where I step.

[@Togotzi]

One aspect I think gets overlooked is rolling your ankles on typical running shoes with lots of cushion. I feel much more attached to the ground and uneven surfaces in barefoot shoes than traditional walking/running shoes.

[@Mallchad]

Agree. One thing I noticed with a lot of modern shoes is it really encourages people to roll their ankle, and deadens the feedback that says "stop, your foot is placed precariously". But on the other hand feet are naturally perfectly shaped to make it *almost impossible* to roll your ankle, it always wants to roll flat. You're actually more likely to pull a muscle because it's too weak

[@snowwonder9814]

I have hEDS and I roll my ankles way less with barefoot shoes. Turns out when your soles are bendy and your feet feel the ground, it’s easier to land right! Makes sense because I always role them in regular shoes - meanwhile I was always fine in my barefeet navigating uneven boat surfaces!

[@sidrens1047]

One of my clients had flat feet with zero medial arch. He wore orthotics for a number of years. One year later after bare foot training he has a normal arch at rest and no need for orthotics.

[@johnatyoutube]

I've been going barefoot inside and wearing minimalist shoes outside for the last year. I've also worn Correct Toes to help reposition my toes. I've had huge improvements in foot health, strength, balance, and reduction in back pain. Our bodies were not made to wear conventional shoes. It takes a while to adapt, but you'll see improvements pretty quickly. Just take it easy at first because you have to get used to not wearing mushy shoes with raised heels.

[@portion6350]

I must share my experience here as a warning - I dropped the shoes and went barefoot for a few days last year and the sudden change caused a lot of stress on my unconditioned feet and resulted in a plantar fibroma :( please be careful and allow your feet to adjust, unlike me who decided to go straight into sprinting

[@afnrm1858]

So what do you suggest we do? Maybe start walking barefoot first?

[@portion6350]

I guess the best approach would be to slowly adjust to it, but in natural environments like outdoors rather then walking around on hard floors indoor and let your feet learn to be barefoot again before putting them under stress (not an expert, just my advice)@@afnrm1858

[@fintanotoole6723]

​@@afnrm1858Walk before you can run. Age old advice.

[@kirani111]

​@@afnrm1858start by being barefoot at home m. My roommates are Asian and ever since I started living with them my feet have been better cause we don't wear shoes indoors. Then buy barefoot shoes to do daily activities, not running.

[@happygreenclean]

@@afnrm1858 Yes I started walking and now getting into running. People need to be patient or you will get injuries.

[@ton9467]

Doc, your channel is exactly what i’ve been looking for for years. Your expertise, clarity, no-fuss, and empathetic approach is the best out there right now. If i may make a suggestion, it would be amazing to put your protocols combined, in like a “follow along, joint focused, pain free strength training for beginners” sort of workout. You have such a clear way of instructing, even if you were to put it behind a paywall, i would buy it 💯

[@ashleyyoung1317]

I only wear flip flops. When I have to put regular shoes on it hurts so much. I wish I lived where we never had cold weather

[@CaliburovX4]

You explained the benefits I felt from going to barefoot style shoes better than I ever could. I'm gonna use this to spread the word. Thank you!

[@HolyCodzta]

Switched to a barefoot shoe almost a year ago today and a couple months ago started getting a stiff right heel in the morning which has become painful in the past week or so. Looked it up and it seems like achilles tendonitis which apparently can be brought on from wearing flat shoes. Rehab time is supposedly 6 to 9 months so I would definitely advise people take it slow! Maybe don't even wear them on concrete/tarmac for at least a few months if not longer, to allow the feet and legs to properly adapt in time. Two week update: After watching many videos on achilles tendinopathy (both insertional and otherwise) and plantar fascitis (doctor diagnosed it as PF over the phone but my local NHS GP isn't great so still pretty sure it's achilles tendinopathy), I'd also recommend at least isometrics, slow (maybe weighted) eccentrics and self foot massages before you even have any problems. Could be good to chuck in some extras like towel scrunches and balance exercises too. Mine mustn't be too bad because just a few sets of each over the last two weeks and it's already much better. Experiment early and get to know your feet well before you're forced to due to injury. If you're lazy with that kinda stuff (like me) then try and see it as fun and exploratory rather than something you have to force yourself to do!

[@AnUnhappyBusiness]

Had similar issue. Ran in minimal and then went barefoot for about a year (when running) but the symptoms kicked in when I transitioned to zero drops for all my daily work etc. Basically had to cut back on running and give my feet time to adjust to always being flat. Took about 6 months. Back to running with nothing more than achilles stiffness in the morning now

[@HolyCodzta]

@@AnUnhappyBusiness Glad you were able to almost sort it! Can I ask what kinda rehab you did in those 6 months?

