Feet are underestimated and often ignored in day to day life, sometimes just shoved into any old shoe and in many cases, forced into trendy styles which cause pain at best and can permanently ruin feet at worst.

Made up of hundreds of ligaments, tendons, and sensory receptors; structured with 26 bones, 33 joints, and 20 muscles, feet are major components in the human body. They support hundreds of pounds of weight each day, balances and propels that weight multiple times in different conditions, and protects the legs and back from feeling the initial impact of any movement.

Barefoot running shoes are slim, with a thin sole to allow the foot to actually feel the ground as if bare, and there are 5 toe compartments, so toes are not crammed together, but allowed to move freely and separately, and the lack of materials and spareness of the shoe itself means your feet feel the ground surface better. A stylized rubber sole ends at the tip of the toes, and protects your foot from stones, glass, and other interfering surfaces.

There are many five-fingered shoes on the market today, commonly known as toe shoes, and all with one main thing in common: they are as close to being barefoot as it’s possible to be. This is now being considered as the safest and most effective way to exercise, whether running, jogging, yoga, climbing, or biking, as the shoe itself allows the foot to feel the ground, the toes to splay naturally, and yet the small amount of man-made material provides basic protection against sharp stones, harsh pavement, and inclement weather.

Barefoot running shoes allow the wearer to move with a natural gait, landing on the forefoot directly below the center of gravity, to maximize balance and stability. This means less impact on the ankle, shin, and knee joints and better posture in any movement. Agility and equilibrium is improved and muscles are stimulated and strengthened. Joint alignment is corrected with toed shoes, and because it feels like walking or running barefoot, the body is educated to move correctly, reducing impact on the legs and spine. Have you ever watched a toddler run in bare feet across the floor? They look like they are running on their tippy-toes which helps them balance as they take those first steps. This is the movement which occurs with barefoot running shoes.

With regular athletic shoes, raised heels force the wearer to place the initial impact on the heel, where the natural human movement means impact should take place on the ball of the foot. It’s now known that typical athletic shoes can increase stress on knees by up to 38 per cent, and there are no statistics to prove that full athletic shoes and running shoes actually prevent bodily injury.

Athletes have long spent hundreds of dollars on name brand, ergonomic styles, all purported to be the best on the market at preventing injuries and providing the best foundation for an effective workout – when it seems going barefoot may have been the best thing after all.