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Wearing modern shoes. As a society, we have somehow led everyone down the path that feet must be wrapped in socks that constrict the feet, then placed in shoes

Wearing modern shoes. As a society, we have somehow led everyone down the path that feet must be wrapped in socks that constrict the feet, then placed in shoes that are designed for looks and not anatomy. It's led to generations of people that have weak feet, and unnecessary pain all throughout their body because the base of what they stand on has been weakened. Wearing toe socks and minimalist shoes, combined with going barefoot as much as possible, has rescued my feet, ankles, and knees from pain.

JTbane 4y ago
In a similar vein I found flat-soled shoes like Converse sneakers are a dream to wear during daily activities, rather than arch-supported shoes.
- tashoecraft 4y ago
  Definitely a good start. It can be difficult for many to transition as you are trying to use muscles that haven't been engaged properly for decades.
- detritus 4y ago
  Hrmm, I've long been a fan of thin-soled, low profile shoes, but having experienced my first ever pair of Converse just last year, I'd suggest 'avoid'. They're not expensive, but they're certainly not cheap - but they certainly don't last very long at all. I walk a couple of miles a day to and from work and they barely lasted 6 weeks. Soles were worn down and the uppers were just knackered.
  - aussieshibe 4y ago
    My partner had a similar experience. Bought new Converse shoes which were specifically marketed as walking shoes. 5-6 weeks of ~20 minutes moderate walking per day and they both had holes in the soles. Went back to the Converse store and got told "no refunds". We eventually got our money back, but not without an argument. It pays to understand consumer protection laws where you live.
  - driverdan 4y ago
    Are you very heavy, drag your feet, or otherwise cause a lot of abuse to them? They aren't the highest quality shoe but they should last much longer than six weeks. Most of mine have lasted years with daily use.
    - detritus 4y ago
      I'm certainly not heavy and think in fact I'm quite light - dainty perhaps (!) - on my feet (hence the preference for thin-soled shoes). My partner swears by Converse, but hers seem to get knackered within a year anyway. I think I just walk quite a lot, comparatively.
- jeltz 4y ago
  Converse require you to have narrow feet or else they will just hurt your feet. They are also not very durable.
blamestross 4y ago
I'll add to this. There are situations and people who need modern arch support for functional feet, but if you have healthy feet, arch support all the time only takes away from the muscle strength needed to keep them that way. I've found similarly for back support, my back is doing better sitting on a yoga pillow or stool (And putting effort into proper posture) than any amount of ergonomic back support. Ergonomic keyboards, on the other hand, are something everyone should be using from the start (though we are still figuring out how to make them right). Humans evolved to sit and walk, but not to keyboard...
- thefaux 4y ago
  > arch support all the time only takes away from the muscle strength needed to keep them that way Years ago, I suddenly increased my walking and started having horrific pain in my arches. In response, I started wearing arch support insoles all the time. If I didn't wear them, my arches would ache. Like you said, my foot strength got very poor and I eventually suffered a serious injury in my midfoot playing basketball. During rehab, I stopped wearing the arch supports and eventually moved on to minimalist shoes and my feet have gotten dramatically stronger and I never notice weakness in my arches anymore.
- ypeterholmes 4y ago
  For me wearing superfeet inserts completely fixed my knee pain.
rngname22 4y ago
Just an addendum since HN is so often quick to try new things. Do not. Do not. Do not jump into jogging with barefoot or minimal shoes without a very very slow increase in distance. Even if you feel fine and don't notice any pain or problem, or your cardio can support you going 5 kilometers, you want to very slowly adjust up your distance/time spent doing harder exercise with that type of big change in footwear. Otherwise you can give yourself injuries that can lead to short-term or even long-term/permanent complications that interfere with your quality of life and physical abilities.
- tashoecraft 4y ago
  Agreed, I spent 8-12 months transitioning to minimalist footwear for daily use. Then picked up running slowly, to eventually running a half marathon in very thin running sandals.
d13 4y ago
I suggest flip flops for almost everything. I hiked to Annapurna Bass Camp in a pair and was the only one in my trekking part not suffering from chronic foot pain.
- OJFord 4y ago
  I would guess that was more about people having rushed out for fancy new boots they'd never worn (and 'broken in') before, rather than the comparative quality/appropriateness of footwear? I've never walked in flip flops, but I always take a pair to change into when we stop. People sit around in hot sweaty boots and socks, best case they're wetter & smellier than they need to be for the next day; quite likely to start rubbing and give sores; at worst promoting nasty fungal/bacterial goings on.