[@AnUnhappyBusiness]

@@HolyCodzta most important changes were I stopped stretching, and stopped doing calf raises, and stopped sprinting and steep hills, and backed off my distance. Your achilles needs to be strong, and going from heeled shoes to zero drop stretches it, weakens it. I stretch now, but very carefully and only at the end of the day. I basically stopped warming up altogether and ran slow enough to not get injured on no warm up. Which is pretty slow. I think I should have retained heeled shoes for work, and did zero every where else, at least for a time. But yeah basically just anything that would stretch my calf (and of course also my achilles) in any way, I stopped altogether. Gave it time to adjust. Now I do calf raises again but I am careful not to drop below zero w my heels, and I save any sort of stretch for my calfs and ankles and hamstrings for the end of the day. I also run hills but still have to be careful about how I land each step or I might have to take an extra day off. Those are the things that seemed to make the most difference in terms of daily pain

[@WarmSun_MGM]

Same i got plantar fasciitis when switching to more flat/wide shoes. It also made my knee pain worse. Which i was told it was because I’m a heel striker so having a bit higher heel to toe drop can help relieve pressure in my heels and knees. So now i wear shoes with around a 5-8 heel to toe drop. But even at home i always wear house shoes or socks as i don’t want calluses. Heart health is directly related to foot health. So i would never recommend anyone go completely barefoot.

[@00oleander00]

Couldn’t agree more! I am a contemporary dancer so moving barefoot a lot, still had pain in the heel in the beginning and needed to reduce walking in barefoot shoes in order to adapt - I even went to hike on a hill one week into wearing barefoot shoes, and was surprised that my right heel was in real pain. Then I realised the seriousness of this change for the foot. I also took some hiphop classes (not my main dance style) wearing barefoot shoes in my first month, and had knee pain and foot pain - and realised that this was too much. It is super easy to underestimate this change. The longer the transition, the better. Otherwise those foot injuries might take just too long. Prevention is better in this case! Thanks for the heads up about the massage & exercises. I wish your full recovery soon!

[@PauloNideck]

What a great video! It just makes sense. I just started training barefoot and I already feel the difference

[@JivecattheMagnificent]

Incredible video, man. Have been wearing barefoot shoes for about two years now and yeah I'd never go back. I had to go outside a couple of weeks ago and put on an old pair of trainers since it was really muddy, and yeah I noticed my toes were painfully crushed together, so much so that after about fifteen minutes I had to take them off. It's mad to think that before I was so used to my toes being mashed together that I couldn't even feel it.

[@husaink17]

Waiting for my shoes to arrive tomorrow. Your videos are a great motivation for my decision!

[@meryemyanar9798]

The info about toe spread and squat form blew my mind. I've been having some issues with my squats, and now I'm going to try a shoe with a wider toe box to see if it helps at all. Thanks for this great video!

[@Yogabienetreetpaillettes]

Hello, I am a mom of 3 boys and my second son have a lot of difficulties to wear shoes. I was not at ease with that during a long time... One day, I started to walk without shoes in my house, only socks and I totally change my point of view. Now, I really understand my son and how it's better, confortable and really benefic for the body and our well-being not wearing shoes. I am now happy that my son showed me the path ;-) I am happy to watch your videos and receive all informations, it is really helpfull to understand what it is behind the natural intelligence of my son!! Last time, my doctor saw my foot and told me : ohh what's happen ? you have flat foot now !! Well Dr, I started to walk without shoes.....LOL Thank you. Greetings from France.

[@timothymcglothlin4165]

I love this video! I’m No Dr. I’m just a stupid mechanic by trade. Something doesn’t seem right about cramming all my toes into something that feels like a funnel all day. After growing up and getting ingrown toenails, and developing bunions after cramming my feet in combat boots, something clicked in my head and I realized what was causing all my problems. My feet are too far gone, but my kids WILL NOT have their feet ruined by all the garbage shoes made by most shoe companies today.

[@user-cy6gu4to3m]

Ain't gone too far yet brother. Only best foot years ahead of you now!

[@CoriBayani]

Great video. I’ve going barefoot on my treadmill and I’m glad it not only safe but good for you as well. Thanks for sharing.

[@joeybhangdia4529]

This video is one that every person needs to see. So incredibly informative and important. Thank you so much

[@SquatUniversity]

I really appreciate it!

[@leftdoor2328]

Love this video! Never understood healthy food shape and function until I started watching your videos. At college, I always get made fun by other people for having wide toes since I walk around my living space barefoot. And they wonder why I don't have foot pain, have much better balance than them, and do better athletically. Thanks for exposing me to good education and healthy practices!

[@pinchpeak5203]

In Canada and many other countries, it's completely normal to take your shoes off inside your home. It wasn't until I met people from the states that I found out they don't take off their shoes inside. My toes are noticeably more spread out than most examples

[@Diablokiller999]

Wait, americans wear their shoes in their homes? Why? In germany (or all over europe as far as I know) we put them away asap when arriving home. The japanese aren't even allowed to wear shoes inside and in some restaurants too.

