Barefoot Running Happy without back problems

For body and senses: walk barefoot often

04/12/2014

People who often walk barefoot, do something against malpositions such as buckling, lowering or spreading feet. The barefoot running strengthens the muscles, stimulates the blood circulation and trains even the senses. In so-called barefoot parks you can also go to broken glass.

Barefoot athlete with Olympic record
In 1960, just before the Olympic marathon decision in Rome, it had become apparent that the shoes of an Ethiopian runner had gone through too much. Unable to find a replacement in the eternal city, Abebe Bikila decided to walk barefoot in his homeland and win gold in record time. The head physician of the Clinic for Orthopedics, Trauma and Hand Surgery at Klinikum Osnabrück, Martin Engelhardt, knows this story. „Barefoot walking makes people faster per se. There are a lot of scientific studies on this finding“, so the doctor. Athletes are always running shoes, but these are very light and have almost no heel elevation, as the expert explained. „So they are completely adapted to the natural foot.“

Majority of the population has foot deformations
However, this can not necessarily be said for many everyday shoes. Engelhardt, who is also president of the German Triathlon Union (DTU), says: „The majority of our population has foot deformations, ie buckling, lowering or spreading feet.“ This is related to the fact that, in contrast to our ancestors, who were mostly on soft soils such as forest trails on the road, nowadays barely walk barefoot. Therefore, doctors recommend occasionally walking without shoes. By wearing shoes, the many small and large foot muscles would hardly be trained, leading to misalignments.

Shoes are too small for children
Patrik Reize, Medical Director of the Clinic for Orthopedics and Traumatology at Klinikum Stuttgart, adds: „For children, shoes are often too small shortly after purchase.“ This will crush the foot. Barefoot walking helps to counteract the regression of ligaments, tendons and muscles and also promotes a healthy toe position. Stimuli explained that moving older with bare feet is more about restoring forefoot gear. For example, this allows the tendon plate in the sole of the foot to be trained between the forefoot and the rear foot, to support the Achilles tendon or to relieve the spine. This reduces the risk of back problems and back pain. In addition, the stimulation on the soles of the feet has a positive effect on the internal organs.

Go to broken glass in the barefoot park
The physician appreciates barefoot parks because they can help to change deadlocked behaviors. One of the largest of these parks is located in Dornstetten in the Black Forest, where annually around 170,000 visitors can walk on surfaces such as gravel, wood and clay or on broken glass. „These shards are sanded and form a closed surface, so you do not have to worry about that“, explained Carolin Dircks, director of the tourism and cultural office in Dornstetten. „You notice bumps, but that's a nice feeling.“ It is a so-called for most people „Teachable moment“, when they started to feel again, because the sense of touch when shoe wear dulled over the years. „They go out very relaxed“, so Dircks. She says: „A barefoot park is an experience for all the senses.“ Also the foot reflex zones are stimulated by the barefoot running and thus the whole body. In addition, the blood pressure is regulated.

Diabetics must be careful when walking barefoot
People who have not been walking around barefoot for a long time should start slowly, otherwise Engelhardt may experience symptoms of congestion. It also helps, sometimes in socks to go through the apartment. However, the effect of walking barefoot is limited when the cause of misalignment is deformed bones. However, caution is advised for certain diseases. This is what stimuli call diabetes and polyneuropathy, a term for diseases that often begin with sensations in the toes. Frequently, the feeling of pain is disturbed in diabetics. Stimuli warned that infections could occur if they did not immediately notice the foot injuries. Barefoot walking is also recommended for people who have sweaty feet. However, you should generally pay attention to where you walk around, because especially in some community facilities threatens a foot fungus danger. (Sb)