A conflictive aesthetic is conquering the feet of thousands of Spaniards: “barefoot” footwear
At seven in the morning, Fernando puts on his shoes barefoot before leaving for the school where he works. They are thin, soft, almost like a second skin. “Before I ended up with sores on my little fingers; now I can stand all day,” he tells us in an interview for Xataka. A few years ago you would have been looked at strangely for wearing sneakers with minimal soles and separated toes. Today, however, it does not go unnoticed as modern: the barefoot It has become a trend. From an alternative corner of the wellness world it has jumped to the feet of thousands of people. Influencers they recommend itshoe stores are multiplying and even Queen Letizia He wears them at public events. The phenomenon mixes fashion and physiology, and promises something as simple as it is powerful: walking again as we were born, barefoot. From niche to phenomenon. The rise of barefoot It has been meteoric. In just a couple of years, the concept has gone from health and natural parenting forums to digital catwalks. “At first they were ugly and almost no one used them,” remembers Fernando, 39, one of the first to try them in his circle. “But I saw people on Instagram talking about them, they said they were good for the feet and I decided to try them. From the first moment I felt very comfortable.” Like him, thousands of consumers discovered this type of footwear on social networks, recommended by social media accounts. physiotherapy either chiropody. Mar Oncina, owner from the shoe store DePeus in Alicante, confirms the change to Xataka: “When I opened, 80% of my clients were children. Now almost half are adults.” In just a year and a half, he says, interest has grown “hugely.” Schools ask for discounts for AMPAs and large chains, from Inditex to Mustang, have begun to launch their own minimalist lines. “People have understood that this is not just fashion, it is health,” he says. Walking ‘natural’. He barefoot proposes an idea as simple as it is radical: walking again without artifice. The difference with conventional footwear is in the structure. These shoes eliminate the heel (the so-called drop), cushioning and rigid insoles; Instead, they offer a thin, flexible sole that allows the foot to move and feel the ground. As explained in Podoactivathe main purpose of minimalist footwear is to promote a more natural gait and posture, strengthen the intrinsic muscles of the foot and promote proprioception. The foot, with its 28 bones and more than 100 tendons, is prepared to cushion naturally; What happens is that we have spent our entire lives enclosing it in rigid structures that atrophy it. a study published in Nature reinforces that idea: walking barefoot modifies the way the feet interact with the ground and how forces are distributed when walking. The researchers, led by evolutionary biologist Daniel Lieberman, discovered that people who walk without shoes develop thick calluses, but without losing tactile sensitivity. In other words, leather soles protect, but do not disconnect from the ground, while cushioned soles alter the natural way of walking and increase the impact on the joints. From children’s footwear to the adult boom. Paradoxically, the revolution of barefoot It started with the little ones. Mar tells us clearly: “It all started when my sister, an occupational therapist, decided that her daughter would only wear respectful shoes. She explained to us that children who go barefoot better develop gross motor skills, balance and foot strength.” From that family conviction, their store was born, and with it, a new market. Iraia, 36 years old, explains to Xataka that she discovered the barefoot looking for the best footwear for her daughter Alazne, who was unstable when taking her first steps. “I was convinced by the idea that the feet should move freely and without being deformed. Soon I started using them too and my posture changed. The lower back pain has disappeared, and my toes have literally separated.” Stories like yours are repeated in shoe stores and online forums. And although most started looking for health, many stay for comfort. “I no longer feel like coming home and taking off my shoes,” says Iraia. “It’s like going barefoot all day.” The view of the experts. Almost everyone agrees on the same idea: barefoot It’s not for everyone. “Whether it eliminates back or hip pain is questionable,” clarifies podiatrist Carles Espinosa interviewed by RAC1. “Yes, there are benefits if it is done with adaptation, but you cannot go from a shoe with a heel to a flat one overnight.” From the podiatry portal insist on the need of a progressive transition: gradually reduce the height of the heel to avoid injuries to the Achilles tendon or muscle overload. They also warn that hard surfaces, such as asphalt, are not the best to start with. Dr. Alberto Martínez Oller, from the MO podiatry clinic It’s even more concrete: “It is not recommended for people with flat feet, bunions, injuries or neuropathies. Nor for impact sports or uneven surfaces.” Their recommendation is clear: consult a podiatrist before making the change. Still, he recognizes the potential benefits: improved balance, muscle strengthening, increased mobility and prevention of deformities. In fact, some specialists fear, precisely, that viralization will turn a medical recommendation into a fast-moving fashion. “Walking naturally does not mean walking without control,” warn. The fever for well-being can lead to confusing minimalism with miracle, and each foot tells a different story. Digital fever and the power of the algorithm. If anything has driven the expansion of barefoothas been digital word of mouth. “The role of networks has been fundamental,” says Mar, from DePeus. “There are people who have known how to communicate it very well, such as podiatrists or physiotherapists who have reached thousands of people. The problem is that along with good information, many hoaxes also circulate.” “Transformation” videos abound on TikTok and Instagram: feet before and after months using barefoot, posture comparisons or 30-day barefoot challenges. … Read more