[@SelectKiko]

​@@Diablokiller999 it's because of all the spent shell casings which line the floors of our dwellings

[@username00009]

@@Diablokiller999 there’s no broad American custom when it comes to wearing shoes at home. People back East have mudrooms where they take their yucky winter wear off before entering the house; not sure if they also remove shoes during the summer. Plenty of Americans are germophobes and have strict no shoe rules or they switch to indoor only shoes. People generally don’t ask guests to remove their shoes, but it is more common now than it was 20 years ago.

[@dang1099]

​@@SelectKikoI can't tell if this is satire and I think that makes it even better

[@MNIU_]

Asian and Black people don’t wear shoes inside the house

[@Splattedable]

I just went for my first run with a minimalist shoe and I am completely blown away by how good it was. I completely underestimated the importance of the extra feedback you get and the amount would improve my running (and walking) form.

[@khanscombe619]

Blooming brilliant. I 100% agree & got to do it 2 yrs during work @ home & wow! My comfort & balance improved especially on hardwood floors. So soon as I we could get out I found skating balance felt in control. I wear thin socks & minimal inset & I swear I can feel every crush of ice underneath. As of walking on my hands. I was so impressed

[@timebank1949]

I loved the video and especially the fact that you really took the time to show(!) and explain(!) us how going barefoot is the real health for our feet. I am looking forward to getting these new powerlifting shoes where you contributed with this knowledge.

[@demetriopruneda4381]

Thank you for sharing this most valuable information. Knowledge is power and this knowledge you've shared empowers people to help themselves.

[@mattshaw6259]

One of your best-explanation videos ❤

[@danijelteslic8258]

I started going barefoot as much as possible over the past year and can confirm all of the benefits you described. I only wear shoes to work (most of the time I work from home so barefoot), gym or shop, alltogether maybe 2 hours a day on average. Being barefoot rules!

[@grenade8572]

I never wear shoes at home, because I don't line it since I was a little kid. Even in winter (my parents are baffled: "how are you not cold?" -- I i deed don't ferl the cold). I tried to walk barefoot outside, but pavments are too hard and I hurt myself when I walk in the grass (little rocks, tree branches, etc.). As a teen, when I had to wear shoes most of my timd because of school, I read in a feminine magazine how to have space berween my toes. The only reason was because it loos nice (it was back in early 2000's, barefoot was not a thing). It's easy to do it : just putting pencils between the toes (I don't remember how much time... I did it when I read books). It worked like a charm (warning: at the beginning, it can be painful; I'd say it's better to not put the pencils to deep in the does. But, after a few times, rhe toes move freely; I stopped putting pencils when they jept falling because the spaces between my toes my toes became wider than the pencils).

[@Gengh13]

Completely agree, in my case I also needed to stretch the Achilles after decades of normal footwear.

[@PhuongLe-qy5jj]

My ankle always hurts after wearing shoes, even I wear expensive shoes. At the age of 40, I love to "liberate" my feet and start to "walk barefoot" at least in my bedroom and to feel comfortably the floor beneath my feet. Love your video. Thank you!!!

[@kazlee3292]

Really enjoyed this video! I never realized how therapeutic barefoot walking could be. Looking forward to the next one!

[@uncipaws7643]

in addition to what has been said here I noticed much better circulation in the feet, no more cold feet!

[@saramarkowicz]

The informations provided are extremely interesting, I learned a lot, thank you !

[@jasminrath3260]

I love your content 👌 you’re my favorite channel that belongs to sport. I bought my first baarefootshoes for the gym and I will never go back. For daily life it’s a bit tricky especially for work…

[@georgelane6350]

I love your videos. There are some great small small details in this one I particularly like that when you are discussing toe misalignment causing plantar fasciiitis you've gone to the effort of finding stock footage of a dude with some of the worst bunions I've ever seen suffering the effects of plantar fasciitis

[@mikoajkacki9443]

I love your videos, could you expand a bit more into mma/grappling injury prevention and S&C? I remeber you saying that most of the core prehab you're showing is mainly for weightlifting/powerlifting where it's possible to have a rounded back and that fighters should use different strategies

[@Aquechingadamadre]

Dope Vid! This is such an underrated and overlooked topic glad your bringing awareness

[@ALoonwolf]

I hurt my back a couple of weeks ago, but I barely even noticed. What I did notice was that my toes were doing a lot of extra work, along with my legs and stomach, in order to greatly lessen the strain on my back. I was bending over and digging and all sorts without pain. Toe mobility is very important!

[@thegamethemovie9605]

Thankfully, the Japanese workplace allows slippers, or even socked feet. I gave up shoes years ago. While my feet have enjoyed the freedom and spread out, my coworkers have small, narrow feet. They choose narrow slippers, though.

[@trevorgaron782]

You should have TYR build a wider toe box CrossFit shoe👀👀 always love the content and the information you put out!

[@80Filthy]

Excellent video!

