Are Barefoot Shoes for You ?

You've probably seen them in stores: those tiny shoes that look like slippers with slots for each of your toes. They've been the rage for a long while now, with manufacturers claiming that the shoes allow you to maintain a more normal and healthier gate. I will admit, when they first came out, I thought to myself, "That fad will end soon, and then all of those people who trash talked sneakers will go back to wearing sneakers again."

Then, however, I met a woman at the Lehigh Valley Parkway. She'd just finished a six-mile loop while wearing a pair of barefoot shoes."I love them!" she told me. She gushed that the shoes had eliminated her blisters and her calluses. Now her feet were as soft as a baby's. Before getting the shoes, she'd been sidelined with a knee problem. Now her knees were as good as new.

In recent years I've suffered one persistent injury after another – ranging from plantar fasciittis (heel pain) to a long lasting and painful butt issue. You might say that the woman had my attention. As a result, when I saw a pair of barefoots on sale at a local athletic store, I decided to give them a try.At first I only wore them for short distances—perhaps to run an errand or for a trip to the mall. Over time I began wearing them whenever I walked the dogs. They soon became my go-to bike riding shoes.