Shoes and Health

Have you ever wondered why shoes are not shaped at all like your feet? 33 joints, 29 muscles, 26 bones, and over 100 ligaments are associated with your foot!

It is literally like a shock absorber. Most modern day footwear limits your feet from working naturally like they are supposed to move. Your toes are like sardines, and one of the main issues of bunions is the toe box shape not being anatomically correct.

How do companies get away with selling shoes for health, when they are really the worst thing for you and your feet? Your feet are your foundation, and just like anything, if the foundation is shaky, the structure itself is never stable and prone to issues.

This is where things like foot insoles and other trendy medical and health devices come in to play.

I was in the Marines for 13 years and when I read the book “Born To Run” I changed my whole outlook on shoes and footwear. I first started wearing the Vibram five finger shoes. These were amazing in how much I realized my feet were so underdeveloped, even with all the leg workouts and weightlifting I did focusing on my calves and quads etc.

It took about a month to get used to being able to wear them without my feet getting tired (like a new born baby using it’s feet for the first time).

From L-R (Rutso barefoot, Merrell vaporglove 5, Xero, and Vivo barefoot

Also my sensitivity to developing shin splints in both legs and repeated issues with severe ITB syndrone, was now a thing of the past. I wasn’t a faster runner, but I was more efficient, and not injuring myself. I have been wearing minimalist shoes for over 12 years now, and I have been able to be healthier and less injuries if I ever do anything at all close to running.

But the effects go further up your body from issues regarding your feet, think your knees, hips and lower back. The body is a pendulum, and it will adjust to compensate.

Also the weight of most shoes is insane, we don’t think about the weight and how that effects your joint and bone health over time. Some shoes weigh over 18 ounces while the Merrill vapor glove weighs 4.59 ounces. If you imagine how many steps you take a day that weight gets into the pound levels very easily, and then think about your joints being pulled by gravity and the weight of those shoes.

Anywho, I hope this helps you get some education and relieves you of some pain.