[@noran1026]

It’s definitely true. I realized I feel more stable with barefoot. I got in trouble at the gym for going barefoot because they don’t want things to drop on the feet! Pretty sure I signed my life off not just the feet when I signed up lol But thats ok, the floor is very smooth & slippery in most areas at the gym plus your feet also sweat so there’s a concern… I go wide toe box shoes with firm soles & try to spread my toes out before a movement

[@SquatUniversity]

That's why a barefoot shoe is a good option!

[@RAPEDBYBLACKS]

No one wants your nasty sweat all over the gym floor

[@Tao_Tology]

I wouldn't go barefoot in a (shared. public) gym for the same reason I wouldn't use equipment after someone else if it hasn't been cleaned/wiped down. People are disgusting. 😏

[@noran1026]

@@SquatUniversity I’m looking into these shoes. Any specific make/model that you’ve worn or heard good things about ? Different chiropractors have told me my left leg is .5-.75 inch shorter than my right. I blame my slight hip shift for this, at least as a contributor. Back squat still aggravated my issue this week though I’ve been solid with front squat ( good bracing, almost all the way down without winging ) What would you recommend? Modified shoes is not easy but I’m open to advice. Side note, I’m recovering from SI joint pain accumulated from imperfect form & ineffective bracing. My recent improvement with front squat are thanks to mobility & bracing techniques you’ve shared! I’m so grateful to learn something good out of the ordeal!

[@20dieux]

I'm not sure how having normal shoes is going to prevent being injured if something fall on your feet lol Unless they're asking their members to come in security shoes.

[@Alesini100]

All my knee problems went away when I started working from home after Covid and not wearing shoes around my house. My feet got so strong that I couldn't tolerate wearing regular tennis shoes when working out because they were feeling awkward and not natural for my feet anymore. Now, I can only workout if I'm either shoeless or wearing barefoot shoes (I found a very inexpensive and decent brand in Amazon :D). This is great info! Thanks for sharing.

[@crinaboier]

what is the brand of shoe you use, please?

[@yassine3978]

Thank you for sharing

[@SquatUniversity]

You’re welcome

[@zappaul123]

Thank you for this informative video

[@slashnagy6]

Thanks for doing what you’re doing. I’ll be honest, I don’t really follow you but as a multi-sport athlete, I’ve come across your content and the work you’ve put in over the years advocating for good foot health-it may seem like small steps but you are slowly gaining traction and making a difference in the footwear/health/podiatry space. Great job with the TYR line btw; you should be proud. You could be the Elon Musk of footwear and force the big names (looking at you Nike) to change their ways.

[@fegoeba123]

This channel is awesome!

[@SquatUniversity]

Thank you

[@raziyaswanart6621]

Awesome! Thank you.

[@rodrigosouto9502]

Concise and conplete video!

[@SquatUniversity]

Thank you!

[@markhalstead2386]

I started going barefoot at home and walk from my house to my detached home gym barefoot and workout barefoot. All my shoes are barefoot shoes, except for two. Those are dress shoes and winter boots. I am replacing the dress shoe soon and the winter boot later in the year. It was 3.5 months ago when I made this decision and I notice the changes in my foot.

[@shitt_snacker4930]

What kind of doctor are you? I’d love to see someone like you to help with my mobility issues! Love your videos man. Thank you

[@elfinpurple219]

I have been going barefoot for several years now, except when it gets too cold. There's no way I could afford 'barefoot' shoes, and I've found I really don't need any footwear now. My soles have toughened, my knees ache less, as has my back. I suspect due to forced better posture. It's great for meditation and mindfullness too, as you have to focus more on where you are placing your feet. A cool video, thank you! :D

[@junbh2]

For a lot of the year I wear $12 pool shoes. They have a mesh and neoprene upper and an extremely soft thin rubber sole. They're intended to be worn when swimming, but I just wear them as my everyday shoes. In winter it gets too cold but in fall and spring I just wear them with warm socks.

[@trackhoodie1741]

Just wanted to drop a comment to agree to every point you made. As someone who had just accepted that I was flat footed since my teenage years and it eventually lead to torn ACL's and plantar fasciitis. Ever since I was introduced to the benefits of being barefoot in 2018. I have never looked back! I have strong feet now with some arches now and no reoccurrences of plantar fasciitis. My main form of workouts was Muay Thai to maximize my barefoot time under dynamic stress supplemented with yoga and the 3 major lifts (squat, deadlift, bench). My feet feel great. It would feel better if I shed a few more pounds though.

[@moshdee456]

I love seeing this info getting balance mainstream

[@juliap1494]

Perfect timing!!!! I’m barefoot 98% of the time (work from home, pretty much only train barefoot) but sometimes my right foot hurts. Thought it was maybe a Jones fracture? Doesn’t hurt when squatting or training at all - only sometimes when walking. Thanks for the informative video

[@SquatUniversity]

You're so welcome! Glad you liked the video!

[@sspainhour15]

Toe spacers!

[@juliap1494]

@@sspainhour15 been using them for years!

[@SquidProQuo1]

I have a Morton’s Neuroma on my right foot. Try looking up those symptoms and see if they match yours.

