Strong Feet > Shoes for Running and Walking

As a physical therapist, I get a lot of questions about shoes. What are the right type of shoes? How often do I need to change out my shoes? What’s the best shoe brand? And my answer is always, “it depends.” 

Like with everything, everyone is made differently, moves differently, has a different history of exercise and injury, etc. We can’t put everyone into a box. In reality, if a shoe is comfortable and doesn't give you any problems with whatever activity you’re using it for, it’s a good shoe for you. But that doesn’t mean it’s the perfect shoe for everyone. That being said, if we can start kids younger wearing better shoes or being barefoot more, a minimal, wide-toe box shoe is the best shoe for everyone (they just take getting used to because most adults have de-trained their feet.)

I am also a big fan of having various types/brands/styles of shoes. Varying your surface is going to work different muscles in your foot and lower leg differently. I like to tell this story of a Disney trip I took with my husband a few years ago. We go to Disney a lot (not as much as some but definitely more than others.) I say this to compare experiences. A typical experience would be that I wear the same pair of shoes every day. By the end of the week, I would put my feet down on the floor in the morning and basically collapse due to muscle aching in my feet (we go hard, rope drop to park close several days in a row, 18+miles/day depending on the day). But a few years ago, I had my first pair of minimal (0mm drop), wide toe box shoes. I packed them to wear. I also packed a pair of normal, narrow toe box shoes with increased drop (I’d guess about 10mm) and increased support on the sole of the shoe. The first day in the park, I wore my minimal shoes thinking I was going to wear them every day of the trip. Fast walking in shoes where there is no drop meant that my leg and foot muscles were having to WORK to take steps. My calves were WORKING and tired by the end of the day. The next day, I felt fine, but knew that I needed a little more structure (because my body wasn’t used to that much on minimal shoes.) So I switched to the more supportive shoe that had a more narrow toe box. I didn’t notice my toes being squished and my feet were “normal” tired and my calves were not burning at the end of the second day. I decided on the 3rd day to go back to my minimal shoes. Putting them on was the most comfortable experience! I hadn’t even walked yet but my toes were spread out in the toe-shaped toe-box and it felt good to have my foot resting in a normal shape. Now at the end of the day, my legs were tired again (like muscle working, not just full day at Disney tired - IYKYK). Then I switched back the next day and my toes felt so squished but my foot felt good to have more support. By the end of the week, I never had the “my feet are so sore, I collapse in the morning” feeling that I have had on every other Disney trip. 

Long story short, all that to say: shoes affect what muscles are being used in your foot which affects what muscles are being used in your whole leg and up the chain. 

Now, for me personally, I would love for everyone to switch to minimal/barefoot shoes and definitely shoes with wide toe boxes for all of their shoes. I know the reality of this, I live it, more on that later.

Here’s my why for barefoot or minimal shoes: 

Our feet are made up of 33 joints. Joints are where 2 bones connect. Joints allow us to move. So why would our foot have 33 joints if it weren’t made to move! But people out there have told us movement is bad. Put your foot in a stability shoe so you don’t perform a motion called pronation. See pictures below of pronation and its opposite, supination. 

So pronation is not a bad motion. Pronation should be happening when you walk and run as the action helps absorb shock and distribute weight evenly across your foot. Take a look at this picture of sprinters and their foot motion on the standing leg. Now am I going to correct them and make them all look the same? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Because they can control it.

Various landing mechanics by elite athletes: Usain Bolt (2nd from left) pronates while the sprinter on the far right externally rotates during his landing

But say you have pain. You go to a doctor or a running store and they put you into over-pronation shoes. This type of shoe increases the inside support of the shoe and causes you to reduce that pronation motion. It doesn’t allow your foot to go into as much pronation. But here’s the thing if you don’t have an over-pronation problem:

1. With over-pronation shoes, you’re supinating more (putting more weight on the outside of your foot.) And this is a very rigid position. And with this rigidness, you’re not only putting more weight on the outside of your foot (which could increase your risk for a stress fracture in your foot), your other joints are going to have to absorb that force and now you are putting more stress on your knees, hips, and back.

2. You’re not using all of the muscles in your foot and they get weaker which causes more problems when you are out of your shoes and as you get older. If you don’t use it, you lose it, they say. 

