“The feet are the only point of support against the ground and the way in which this support is going to have a direct relationship with possible injuries in other parts of the body such as the knee, hip or spine. At the muscular level it is also very important, since an important part of the leg muscles has one of its insertions in the foot (anterior tibial, posterior tibial, peroneal, etc.) so that the way of stepping or the geometry itself of the foot also has a lot to do with certain muscular overloads”, explains Víctor Alfaro, general director of Podoactiva and chiropodist for the Real Madrid CF first team.

Our feet are configured so that we can walk, run, and jump without wearing any shoes. However, as Dr. Ángel de la Rubia, from the Ángel de la Rubia Clinic and a member of Top Doctors, tells us, “throughout history, man has felt the need to protect himself from inclement weather and terrain aggression. Paradoxically, the use and abuse of footwear over the centuries has caused a certain weakening of the foot muscles, such as the lumbrical and interosseous muscles, so that many people cannot move their toes freely and independently”.

So, if wearing shoes weakens our feet, wouldn't it be more convenient to go barefoot through life? Well, as we would say colloquially, “neither bald nor with three wigs”. Podiatrists agree that walking barefoot occasionally or even for a while each day at home and as long as it is not done on hard surfaces such as marble or terrazzo, as it puts too much impact on the joints, is beneficial. Alfaro tells us that among the advantages of this practice are improving the function of the intrinsic musculature of the foot, which is often limited by the use of footwear; of proprioception, which is the sense through which we detect the movement and position of the joints (it helps us to adjust movements, such as when stepping on uneven ground or going down steps), as well as venous return circulation . The latter is especially achieved by walking on the sand of the beach or the grass. De la Rubia makes one last note advising against walking barefoot at home if there are foot disorders such as fasciitis, metatarsalgia, calluses, hardness...

Closely related to the above is the minimalist trend, which is nothing more than wearing shoes with low heels or even without them. As Víctor Alfaro explains, this type of shoe usually has a wider last in the area of ​​the toes, so that they can move freely, as well as a very flexible sole so as not to limit the mobility of the foot. Ángel de la Rubia does not agree with this trend and it is that, in his opinion, the use of smooth, firm and hard terrain, such as the sidewalks we walk on, requires compensation with a certain heel height, among 2 and 3 centimeters. According to the podiatrist, with this height we are able to balance the percentage of loads or support between the forefoot and the hindfoot or heel. "It is usually the height that classic men's shoes wear."

Alfaro goes further and minimalism is also very present in sports practice. The Real Madrid podiatrist tells us that it is common to see certain runners wearing minimalist footwear, although he points out that it is not suitable for everyone and that, in any case, it requires a long adaptation period. “Going from running using a shoe that incorporates, for example, a 1.5 cm heel height (technically called drop height) to running barefoot suddenly can be very harmful since said decrease in drop entails a significant increased muscle tension in the entire posterior pulley of the leg: Achilles tendon, gastrocnemius, soleus and hamstrings”. The specialist's recommendation is that, if one wants to start with minimalism, do so by gradually lowering the height of the drop and "listening" to the muscles. “If we drop 0.5 cm in heel height and we see that our calves, for example, are overloaded excessively, we should do it more gradually. At the same time, it is very important to establish a correct stretching pattern to help us in this progression”. And he gives his opinion: "In my opinion, for most people, the ideal is to use a shoe that incorporates some drop and some cushioning and it would be very good to alternate this use with minimalist footwear or, even, perform barefoot exercises during a few minutes a day. Among these exercises are walking barefoot for a few minutes a day, standing barefoot on one foot, standing on tiptoes, and "catching" a towel with our toes. Of course, if you have any pathology, you should first consult a specialist.

@LiteChild I have anxiety. When people say they enjoy walking I just don't get it. I enjoyed jazzercize/Zumba. Which… https://t.co/Twi9AUcTmb

— Su-su-su-su-su-su-su-su-su-dio Mon Jul 26 13:10:47 +0000 2021

On the opposite side of minimalist footwear we would find high-heeled shoes. What happens when they are used continuously? "Biomechanically, it forces you to walk with short steps, with the knees semi-flexed, increasing the lumbar curvature (hyperlordosis) and favoring the appearance of metatarsalgia, pain in the anterior region of the foot and the appearance of bunions and claw toes, apart from problems regarding to the deficit of venous return and the appearance of varicose veins. Let's not forget that the foot behaves like a true peripheral heart”, explains Dr. Ángel de la Rubia to MUY. If you want to wear high-heeled shoes, the height limit would be between 4 and 5 centimeters and the heel should be wide, never stiletto.

Is there the ideal shoe?

At the beginning of this text we commented that, if even in a person the feet are not exactly the same, it is quite complicated if not impossible for there to be an ideal shoe, which it's good for all of us. "There is no ideal shoe for all citizens, since its structure should start from a personalized last, which takes into account, in addition to the length of the foot, its width and height of the instep, to optimize the fit and avoid translational movements within of the shoe,” de la Rubia tells us. If we focus on physiological or anatomical footwear, the doctor says that "it should be made of natural, breathable leather, with a lace or velcro adjustment, with a sufficiently wide blade to allow free movement of the fingers and a buttress that firmly grips the foot." heel, to avoid ankle instability injuries. The sole must have non-slip properties, with good grip, traction and cushioning, rubber in the winter months and a breathable sole for the summer months”.

The expert restricts the use of sandals to the beach and the pool. However, as this shoe is very widespread in the warm months, De la Rubia recommends that they wear different fasteners or anchors, both at the front level and at the heel and midfoot. On the contrary, the podiatrist welcomes the use of boots in winter since they are ideal for people with unstable ankles. He recommends that they be made of natural leather, with a rounded toe and a heel height of between 2 and 3 centimeters.

“Footwear must have a balance between two fundamental concepts, cushioning and stability, so that a very soft and comfortable shoe a priori, can become a problem for a lax or flat foot and, on the contrary, a Very stiff shoe can limit the natural movement of a foot with a high arch or with little mobility. We should buy the shoe late in the afternoon, which is when our feet are the most dilated”, recommends De la Rubia. In addition, he tells us that "as a general rule we should buy shoes taking the largest foot and the longest toe as a reference and always keeping between half and one centimeter between the longest toe and the toe of the shoe."

And about 'taming' the shoes, the podiatrist says that those that are light, like moccasins or casual, do not usually require any adaptation period. A different thing is a shoe that is made of pony skin, which does need that time to 'break in' to make it comfortable.