[@fabiennechristin1665]

Bonjour, j’hésite à m’y mettre. Je marche pieds nous avec les séparateurs à la maison mais j’ai peur à l’extérieur de mettre des chaussures plates. J’ai été opérée des tends d’Achille et le chirurgien m’à dit qu’il fallait que j’ai un petit talon. Donc quoi faire ?

[@RohitYadav-qy5pr]

I feel more stable barefoot in gym. Some people think I am crazy shoes are to protect our foot etc etc but I feel more stable and surprisingly I am able to lift more barefoot, my balance on single leg squat and RDL increased and I feel more planted

[@guylivesay8330]

Been going mostly barefoot now for several years. Some days are completely a barefoot day.....retirement has made that possible. People that know me will sometimes see me wearing shoes and give me that questioning look. My feet feel great and the only problem is an occasional foreign object(thorn, splinter, etc.). Evening walks on the waterfront are a pleasure, going from grass to brick to wood to concrete. Thanks for the video!!

[@khalidramji8083]

I’ve been waiting for a wide toe box shoe for the gym!!

[@lauraghilani2428]

This is a perfectly timed video! I've been in natural toe box shoes (Lems) for 6 months at work, around town and working out. I've increased as prescribed and I am now running in minimalist shoes. I recently started experiencing mid foot pain. It only comes after periods of rest, never once I'm warmed up. The only thing I found was about tight calves. Any thoughts? Thank you for the great video! I'm encouraged to not give up on the barefoot movement!

[@gagaape]

I have the same thing. I'm recovering from plantar fasciitis, it's only a problem in the mornings now. I have to warm up my foot before putting weight on it, otherwise the plantar pain sometimes comes back. Wonder what the real fix could be

[@decky9718]

After lifting barefoot for quite a while, Im quite positive my shoe size actually grew by half a size. I recently went to get new shoes, tried to get the same shoe i already had in the same size and the new pair was simply too small. So I went up half a size and they fit perfect. Maybe I just grew normally, but I feel like lifting barefoot actually caused my feet to grow.

[@SquatUniversity]

That can definitely happen!

[@Doodenx]

finally one thing that actually improves when i stay at home all day

[@iseabeck9488]

I've been wearing Vivo's for about 8 months now. I have pairs for around town, in the office, and on the hiking trail. No ragerts.

[@SquatUniversity]

Glad you like them!!

[@AvB.83]

I never thought about the elderly when it comes to improved balance, that's a new one for me. And a very good point. My grandma fell over in her home, broke her leg at 80-something, and never really recovered from there, that one moment not only cost her probably a few years, but a ton of quality of life, and it also led to weeks in hospital. Imagine having such an easy way to reduce that risk... 07:40 Totally agree, but I think we should see shoes the same way we see gloves. They are great tools, but what we're doing most of the time is the equivalent of wearing boxing gloves all day 🤷‍♂

[@z0uLess]

I had issues with this more than 10 years ago and I discussed it with my physician, which just didnt engage with my theories at all. Thankfully, I have learned to listen to my body first and I started preferring wide toebox shoes (the sort often marketed as "scandinavian fit"). Then, in my running, I started using Newton shoes to start to work towards more minimalist shoes and better running form by engaging the balls of my feet more in the stride and having higher cadence. I used years to make these changes. Now, I am using zero drop shoes casually and I use barefoot shoes in the gym and when playing table tennis. I still use some cushioning when running in the woods, but my feet are way stronger and I even hiked 350 km last summer in the Norwegian mountains in zero drop shoes (altra).

[@aresjerry]

Just hit one year, Started with wide toes box at work. And a minimalist when off or at home. Got a pair of lems boots for work after, and a Merrell trail glove. Now I wear lems for work and Merrell vapor glove in my off time. Trail glove If I am walking in on hard ground for a trip or travel. Toes have widen, plantar fascia issues are all but gone with PT and barefoot style shoes.

[@SquatUniversity]

I’m so glad to hear! Thanks for sharing your story!!

[@Sam-ge5hg]

First time I've watched a long format type video of yours and I must say it was very well done and interesting 👌🏼

[@SquatUniversity]

Thank you for the feedback!!

[@Daniel-Davies-Gonstead-Student]

Oh god, 8/9 minutes nowadays it "long format"...

[@Sam-ge5hg]

@@Daniel-Davies-Gonstead-Student I'm not even going to bother making an intelligent reply since you are simply looking for attention to begin with.

[@hlogilehlogonolo5438]

When I was young I used to play football(soccer) barefoot and I’m very athletic now I know why thanks 🙏

[@Sienn0]

I wish I knew the long term implications on why my high school cross country coach had me and my team doing cool downs on the grass barefoot. Something I took for granted. I probably would not have had any issues later in my life but it was because of those drills that the set back was very minimal. I have been on the barefoot shoes for almost a year and already seeing the improvements.

[@SquatUniversity]

Glad to hear you’re seeing the changes!