JTbane 4y ago

In a similar vein I found flat-soled shoes like Converse sneakers are a dream to wear during daily activities, rather than arch-supported shoes.

tashoecraft 4y ago
Definitely a good start. It can be difficult for many to transition as you are trying to use muscles that haven't been engaged properly for decades.
detritus 4y ago
Hrmm, I've long been a fan of thin-soled, low profile shoes, but having experienced my first ever pair of Converse just last year, I'd suggest 'avoid'. They're not expensive, but they're certainly not cheap - but they certainly don't last very long at all. I walk a couple of miles a day to and from work and they barely lasted 6 weeks. Soles were worn down and the uppers were just knackered.
- aussieshibe 4y ago
  My partner had a similar experience. Bought new Converse shoes which were specifically marketed as walking shoes. 5-6 weeks of ~20 minutes moderate walking per day and they both had holes in the soles. Went back to the Converse store and got told "no refunds". We eventually got our money back, but not without an argument. It pays to understand consumer protection laws where you live.
- driverdan 4y ago
  Are you very heavy, drag your feet, or otherwise cause a lot of abuse to them? They aren't the highest quality shoe but they should last much longer than six weeks. Most of mine have lasted years with daily use.
  - detritus 4y ago
    I'm certainly not heavy and think in fact I'm quite light - dainty perhaps (!) - on my feet (hence the preference for thin-soled shoes). My partner swears by Converse, but hers seem to get knackered within a year anyway. I think I just walk quite a lot, comparatively.
jeltz 4y ago
Converse require you to have narrow feet or else they will just hurt your feet. They are also not very durable.

blamestross 4y ago

I'll add to this. There are situations and people who need modern arch support for functional feet, but if you have healthy feet, arch support all the time only takes away from the muscle strength needed to keep them that way. I've found similarly for back support, my back is doing better sitting on a yoga pillow or stool (And putting effort into proper posture) than any amount of ergonomic back support. Ergonomic keyboards, on the other hand, are something everyone should be using from the start (though we are still figuring out how to make them right). Humans evolved to sit and walk, but not to keyboard...

thefaux 4y ago
> arch support all the time only takes away from the muscle strength needed to keep them that way Years ago, I suddenly increased my walking and started having horrific pain in my arches. In response, I started wearing arch support insoles all the time. If I didn't wear them, my arches would ache. Like you said, my foot strength got very poor and I eventually suffered a serious injury in my midfoot playing basketball. During rehab, I stopped wearing the arch supports and eventually moved on to minimalist shoes and my feet have gotten dramatically stronger and I never notice weakness in my arches anymore.
ypeterholmes 4y ago
For me wearing superfeet inserts completely fixed my knee pain.

rngname22 4y ago

Just an addendum since HN is so often quick to try new things. Do not. Do not. Do not jump into jogging with barefoot or minimal shoes without a very very slow increase in distance. Even if you feel fine and don't notice any pain or problem, or your cardio can support you going 5 kilometers, you want to very slowly adjust up your distance/time spent doing harder exercise with that type of big change in footwear. Otherwise you can give yourself injuries that can lead to short-term or even long-term/permanent complications that interfere with your quality of life and physical abilities.

tashoecraft 4y ago
Agreed, I spent 8-12 months transitioning to minimalist footwear for daily use. Then picked up running slowly, to eventually running a half marathon in very thin running sandals.

d13 4y ago

I suggest flip flops for almost everything. I hiked to Annapurna Bass Camp in a pair and was the only one in my trekking part not suffering from chronic foot pain.

OJFord 4y ago
I would guess that was more about people having rushed out for fancy new boots they'd never worn (and 'broken in') before, rather than the comparative quality/appropriateness of footwear? I've never walked in flip flops, but I always take a pair to change into when we stop. People sit around in hot sweaty boots and socks, best case they're wetter & smellier than they need to be for the next day; quite likely to start rubbing and give sores; at worst promoting nasty fungal/bacterial goings on.