(That’s why experts suggest always wearing shoes before and after you get in the pool, even though it’s a nuisance, and shower shoes if you’re in a dorm or gym.) These microorganisms can lead to infections that change your foot’s appearance and smell. There are also less obvious threats lurking beneath your feet: You can’t see them, but bacteria, fungi, and viruses are common in showers, locker rooms, pools, and anywhere else with a lot of water or moisture. Tiny cuts in your feet can let in bacteria If you step on something dangerous while barefoot, see a doctor right away, she urges. “It’s sharp.”) She worries about hypodermic needles on city streets, stinging pests in the grass, and rocks and sticks on trails. Throughout her career, Pontious has removed many things from people’s feet: wood splinters, glass, sewing needles, pieces of shells from the beach, even chihuahua hair (which is “very strong, like a tough fishing string,” she says. Even being healthy and young, it wasn’t the safest thing to do.” “With that said, did I have problems? Yeah, I did,” she says. When she first heard about the barefoot renaissance, she smiled, because it reminded her of childhood days spent near a lake, enjoying freedom of the feet and spirit. Jane Pontious, a clinical professor in the department of podiatric surgery at the Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine. One of the biggest concerns is stepping on something painful or dangerous, says Dr. They advise caution to those intrigued by the trend. But he doesn’t recommend going shoeless at the gym, communal bathing facilities, or outdoors, especially for prolonged periods of time.Įxperts speculate that people are trotting down city streets sans shoes more in an effort to look cool or edgy, and to show off on social media, than to reap any real health benefits. Miguel Cunha, a podiatrist who owns Gotham Footcare in New York. And walking barefoot on carpeted floors can increase circulation and strengthen the muscles in the feet, says Dr. The movement isn’t coming out of nowhere: “Grounding,” an alternative medicine practice that involves putting your feet in direct contact with the earth, has been linked to benefits like stress relief and better sleep. Everything starts from the bottom and works up.” He’s not worried about potential harms, and says the rewards outweigh the occasional splinter. He’s been going barefoot in certain situations, like on the beach and while exercising, since the barefoot running boom about 15 years ago-which surely qualifies him as one of the original barefoot boys. So what’s the appeal of ditching shoes? “For me, and for most people, it’s getting more in touch with our feet as the foundation of our bodies,” says Eric Cohen, 60, who lives in Sag Harbor, N.Y. Footwear provides important structural support, comfort, and protection from a wide variety of threats, including sharp objects on the ground, pests, heat, and invisible germs. Research suggests that humans began wearing sandals or moccasins more than 40,000 years ago-and there’s a good reason for that. “You’re pretty much asking for trouble, and I 100% do not recommend it for a lot of different reasons.” The risks aren’t worth it Priya Parthasarathy, a podiatrist with Foot and Ankle Specialists of Mid-Atlantic in Silver Spring, Md., describing her reaction when she learned going barefoot was in vogue. (“Be that primal, hard-to-kill man you know you are, and start walking barefoot outside,” one urges.) The trend is even infiltrating popular media: In a recent episode of Succession, Lukas Matsson (played by Alexander Skarsgard) walks barefoot on the tarmac before boarding his private plane. Social-media users on platforms like TikTok are sharing videos of themselves ( and others) barefoot in the wild. That’s according to podiatrists alarmed at recent reports that people (men in particular) are losing their shoes and hitting the streets-heading to coffee shops, hiking trails, airports, and anywhere else their hearts and soles might lead them. “ Barefoot boy summer” has been canceled. Apologies to the dudes who packed away their Allbirds and Crocs in order to parade around town with nothing but sweet air between their feet and the ground.
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