Whether you enjoy high-impact exercise like running, or get your steps in by walking to work, chances are you’ll have suffered from foot or leg pain during your life. There are countless reasons why we can get injured while on our feet, but an innovation is aiming to prevent podiatric pain: barefoot shoes. In this guide, we explore what these shoes are, what sorts of activities they can be used for, how to start using them, and their scientifically backed benefits.

What are barefoot shoes?

Barefoot shoes are a type of footwear designed to help you walk in a more natural way. They remove the restrictions and support common in modern-day shoes and allow your feet to revert to a state more akin to walking barefoot. They are flexible, have no heel-to-toe drop, very low sole height, reduced padding, and plenty of toe space – features which proponents of the footwear say can help strengthen the foot and leg.

What can they be used for?

There are all sorts of activities well suited to barefoot shoes.

• Running: Running in barefoot shoes allows the wearer feel and be more lightweight due to the stripped back padding and cushioning. They can improve the strength of the foot over time as well as boosting agility – perfect for tougher routes.
• Hiking: Similarly, you can use barefoot shoes for hiking, with the footwear providing more grip than modern shoes and their large, padded soles. The minimalist soles of barefoot shoes instead allow your feet to contour to the shape of the terrain and grip more effectively.
• Everyday walking: On top of exercise activities, barefoot shoes are a good option for people who have trouble and pain while walking during the day-to-day.
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How to starting out with barefoot shoes

Making the transition to barefoot shoes from cushioned shoes can take time and some getting used to. To make sure you don’t injure yourself, start slowly with a short walk and build up, week by week, progressing into more intensive and high-duration activities. This will allow your feet to strengthen, providing you with the benefits.

What are the benefits of barefoot shoes?

Barefoot shoes mimic our natural way of walking. Inner soles and tough outsoles are a relatively new invention, around for only a few hundred years – prior to this, shoes were much thinner and unsupported, and before that, people ran barefoot. Reverting to this method can help to strengthen your legs, feet and ankles, while giving you better balance and feeling on the soles of your feet.

The research supports these benefits. A 2014 review by University of Central Florida academics into 23 studies on running barefoot or in barefoot shoes found that doing so was beneficial for feet, ankle and knee health. And a 2012 Pennsylvania State University study also found that barefoot shoes were liked to a reduced occurrence of running-related injuries compared to regular running shoes.

Using barefoot shoes can be a great idea if you have a difficult relationship with your shoes. Just take it easy, and you could enjoy better foot health.