{"id":24002,"date":"2021-08-05T23:02:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-06T06:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/?p=24002"},"modified":"2024-02-08T16:25:35","modified_gmt":"2024-02-09T00:25:35","slug":"be-smart-about-going-barefoot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/news\/be-smart-about-going-barefoot\/","title":{"rendered":"Going Barefoot? Take Smart Care of Your Feet"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"article\">\n\t<header class=\"header\">\n\t\t<span class=\"type\"><\/span>\t\t<h1>Going Barefoot? Take Smart Care of Your Feet<\/h1>\t\t<time>August 5, 2021<\/time>\n\t<\/header>\n\t<div id=\"block_21be51ec50f53efd4fa6fb690306dde5\" class=\"shs-block block-news-article entry-content\">\n\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"video-mobile\"><figure><div class=\"video-control-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/rPsvWVOPkwU\/0.jpg\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\"><button class=\"video-modal-trigger iconfont-play1\" data-provider=\"youtube\" data-id=\"rPsvWVOPkwU\" data-title=\"\"><span class=\"sr-only\">Play Video<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/figure><\/div>\t\t\t<div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<p>Kicking off our shoes to feel the sunshine, grass or sand on bare feet is a true summertime pleasure. But is going barefoot good for our feet?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-take-a-precautionary-approach\">Take a Precautionary Approach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFeet are complex,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/patients-visitors\/find-a-doctor\/prins-darrell-1174520902\/\">Darrell Prins, DPM<\/a>. \u201cWith more than two dozen bones, 30 joints and 100-some muscles, tendons and ligaments in each foot, there are a number of ways to sustain injury. So, it\u2019s good to approach going barefoot with caution.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s one thing to be lounging by the pool while barefoot or even walking around your living room, but the risks get higher when walking or running outside without shoes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMost of us wear shoes every day, which are designed to pad and support the foot and ankle when walking or running. Without that padding and support, feet strike the ground differently and more forcefully, using muscles that may be underdeveloped,\u201d explained Dr. Prins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When muscles are weak, feet and ankles are more prone to injury, he noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some common injuries that could happen are stress fractures in the bones of the leg or foot; plantar fasciitis, which is a painful inflammation of the tissue surrounding the muscular band of the heel; and tendonitis of the foot, which can cause swelling and pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAll of these injuries can keep you sidelined and off your feet for days or weeks while your body heals,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Still, there are advocates of walking or running barefoot because it conforms to the body\u2019s natural gait and strengthens muscles in the legs and feet, as well as increases balance and body awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf this is a route you choose to go, it\u2019s best to work closely with a professional athletic trainer who has experience in building up muscles to transition safely from shoes to bare feet,\u201d said Dr. Prins. \u201cBut most of us are better off wearing supportive shoes when walking or running.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-shoes-provide-basic-protection\">Shoes Provide Basic Protection<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Prins also noted that shoes protect tender feet from unpleasant surprises lurking below the surface of outdoor terrain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBroken glass, sharp rocks, shell fragments or even unexpected dips in the terrain can all cause painful injuries to the feet and ankles. Shoes can protect us from these painful surprises,\u201d he noted. \u201cPeople with diabetes need to be especially careful. Issues with neuropathy could mean they wouldn\u2019t feel the sharp object in their foot until it\u2019s caused real damage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, what kind of shoes make the healthiest choice for feet?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe best shoes for the foot and ankle are those with a wider footbed to give toes some wiggle room, a thick sole to absorb shock and they should be of a sturdy construction,\u201d said Dr. Prins. \u201cYou shouldn\u2019t be able to bend a shoe in half. If you can, it\u2019s not sturdy enough.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That rules out drug store flip-flops, he noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFlip-flops and other slip-on shoes have a good use \u2013 to wear at the pool or in public showers to avoid infections like athlete\u2019s foot \u2013 but find the sturdiest pair you can and limit the time you spend in them,\u201d said Dr. Prins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ultimately, going barefoot can feel good on the feet and may even have relaxing qualities for the mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf you have healthy feet, going barefoot is not a bad thing,\u201d said Dr. Prins. \u201cI\u2019d just do it in moderation and wisely, because experiencing pain or recovering from a foot injury isn\u2019t the best way to enjoy summer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Read more from Dr. Prins on how to <a href=\"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/news\/lace-your-shoes-to-fit-your-feet\/\">lace your shoes to fit your feet<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Dr. Prins is accepting new patients at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/find-a-location\/samaritan-coastal-clinic\/\">Samaritan Coastal Clinic<\/a> in Lincoln City, call <a class=\"phone-link\" href=\"tel:541-996-7480\">541-996-7480<\/a> to make an appointment.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<aside>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"video-sidebar\"><figure><div class=\"video-control-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/rPsvWVOPkwU\/0.jpg\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\"><button class=\"video-modal-trigger iconfont-play1\" data-provider=\"youtube\" data-id=\"rPsvWVOPkwU\" data-title=\"\"><span class=\"sr-only\">Play Video<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/figure><\/div>\t\t\t<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/barefeet-on-grass-326-CO.jpg\" class=\"attachment-cta size-cta wp-post-image\" alt=\"Bare feet laying in green grass.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/barefeet-on-grass-326-CO.jpg 360w, https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/barefeet-on-grass-326-CO-300x250.jpg 300w, https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/barefeet-on-grass-326-CO-120x100.jpg 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t<\/aside>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kicking off your shoes to feel the sunshine or grass under your bare feet is a true summertime pleasure. Learn why moderation and taking care of your feet is important.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":14369,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","_shs_workflow_notes":"","_shs_exclude_from_navigation":false,"_shs_promote_article_on_blogs":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"news-topics":[293],"news-types":[270],"services":[259],"specialty":[39,89],"class_list":["post-24002","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","news-topics-wellness","news-types-feature-article","services-podiatry","specialty-podiatry","specialty-podiatric-surgery"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24002","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24002"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24002\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14369"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24002"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24002"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24002"},{"taxonomy":"news-topics","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-topics?post=24002"},{"taxonomy":"news-types","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-types?post=24002"},{"taxonomy":"services","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/services?post=24002"},{"taxonomy":"specialty","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/specialty?post=24002"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}