The other reason I like minimal shoes (0mm drop) is because it allows your calf muscles to work. Putting yourself in a shoe that has a higher heel than a toe increases tightness in your calves and does not allow them to work because the shoe is propelling your forward. The shoe is doing more of the work for you. On top of that, there’s usually a curve upwards at the toe to help you “rock” or propel you forward. This causes poor toe mechanics because you can’t use the body’s natural “spring” that is built into all of our feet because our toes are lifted. So this ties into number 2 above - you’re not using all of your muscles and they will get weaker.

Minimal shoe/foot vs Traditional Shoe/Foot - Which foot looks stronger?

Now with this being said, some people do have over-pronation problems due to structural changes or other health issues that lead to needing a certain type of shoe to control their foot. But more often than not, your muscles in your feet and lower legs (that help move the feet/toes) are not able to control the load you’re placing on them (your body weight, force of running, etc.). Therefore, I really like minimal shoes, if you don’t have real foot problems (i.e. structural impairment, have seen a GOOD PT already who addressed your foot), because you are able to move more naturally and use your muscles the way they are supposed to be used. I love for people to go barefoot around the house and yard for the same reason (not just because I’m a Kentucky girl.) But this being said, don’t just go buy some and wear them all the time. They take some time to get used to. And if you are dealing with pain and want to understand how you can make your feet stronger so you don’t have to worry about the “exact right shoe” (see more on my thoughts about his concept below),  reach out via email kelsi@dashphysio.com or fill out the form and we will be in touch. 

Okay, so now we’re onto the reason I like a wide toe-box or foot-shaped shoe: 

This one’s pretty easy. Our feet have a natural shape and shoving our feet into shoes changes that. Especially at the toes. Most shoes have a narrow toe box and we have to smush our toes together to get them in them. Then we wear these shoes for 10+ hours a day. Have you ever seen the Chinese foot binding? It is proof that it is possible to change your foot shape based on what you do to them/what shoes you are wearing. 

Altra posted this - which look's healthier?

This brings me to bunions. A lot of people think that they have bunions because their mom or grandma or both have bunions so it must be genetic, but unless you are born with them, I am not on this boat and here's why. Grandma was forced to wear heels with no toe space and mom may/may not have but probably has a closet full of shoes that have a narrow toe box. Why do you think they are more prevalent in women than men. Look at the shoes we wear. This provokes the formation of a bunion, where the big toe starts to drift towards the other toes. This can happen with the pinky toe too. If you notice a bunion forming: 

1. Think about your shoes you are wearing

2. Be barefoot as much as you can

3. Try the exercise below

4. Contact us to schedule an appointment to avoid surgery if you are already having foot pain

   
   

   Toe Splaying: 1. Try to separate all of your toes apart. 2. If you can't get big toe or pinky toe, hold all splayed and focus on the one toe. 3. Don't leg big toe come towards you, try to keep it level with other toes. This may take practice if your feet are weak.

I don’t want anyone reading this to immediately throw out all of their old shoes and buy completely new ones that fit the barefoot style (unless you can afford that, then great! Reach out about how to transition into them safely, though). But I would consider working towards them as you buy new shoes. There are more and more brands popping up on the regular. You will see me in Altras and Flux Footwear in a lot of my videos right now, but more will be coming with time. 

In the meantime, while building your collection, take my Disney advice as best you can and don’t wear the same shoes every day. I love cute shoes. Some of my shoes don’t fit the minimal and wide toe box qualifications. I am working towards replacing most of my shoes to match my beliefs completely, but I am not made of money and it will take me time. So I still wear my cute shoes that lack qualifications. But I actually don’t wear the same pair of shoes for 2 days in a row. I am usually alternating with minimalist shoes. And then when I am home, I am barefoot the entire time. If I don’t have to be in shoes, I won’t be. If I can take my shoes off places (friend’s houses, long drives, etc.), I will. I also work to keep my feet strong which is something I suggest to everyone. If you need help with this and are in Lexington, KY, fill out the contact form or email kelsi@dashphysio.com to get started on your foot strength and/or painfree foot journey!

Be on the lookout for more posts about foot and ankle related to certain sports and in general because this just grazed the surface (I can get on a soap box, but tried to narrow this one down.)

This blog is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice or a consultation with a healthcare professional.