Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Barefoot Running

Oh, the looks I get when wearing my minimalist shoes.  People’s comments range from “OH! How cute!”  to  “Those are the ugliest things I have ever seen.”  I’d been reading about the new minimal shoes, the ones that mimic going barefoot.  The theory makes sense, allowing the foot to do its job by adapting to changes in the environment.   You can find this type of shoe with or without separate toe sleeves.  The pair I purchased, Vibrum, has individual toe sleeves.  The first time I put them on my poor small toe protested! It was not happy being straightened out.  After a few days though, the toe adapted. What a surprise, even an old foot like mine was able to re-train.  What is even more surprising is how my chronic plantar fasciitis  has lessened. 
You’ll need to transition into wearing the shoes slowly.  I began by going barefoot in the house; then wore the shoes for short periods of time.  It took about a week, maybe a week and a half, before I wore them full-time while working with clients.  At the same time I used a golf ball for self myofascial release of the plantar fascia, and did strengthening exercises for the foot.  Have to admit, my feet feel really good.  Now, if only the minimalist shoes could be cuter!!!

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