Barefoot and Grounded

5.18

Some time ago I posted about 'grounding' or 'earthing' as a way to combat inflammation in our bodies, and bring us back into connection with the natural electrical ground we get from contact with the Earth. Check out the link for those details.

I have been bringing grounding into my life a bit more lately, because some months ago I bought my first pair of 'barefoot' running shoes. You may also hear these called 'zero drop' shoes. The point is that there is no height difference between the heel and the rest of the sole of the shoe (think flip flops or plain sandals.)

The benefits of barefoot or zero-drop shoes appear to be numerous, and are new enough to shoe technology that there is more to be written on the topic. For now, zero drop shoes are recognized as bringing your feet, ankles and legs (along with all the related joints) into a more natural form of walking and running.

The 'barefoot' trail running shoes I bought have been great. I never had knee or joint issues, and rarely had calf cramps, and such, so there really wasn't anything for me to measure or overcome. But long story short, the Merrell Trail Glove 4 running shoes have served me very well through dozens of miles of running, a half marathon, and two Spartan races.

Are barefoot shoes for everyone? Some would say "absolutely!"... and so is walking barefoot. Other specialists contend that significant walking barefoot causes poor foot and joint health. I tend to disagree, and figure it all works together (fix your diet, build up your activity level, start going barefoot for walking and running, and you'll probably be good to go.)

So think about some healthier footwear next time you are shoe shopping, and consider flats, or sandals or some zero-drop shoes. You may walk right into a new and better part of your wellness lifestyle.

By the Way

Some great brands of barefoot shoes and zero-drop shoes are Merrell (mostly running and trail), VivoBarefoot (great selection, but a bit pricey), and Xero Shoes (originators of great minimalist shoes).
And remember that our bodies get all kinds of benefits from simply going barefoot in our daily life.