[@thegamethemovie9605]

That's so weird: My track coach back in the day did the same! I just assumed it was a hippie thing, but it did feel great.

[@Daniel-Davies-Gonstead-Student]

​@@thegamethemovie9605 Maybe the "hippies" were right all along... And I'm not just talking about shoes...

[@00oleander00]

I actually had a mild form of plantar fasciitis (most probably) during the first weeks of wearing barefoot shoes. I then reduced daily walking and my foot adapted. But I do sports regularly and dance barefoot, so I think that is why I recovered fast. So please take care of your feet in the transition period :) massage your foot with fascia balls, do some yoga, or stretch the foot and calves (or strengthen, depending on what the foot needs, as some people mentioned in the comments they needed to stop stretching for some time for the foot to adapt). Now after 3 months of wearing barefoot shoes, my feet feel so much more active and grounded. Looking forward to more positive adaptations.

[@seattlegrrlie]

Went barefoot shoe over 10yrs ago and have advocated for it. My feet are strong, flexible, and pain free. Sure, just like anything after a long hike they might be sore, but that's not pain and I recommend trying it

[@plmplmplm8576]

I love this channel

[@reneulloa2647]

what kind of bands do you use for your toe? You did a video where you stretched with a particular band, what was it? Also, in general what hip circles do you use? I use Mark Bell's hip circle (red one). Also, do you think I could fix a bunion while still using romaleo 2s? I am a weightlifter so I use them every day for snatches and clean and jerks etc. Thank you!

[@franzl1485]

I love the format, very informative. I would really like to transition to a barefoot style shoe, but I'm scared because I have very unfunctional feet. Can't squat with heels on the ground, can't spread my toes etc. Would you say it's safe for me? And could walking barefoot also improve my very stiff arch?

[@SquatUniversity]

I would start with a shoe that is a good transition shoe - such as an altra shoe. And then slowly start going barefoot more often during your day like I mention at the end.

[@billyrandell]

I was in the same spot you were a couple years back, and the advice the doc is giving you here is exactly what worked for me, even down to the same brand. Now I'm fixing to hike the Colorado trail in a mix of very minimal sandals and my own bare feet. You can get there too, just remember that it took decades to get where you are now, so it will probably a long ass time to get to healthier place. Slow and steady with tons of rehab is the way to go

[@Daniel-Davies-Gonstead-Student]

If you have "unfunctional feet" (of which there's no such thing) then you should be *more scared* to keep wearing modern shoes... Do the research, educate yourself, you'll thank yourself later!

[@Daniel-Davies-Gonstead-Student]

​@@billyrandell That's awesome! I'm actually thinking of doing the South Island half of the Te Araroa trail here in NZ in either barefoot shoes, jandals (sandals), or crocs. Paired of course with my own two barefoot feet!

[@junbh2]

Just ease into it gradually and give your body time to build up those muscles and build the range of motion. Start for shorter periods and work your way up.

[@steverogers6571]

Shoes also can cause something similar to plantar fasciitis, called plantar fasciosis. Instead of inflammation it is tissue “death”, because of lower bloodflow due to the big toe being pushed inwards and up (pointy toebox and toespring).

[@oscalicious1805]

Almost all of my time is spent barefoot and when I do need shoes I wear barefoot shoes, but I still have bad bunions and squished toes. Any ideas on why this is and how I can fix it?

[@gilko61]

Let me say a few words about this. I was one of those toddlers/young kids that was never really allowed to go barefoot. I hsve always worn narrow shoes and had flatter than flat feet. At 61, there was a tendency to wear other types of shoes besides the running/tennis style shoes available now, made with synthetic rubber, foam, and plastic. I think a big part of that is a concerted campaign by shoe manufacturers. But I digress.... I started wearing Birkenstocks some 20+ years ago, and was rewarded with less foot pain, perhaps due to the wider toe box? Living in central Texas, it's sandal weather most of the year. Still, my arches were flat as ever, and my toes didn't splay all that much, nor did my arch change at all. I have always been barefoot around the house, but rarely anywhere else save on the smooth limestone we have at swimming holes. Then COVID hit, and I began working at home. Prone to respiratory illness, I was truly isolated; consequently, I might go without shoes for a week, putting on the Birks only when in town. Guess what happened next? My flat feet began to develop an arch. This in turn improved my posture. My toes have splayed a bit, but the change is far less noticable than the arch development. I suspect it may be that age has something to do witj it. I was thrilled in a strange way that my footprints started to look normal, not just a trapezoidal blob with toes. I am convinced that "'arch support" is the root of all evil. The whole purpose of an arch, like in architecture, is that it is self supporting. Now, I can barely stand to wear shoes. I see them as being for sharp rocks, broken glass, ultra hot Texas blacktop, and little else. Yet, I still wore the Birks around town. Local attitudes around here make it difficult. As more time has passed, I began to not care, and challenge it. Granted, I pick my battles, but am getting to where I am unafraid of the rare dirty look. In fact, I had one guy tell me he wished he had the nerve. Women seem a bit more forgiving in this, since they usually take off their pointy high heels at the first opportunity. I have come to truly enjoy walking from outside on a 107 degree day, onto a smooth cool floor. I wish public attitudes would change. It's a weird world where you can be any race, any religion, any sexuality, just don't be barefoot (or overweight). Sometimes, I want to move to New Zealand, which bes I can tell, is the most barefoot friendly of developed nations....

