Barefoot and Minimalist Shoes

One of the questions that comes up regularly when I talk to people is about minimalist shoes.

Unfortunately, this is not a question about the utility or efficiency of minimalist shoes, but rather about "which" minimalist shoe the athlete should prioritize.

Why am I sharing my observation here? Because ultimately, the question to ask is not which shoe is right for my foot, but rather which foot is right for my shoe?

The observation is that most people do not have "THE" foot to be able to embrace minimalism.

Is my foot functioning properly? How can I tell?

How do I transition to minimalist shoes? Which minimalist shoe should I choose?

Is my foot ready?

The foot is a natural spring. It’s essential to realize that it consists of a quarter of the bones in the body, about thirty joints, and fifty ligaments… and no less than 7,200 nerve endings.

It is the structure that supports 90% of our body against gravity.

But who takes care of their feet?

Who works on the muscles of their feet or even the sensory aspects of their foot?

What tests?

I present to you 3 possible tests, two of which are very easy to implement.

Test 1: step out of the shower and place your feet on the tiled floor. It also works with sand, but there’s less of that in the Vosges… Look at the structure of your foot to see if all toes are in contact, and if the foot is not too flat or too hollow.

Test 2: test the long flexor of the big toe. The person needs to be relaxed and allowed to be assisted. We lift the hallux and check if:

-the arch of the foot forms

-is the hallux too loose or on the contrary too stiff? Of course, there needs to be a balance.

(See the video below)

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2tszSnNHQT

Test 3: place 3 stickers (on the lowest point of the talonavicular joint, and the lowest points of the medial sesamoid in the front and of the calcaneus in the back) and test the djian angle. The "norm" should be 120° to 130° for the foot at rest and 150° during absorption. This test will require a bit more precision in placing the stickers and in calculating. It’s not the simplest but provides useful data.

Which minimalist shoe?

I won’t be 100% objective as I can only talk about what I know and have worn long enough to form a real opinion on the type of shoe, its durability, and the sensations depending on the seasons.

For this reason, we will look at:

-the Reebok Nano4

-the Vivobarefoot

-Inov8

-Merrell

Which already gives you a good representation of the major brands in the industry.

Final thoughts

Before asking about the best minimalist shoe, you should first consider the capability of your foot.Don't forget to work on your foot: in a sensory or muscular way, to give it the maximum capability possible, because it’s not the shoe that will improve your foot, but the demands you place on it.Then, proceed gradually and don’t hesitate to take your time before rushing into the first minimalist shoe you see.

Adrien