Do Barefoot Shoes Really Cause Injury?
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In the last few years, minimal footwear has been the topic of a standoff debate among health and fitness professionals. When Vibram’s FiveFinger shoes came out in the early 2000s, people flocked to stores for these new shoes with space between each toe and no elevated heel. They tossed out their old sneakers and jumped straight into their shiny new Vibrams.
It wasn’t long before buyers started reporting overuse injuries and Vibram faced a class-action lawsuit for false claims. What critics failed to acknowledge is that the body requires time and training to benefit from the shoes. People were getting injured, not by the shoes themselves, but by the abrupt change in their movement patterns without training. The idea that these injuries were the shoe's fault is an oversimplified notion that doesn’t give credit to the foot’s mechanical design or account for individual strength.
Conventional shoes made with elevated heels, cushy soles, and ample arch support have been deemed essential for foot health for decades. Shoe industry marketing tells us “The more support, the better the shoe!,” claiming that more cushion means more comfort and less risk of injury.
Natural footwear is not the problem.
Any sudden change in footwear can result in injury. An appropriate transition, however, can actually prevent it. Some argue that lack of cushion and support leaves feet vulnerable to stress and injury, but there’s more to it than that.
When a foot lives in a restrictive shoe for long periods, the muscles will adapt accordingly. The cushion and support found in conventional shoes don’t give feet the opportunity for movement needed to build strength. Muscles in the feet become weak over time because they don’t have to work—the support does it for them. So, when you go from thick soles and arch support into a flexible sole and no arch support, those muscles won’t be strong enough to support your gait right away.
It’s like you decide to start weightlifting and try to deadlift 200 pounds when you’ve never been to a gym before. You’re likely to get hurt because you haven’t trained. That’s why proper transitioning into footwear includes strengthening and mobility exercises like the ones found in the Gait Happens Fit Feet Program.
What Does Natural Footwear Mean?
Natural footwear is sometimes called a minimal or barefoot shoe. It has a thin, flexible sole, zero-drop (no elevated heel), and a foot-shaped toe box (sometimes called a wide toe box.)
These features allow natural movement to happen, resulting in a more efficient gait, stronger feet, and less risk of injury.
Here’s how:
Natural movement.
Feet are naturally designed to move and flex freely. Conventional shoes with thick soles and arch support restrict this movement, leading to weakness and injury. By allowing the foot to function according to its design, natural footwear can reduce the risk of pain and injury.
Better proprioception.
Proprioception is our body’s awareness of space and how we balance. Feeling the ground allows the sensory feedback necessary for the body to coordinate movement and adapt to terrain. Better awareness prevents falls and injury by improving stability and control.
Optimal biomechanics.
The elevated heel and arch support found in conventional shoes change the biomechanics of your gait. Natural footwear allows a weight distribution across the whole foot, reducing the likelihood of putting too much stress on any area.
Shock Absorption.
Thick cushioning that absorbs impact force from walking and running inhibits the foot’s natural ability to absorb shock. Shoes with flexible soles allow the foot to move and adapt, distributing the force more evenly.
There are a lot of myths out there about natural footwear and we want to set the record straight on some of these misconceptions:
Myth #1: Lack of Cushion and Support Leads to Injury
Truth: Too Much Support Causes Weakness Over Time
One of the biggest rumors is that cushioning and support are necessary to protect the feet. This idea has been the conventional wisdom for decades, but the Healthy Feet Alliance is here to shed some light on why it’s not necessarily true.
Too much cushion and support prevent the foot from accessing its natural biomechanics during gait, causing the muscles to weaken or atrophy over time. It also blocks sensory feedback in the foot, making it more difficult to navigate terrain and coordinate movement.
Natural footwear offers the opportunity to feel the ground and adapt to surfaces, which strengthens the feet and prevents falls.
Myth #2: Zero Drop Causes Overuse Injuries
Truth: Proper Transitioning Prevents Injuries
As we saw in the Vibram Five Fingers lawsuit, many believe that zero-drop shoes (meaning no elevated heel) lead to stress fractures, plantar fasciitis, and other painful conditions. The argument that natural footwear puts too much stress on the lower limbs has been a big focus of debate.
Feet and lower leg muscles need time to adapt. If you transition properly by sticking to a strengthening routine and using tools like Correct Toes, you are far less likely to end up with an injury. Some exercises like Toe Yoga and Short Foot can go a long way in helping you build strength and mobility.
Myth #3: Barefoot Shoes do not Work for Most Activities
Truth: You Can Wear Them for a Wide Range of Activities
As long as you continue to strengthen the muscles in your feet, you can wear your natural footwear for almost any activity. Barefoot enthusiasts enjoy the freedom of minimal shoes while walking, running, dancing, weightlifting, hiking, and martial arts. Again (we can’t say this enough!), consistent training is the key to versatility and longevity.
Outdated Beliefs
The idea that natural footwear is a direct cause of overuse injuries is an outdated belief, perpetuated by the shoe industry and many medical professionals. Natural footwear is gaining popularity, but many doctors are still over-prescribing orthotics and surgery as the answer. The Healthy Feet Alliance believes these approaches should be the last resort in resolving foot pain. We are committed to providing education about healthy footwear and connecting you with the world’s top experts so you can move better and feel better.
For our full list of recommended, HFA-approved footwear, go here.