[@HumzaGalafano]

A safe transition period is necessary. Most people's feet are not ready to go fully barefoot.

[@Jahsurfer]

You absolutely correct 👍👍 If u want to be a marathon runner, u don't run a marathon the first day.

[@stretch1807]

Yeah, very true. I had to transition to Vivos with a pair of zero-drop Altras. And I like wearing somewhat thick socks with my Vivos.

[@SquatUniversity]

Slow transition is key

[@justcraziii]

Correct! Had bad plantar fasciitis and it took months to correct. Bought weird toe shoes and began running and accumulated some minor aches and pains until after 6 months I could run with a new gait and with changed feet. Now I work out in socks at the gym, and use big toe box work boots.

[@ImpreccablePony]

I just hate the feel of my bare foot touching the floor. It's an awful sensation for me. But you make a good point, I need better shoes.

[@fryertuck6496]

Live in Asia now, frequently go a week or more before I have to pull on shoes for a meeting. For formal I use RM Williams boots, amazing footwear with lots of width settings and a one oiece learlther sock. No other boot comes close for me. Barefoot is the way forward.

[@SquatUniversity]

🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@jacobastfalk7643]

I’m very curious about the implications of this for downhill ski boot fit. For optimal ski performance you want very tight and stiff boots to efficiently and precisely transfer power from your foot to your ski. However, I often experience pain in the tendons on the bottom outside of my feet when skiing very steep terrain. I wonder if there is a way to balance having healthier, more spread out toe position in your boots while still maintaining the benefits of a snug fit. Would love to hear any thoughts!

[@spontaneousbootay]

Your other video that had someone stand and squat with a band pulling outwards which made me realize that I wasnt activating the outside mucles enough and so instead of pushing off my ankles and thereby tensing my ankles I pushed up from the knees instead by activating the outside leg muscles. And now Ive just learned to walk normally, bouncing on the ankles and I dont slouch into flat footedness, now standing taller. Coincidently my outside leg muscles have always been the most tight and my one leg couldnt cross as far as the other one. This should fix that now too.

[@Tooni8282]

I wore orthotics most of my life, even indoor with orthopedic slippers. My feet hurt without orthotics. A little over 4 years ago, i started wearing barefoot shoes and never looked back. My feet have gotten way stronger and I no longer need orthtics. Although, I still have lots of toe clicking in my right big toe. It was clicking nearly every step for 8 years, likely due to me breaking the biggest bone in my foot a few years prior and having the muscles around the big toe atrophying. Just recently ditched my indoor orthopedic slippers which i believe is the last piece of the puzzle, as my toe has been clicking less and less everyday. It takes a while to reverse years of issues, but going barefoot DOES WORK. I even have a pair of minimalist winter shoes and they are both cozy and very minimalist at the same time!

[@arturbomert9877]

Hi. I live in Poland. For the second year in a row during the summer, I spend 75% of my time without shoes, and I don't intend to change that. Even the rain doesn't bother me. You just have to be careful where you walk and not have any foot conditions that should be consulted with a doctor as a priority. It's important to watch out for ungrounded electrical devices and cables because when we're barefoot, we act as conductors. Other than that, I recommend it. Freedom, health, and we magnetize ourselves by connecting with the Earth. Balance is the most important thing. It's still worth wearing shoes sometimes.

[@MarcoMelendres]

My mom started having this piercing pain in her shoulder after repeatedly hanging off a pullup bar. She now has limited arm movement. She can't put her arm behind her back nor raise past her should height. Any idea what it could be? I know this is a random question. Thanks!

[@bayyinahawesome415]

I need help Dr Aaron. I have a sort of a bump on my left lower back area for quite some time, probably on the sacrum. It decreased for a time but my knees started hurting instead. The back of the knees used to hurt when I straightened my leg from a bent position. I went to a doctor who diagnosed muscle spasms after an x ray of my lower back. I had a straightening of my lumbar lordosis and mild sacralization. After following your squat tutorial my knee pain magically vanished. But now my low back is back to where it was before. I am trying to strengthen my abs as much as possible. My abs were strong already as I also practice mma. Things don't seem to be working at the moment 😢. Please help.

[@rmaa8110]

Spent years living in asia where I only wore shower flops. I have worked from home the last 10 years and only put shoes on to run errands, and my toes/feet have never spread!

[@rpsota23]

I just bought first barefoot shoes. I took it as a part of my PCT 2024 hike. Iwas dissapointed, that I, feel no dramatic change in my walking "feeling". I hiked 16km with no issues. Then I realized, that since Covid, I work 4 days out of 5 from home office-barefooted all the time...

