I think more of us are spending more time barefoot as we work from home more and I know my feet have spread in width since the pandemic when I just wore trainers and slippers or nothing on my feet at home. Vivobarefoot shoes are actually designed to be foot shaped rather than narrow towards the toe, so your foot has room to spread. All women I know have a pile of uncomfortable shoes with heels laying redundant in their wardrobes, we have got used to comfort and every outfit works with a trainer now. So I know I am late in joining the Vivobarefoot tribe, I saw them as too flat and only for hard-core runners but I was sent a a release on the new collections and loved the styles, particularly the hiking boots and wanted to give them a try. Look how cool this pair are….The Magna Lite Soft Ground, these are my pair*
It’s so important to take care of our feet and learn how to walk properly, we can avoid knee, hip and back pain by walking correctly in the right pair of shoes. Padded shoes hinder the sensory feedback that your feet give you when walking and can restrict your natural range of movement. They make it hard to feel exactly what is going on under the shoe. The Vivobarefoot shoes have been designed to allow maximum sensory feedback, they help your foot to work as nature designed whilst still giving that thin layer of protection from the outdoor world. There’s something lovely about feeling closer to the ground when you are walking in a forest with the leaves and earth beneath you.
To find out more about the science behind the brand we ask Ben Le Vesconte, Head Coach at Vivobarefoot some questions:
What are the benefits of running in Vivo shoes?
B: There are benefits to running in Vivobarefoot – softer impacts, reduced knee forces and quicker rhythm; however running is highly complex, technique is key and building up gradually is crucial. The most important recommendation is to use Vivobarefoot daily for walking to build strong feet and a strong foundation. At least 6 weeks day to day wear while practicing foot and whole body mobility exercises, and checking your movement skill – posture, walking, squatting and running technique – before running.
How do they support feet compared to other trainers that have more cushioning in the soles?
B: Feet are the best technology that will ever go into a shoe! Vivobarefoot are wide for balance and stability, thin for sensory feedback and movement skill, flexible for full range of motion and strength. A Liverpool study showed ~60% increase in foot strength in 6 months of daily use. Vivobarefoot do not support feet, Vivobarefoot enable feet to support us!
Are they good for all types of exercise, not just running?
B: Because wearing Vivobarefoot improves balance and postural control, its great to strength train in Vivo – many strength coaches recommend lifting barefoot! Elite athletes across many sports – Rugby, Hockey, Tennis, NFL, NBA, Football, Powerlifting and Cross Fit +++ are using Vivobarefoot to improve their foot strength and movement skill. Again the caveat is, it takes time to build up to dynamic plyometric (jumping) sports. Wearing Vivo day to day is step 1.
Can they correct issues people may have with their feet?
B: Narrow toe boxes cause weak deformed big toes and weak big toes are the beginning of many foot problems such as bunions, plantar fasciitis and neuroma’s as well as knee pain. Wide flexible footwear allows toes, arches and ankles to get straighter and stronger. Stronger feet are associated with less foot problems – aches, pains and injuries. Thin soles encourage softer impacts when walking and running which can help with heel, shin, knee, hip and back pain.
Do our feet change as we age, if so what can we do to take care of them?
B: Feet never stop growing! Up to half a size a decade even after the age of 40. So it is important to recheck your size. So many of us wear shoes which are too small, and if the shoes have narrow toe boxes, it is impossible for them to be the right size even if we size up! Going barefoot, practicing toe exercises and wearing wide, thin, flexible footwear regenerates foot health and strength. NB It’s the ligaments in our feet which expand as we age rather than actual growth.
What do you think about people getting knee / ankle problems with regular running?
B: It is not the regular running which is injurious. Running explains the human body form – feet, ankles, glutes and more. Our ancestors and many humans alive today run long and ultra distances frequently, without injury. Perhaps modern humans have gone wrong in our equipment, technique and training? Cushioning and heel toe drop running shoes provide faulty information, tricking us into thinking we are running on soft surfaces. Our leg joints – knees, ankles and hips stiffen to counteract the underfoot cushioning, increasing impact forces with injurious consequences. Because we are receiving faulty information, we also potentially run longer and faster than our physiology is prepared for. Minimal footwear does the opposite, increasing sensory feedback. We can feel the ground, we receive accurate information and this leads to softer impacts.
NB Running in minimal footwear is associated with reduced knee torques and increased ankle torques. Ankles can be conditioned, knee joints less so! It takes time to build up to running longer distances with a midfoot strike in minimal footwear. Practice jumping on the spot to learn the skilful elastic rhythm and condition your shock absorbers – feet, achilles and calves – before starting to run. Once you are ready to run in Vivobarefoot, it can take 6 weeks or longer to get to a 5km. Take longer than you think and progress based on recovery. Check out the Barefoot and Running Fundamentals Courses on VivoHealth for more information.
*I received a pair of Vivobarefoot shoes as a gift, all opinions are my own.