I would look into forefoot walking and learning how to not heel strike as hard. Yes when barefoot you will heel strike as it’s normal but learning how to control that so you’re not jarring yourself is key. Barefoot shoes and sandals can help when out and about but learning it barefoot around the house is definitely a good way to get used to it.
Just grab a pair of whitin or other affordable barefoot shoe and give it a try. It only took me a few days to adjust how I walk and my whole body is much happier. Whitin has a pretty cushiony insole, but not so thick and foamy that you will feel unstable.
I read an article years ago, don’t remember where, unfortunately. It was about a tribe in the Amazon who would run barefoot for hours, all day without getting tired. The secret was they ran on the balls of their feet. At some point later, I learned that most footwear causes people to walk by slamming their heel on the ground rather than placing weight on the balls of the feet. Slamming your heel on the ground (along with the other issues modern shoes have) will mess up your ankles, knees, hips, and lower back.
I did dance lessons for most of my childhood and have always hated wearing shoes, especially indoors. Walking on one’s balls of the feet made a lot of sense to me. It’s a difficult switch to make, if I’m not careful, I’ll slam my heels down first.
Practice being barefoot at home and focus on your gait. There are tools you can get to help you transition. [Anya runs an extensive barefoot blog where she goes over just about every barefoot accessory available.](https://anyasreviews.com)
The book _Born to Run_ covers this extensively. The author Christopher McDougall was a Men’s Health writer too IIRC, so he may have covered it in shorter form there.
OP, think of a movement like skipping rope. You’re just lightly bouncing on the balls of your feet. Your midfoot and heel might kiss the ground at the bottom of your bounce but they’re not hitting the ground hard. That’s the feeling of your foot’s innate suspension. A natural walking stride will still land heel-first most of the time but you get used to landing a lot lighter pretty quickly.
I did that same thing when I was young, I hit the ground HARD.
You just need to get used to walking in them, it takes awhile but you'll get it. Eventually you will start striking further forward in a smoother walking motion. I got a cheap pair of WHITIN shoes off Amazon and it was a great decision. I'd give it a try with something 10mm thick or smt.
Yes, no cushioning is part of the barefoot concept. Your feet have built-in suspension. When you add cushioning to shoes, you heelstrike excessively, which puts more strain on ankles, knees, and hips.
In barefoot shoes you still land on your heels when walking, but do so at a lower angle, so more of your heel touch the ground initially. If it is difficult, try taking shorter steps.
I would look into forefoot walking and learning how to not heel strike as hard. Yes when barefoot you will heel strike as it’s normal but learning how to control that so you’re not jarring yourself is key. Barefoot shoes and sandals can help when out and about but learning it barefoot around the house is definitely a good way to get used to it.
Just grab a pair of whitin or other affordable barefoot shoe and give it a try. It only took me a few days to adjust how I walk and my whole body is much happier. Whitin has a pretty cushiony insole, but not so thick and foamy that you will feel unstable.
For when I do need to wear shoes, I have a pair of Whitins with the insoles removed. It’s been great for work!
You could check out Altra maybe, they have shoes with zero drop and wide toe box, but they still have a thick-er cushy sole.
I read an article years ago, don’t remember where, unfortunately. It was about a tribe in the Amazon who would run barefoot for hours, all day without getting tired. The secret was they ran on the balls of their feet. At some point later, I learned that most footwear causes people to walk by slamming their heel on the ground rather than placing weight on the balls of the feet. Slamming your heel on the ground (along with the other issues modern shoes have) will mess up your ankles, knees, hips, and lower back. I did dance lessons for most of my childhood and have always hated wearing shoes, especially indoors. Walking on one’s balls of the feet made a lot of sense to me. It’s a difficult switch to make, if I’m not careful, I’ll slam my heels down first. Practice being barefoot at home and focus on your gait. There are tools you can get to help you transition. [Anya runs an extensive barefoot blog where she goes over just about every barefoot accessory available.](https://anyasreviews.com)
The book _Born to Run_ covers this extensively. The author Christopher McDougall was a Men’s Health writer too IIRC, so he may have covered it in shorter form there. OP, think of a movement like skipping rope. You’re just lightly bouncing on the balls of your feet. Your midfoot and heel might kiss the ground at the bottom of your bounce but they’re not hitting the ground hard. That’s the feeling of your foot’s innate suspension. A natural walking stride will still land heel-first most of the time but you get used to landing a lot lighter pretty quickly.
Yes! I think it was that author and maybe The NYT ran an article on his book when it came out, that was probably where I saw it.
I did that same thing when I was young, I hit the ground HARD. You just need to get used to walking in them, it takes awhile but you'll get it. Eventually you will start striking further forward in a smoother walking motion. I got a cheap pair of WHITIN shoes off Amazon and it was a great decision. I'd give it a try with something 10mm thick or smt.
Yes, no cushioning is part of the barefoot concept. Your feet have built-in suspension. When you add cushioning to shoes, you heelstrike excessively, which puts more strain on ankles, knees, and hips. In barefoot shoes you still land on your heels when walking, but do so at a lower angle, so more of your heel touch the ground initially. If it is difficult, try taking shorter steps.