The
Logic
Because it's natural.
HOW TO THINK ABOUT SHOES
1 / 3
WIDE
Almost always.
2 / 3
FLAT
As much as possible.
3 / 3
FLEXIBLE
As tolerated.
Barefootwear Logic
WIDE TOE BOX
Our goal is to allow the feet to function naturally
Everything is Connected
Foundation
An efficient stride, gait, deadlift, kick, jump, etc is a coordinated movement of the entire body.
Our toes, feet, and ankles are our foundation.
Meyer's Line
It’s especially important to align our big toes, which are necessary for basic movement patterns.
This is what is called the Meyer's line:
In Nature
In newborn babies and adult indigenous feet, neither of which have been introduced to modern footwear, we find The Meyers Line is intact:
In Nature
We can compare our human anatomy with similar mammals.
Tolos' Fit
Different brands fit different foot shapes.
Tolos fit more sloped than square, but people with all foot shapes are enjoying them because they are universally wider than most shoes.
Bunions
The Logic
We believe bunions are not genetic. They are a result of conditioning from modern footwear.
Bunions
The Current State
The majority of “wide” options offered by big brands today are wider in the ball of the foot, but still come to a point in the toes
Credit: anyasreviews.com
Bunions
The Treatment
There are a number of non-surgical treatments that can be done to reverse the damage and find solutions.
Plantar Fasciitis
It’s believed that about 10% of our population experiences “plantar fasciitis”.
Conventional medical opinions typically blame: type of shoes, foot structure, overuse, types of walking surfaces.
Plantar Fasciitis
The Reality
This study, published in 2003, found that in evaluating patients suffering from "plantar fasciitis", there were no signs of inflammation (Fasciitis). Instead, Dr. Harvey Lemont et al. found the plantar tissue had degenerated and decayed (Fasciosis).
We believe the root cause of “plantar fasciitis” is limited blood flow to the feet, which is primarily being caused by modern footwear with narrow, constricting toe boxes.
Plantar Fasciitis
Our Recommended Solution:
Improving blood flow to stimulate regeneration of the damaged tissue by:
Spending time completely barefoot as tolerated or in wide toe box shoes, using toe spacers to promote correct alignment, massage and other soft tissue work in the area, strengthening and mobilizing
Credit: The Foot Collective
Balance
The Arches
The foot has 3 main arches: Medial Longitudinal Arch, Anterior Transverse Arch, and Lateral Longitudinal Arch.
More stable feet will help balance everyone, from developing kids, to athletes, to the elderly.
Balance
A Study:
This study concluded that that constraining the big toe deteriorated the subjects' single-leg stance performance and worsened the directional control ability during forward/backward weight shifting.
Balance
The Logic
If you have two tripods with the same applied force (F) and the same height but different distances (r), the tripod with the larger r will have a larger torque and therefore be more stable against tipping over.
ZERO DROP
Our goal is to provide the optimal conditions for balancing your system
Finding Balance
Zero Drop
The Term “zero drop” means the shoe has a flat sole from heel to toe. There is not and artificial heel built into the shoe. The average athletic shoe has ~10mm of “drop".
History
The origins of heeled shoes goes back hundreds of years, originally used as a status symbol among royals.
Modern History
The origins of elevated heels in sneakers can be traced to around the 1970s, as experimental running design that became mainstream (another status symbol).
The Anatomy
Spending time in this type of footwear means that the foot and ankle spends the majority of its time in plantar flexion.
“It is quite simple, our bodies are not made to constantly stand on a hill… when we stand, walk, run and generally function on a heeled shoe, our body must adjust its position to accommodate a constant abnormal condition. If our shoes are flat from heel to toe, our body functions as it was intended to do.
- Dr. Andy Bryant, Podiatrist
Plantar Flexion vs Neutral Position
Spending time in Plantar Flexion:
- the front (anterior) muscles, tendons, ligaments, etc of the lower leg spend time in a stretched, lengthened position.
- The back (posterior) complex is spending the same time in a shortened position.
Finding Balance
It is not bad, to spend time in plantar flexion, but if the goal is balancing your system: constant plantar flexion will cause compensation patterns.
FLEXIBLE
Our goal is to help restore function and reconnect with your senses.
Feel for Yourself
Move and Feel
Flexibility in footwear is important for two main reasons:
- Allow feet to move naturally.
- Allow feet to feel naturally.
Stiffer ≠ Better
Currently we are told (by “experts”): Stiffer is better and more cushion = more comfort.
But the foot is a complex body part. Each foot has 26 bones, 33 joints, and 100+ muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Cast Metaphor
We all understand that spending time “supported” and immobilized in a cast or sling causes our arms to weaken, stiffen, and atrophy.
We also understand that the goal is to remove the sling and gradually improve strength, mobility, and function as tolerated.
Ground Antennas
Our feet are sensory organs providing our bodies information about our environment.
Each foot has over 8000 sensory nerve endings (some estimates are actually 200,000+).
Strike Patterns
Heel Striking vs Forefoot Striking
There are differing opinions on whether a heel striking, midfoot striking, or forefoot striking is best.
Our advice is to aim for a balanced stride, whether walking or running, and to avoid excessive heel striking.
Strike Patterns
In a study by Dr. Irene Davis and team, which in part aimed to understand the relationship between common running injuries and different strike patterns.
They measured and compared the impact force of the different stride patterns.
Heel striking patterns (RFS) caused an initial spike in force as compared to forefoot striking gaits (FFS).
Strike Patterns
Thinking of the body as a spring, we believe balanced, efficient gait cycles (walking, jogging, and running) are most achievable by taking shorter, more rapid strides that land under the hips.
TRANSITIONING TO BAREFOOTWEAR
Your body likely needs time to develop the strength and make adjustments to trained movement patterns.
Transition shoes are:
- Wide
- Flat
- Flexible, but have more cushion than pure barefoot shoes.