[@hoon_sol]

The very first thing you'd notice would be a lot of soreness under your feet, and a lot of blistering; when you first go barefoot you should definitely take it a bit easy and let your feet adapt over the course of a few weeks. It doesn't make much sense to talk about what happens if you go barefoot for a month, because for someone who hasn't gone barefoot before that will be around the time when their soles start to become hard enough to keep going barefoot every day.

[@0utder]

This is probably the right place to mention VivoBarefoot, a brand of gym shoes that are all about taking away arch support and giving toes enough of space so that the body can naturally take care of itself.

[@jgrtvld]

Can you do a video on the popliteal muscle in the back of the knee and how it can cause pain during leg curls for example. Been dealing with this and would like to know if my technique is off or any treatment that can help.

[@starcraft697]

Although I have no pain now anywhere, what stretches do you recommend daily to do to deter future ailments?

[@joaojuliomello6223]

Great video, but it's a shame that the tyr website only has men's size 11, I wear a 12.5, it's been impossible to find a barefoot tennis option in that size, even more so in Brazil.

[@brianv5677]

7:04 Several months ago, I decided to try squatting barefoot. I was doing a low bar back squat. I dug my feet into the gym mat floor (as you are supposed to) and on the way up, my foot lost grip and slipped. I tweaked my knee. I never had a knee injury before that, but to this day, when I move my knee a certain way (laterally) I feel a jolt of pain. Personally, I think that shoe treads offer better grip to the floor than bare feet. If you decide to squat barefoot - be careful!.

[@djgauss2378]

After frequently experiencing mild pain and overall uncomfortableness while wearing shoes, and having already developed a tailors bunion, I decided to stop wearing regular shoes. I'm 2 months in into wearing minimalist sock type 'barefoot' shoes now, and so far I've had a good experience, though I have to recon that it does that some time to adapt to it and it is even somewhat tiring to walk; I walk about 3-4 km per day as I take my dogs out twice a day and most of my path is concrete, so it was tough at the beginning. That was fine up until then, but I recently strated working out (boxing lessons, running, lots of jumping around) , and oh boy my ankles are soooo sore. I dont know if this is normal or maybe the way I run/walk is not optimal. Any suggestions on what to do?

[@scottallen3921]

I moved to Cambodia 2 and a half years ago and go barefoot or flip flops all of the time now. I have only worn a pair of shoes 3 times in the last 7 and a half months. My feet seem much healthier. I do wear flip flops in the gym except when doing leg exercises. I feel in much better control by being able to feel the floor.

[@AllstarEDC]

I'm barefoot most of the time and train and run barefoot too. My back and ankles feel better. Occassionally i'll have a few issues with the balls of my feet but my back feels a lot better.

[@SquatUniversity]

Glad to hear!

[@viridionwaves]

The problem with going barefoot nowadays is we mostly have rock-like hard surfaces, and most people walk heel strike first. I go barefoot a lot, but on unnatural hard surfaces, my heel will start to ache if I'm not mindful to lessen the heel strike or avoid it altogether. You can really injure your heel/the bone there if you walk barefoot the same way you would in modern shoes. Also, out in grass/fields, you have to be mindful of hookworms. Legitimately was a problem in the south in the early 1900s and led to the stereotype of the dumb, slow southerner (they affect cognitive growth)

[@PeaceIsYeshua]

@@ramad… I’m with you on this!! I don’t agree with always doing barefoot-especially when out side! Barefoot shoes sound like a smart choice.

[@junbh2]

One of the bad things about wearing most shoes is that heel strike though. The less you wear them, the more normally and healthily you walk, without that odd heel strike thing.

[@scm4375]

Thank you for the video! It’s very interesting I have high arch in my left foot and the big toe is starting to go to the left . What can I do? Is it good to wear a orthopedic separation between the big toe and the one next to it?

[@davidrosenthal5795]

This is amazing and game changing. One question, why don’t any elite track or road runners wear barefoot shoes to train or race? Not a single one. Or even zero drop shoes? I am so confused.

[@haydenbristow91]

Because you can't train 100 miles per week barefoot.

[@davidchalona6494]

I only wear shoes when I must and flip flops are another common tool. What are your thoughts on Kuru? Their route box seems wide, but if be curious to know your thoughts.

[@ArtbyPaulPetro]

for the past year or so I've been taking off my shoes to squat or deadlift. I might start doing so for weighted carries and rows as well. I notice a huge difference in my stability. I have near constant low-level foot pain and always thought it must be because my shoes aren't cushy enough but maybe they are too cushy and therefore my feet are weak....hmmmmmmm....

[@GoufinAround_]

For me, I had really bad plantar fasciitis type foot pain when I bought a pair of the more recent new balance 880's with the really soft fresh foam. Getting rid of those and wearing firmer mid sole shoes, as always making sure to have enough space for toe splay, and doing calf raises, standing and seated fixed my foot pain