Soooo…. about two years ago I realized that one of my big toes was getting virtually immobile– hard to wiggle or move. This is after years of sensible children’s’ shoes with “good support,” ladies’ shoes, high heels, typical shoes of other types; followed by clogs and Doc Marten platforms. The state of my feet was no toe splay, bunions and big toes that were sufficiently off course that my second toes were bearing more of the weight of walking. My balance in doing yoga was not great. Ankles weren’t strong and had trouble holding a one leg pose without struggling. A yoga video class by instructor Guilia Pline on the biomechanics of the foot turned around my thinking completely. I committed to giving my feet the opportunity to move they way they naturally would before I totally lost the use of a toe.

I transitioned gradually, as you are counseled to, to shoes with larger toe boxes and less cushioning. I started with Altra sneakers and a pair of OESH ballet flats. With less padding you learn to walk differently– you don’t smash your heels down first because you can’t or clomp like in the Doc platforms.

I got on Poshmark and sold my shoes and socks and used the proceeds to build a new minimalist shoe wardrobe. I added CorrectToes separators to my daily routine when wearing many of the shoes. I experimented with various brands including Xero, Vivobarefoot, Belenka, Bohempia, Groundies and Peerko. I snagged some of these on discount or thrifted. People make shopping errors in this space and you can get things literally worn once. I basically replicated a shoe wardrobe so, boots, shoes for work, sandals, etc. I became a student of Anya’s Reviews and learned what was out there, what different types of feet are and what works best for mine. I got rid of anything that squeezed my toes including cutting the feet off tights and stockings and transitioning to socks with toes. Had to experiment with brands here, also.

Vibram Five Fingers is new for me. I am still getting to know them after a couple of sizing “missteps” with the brand. I gotta say, the weirdo look of five toe shoes is like a magnet. 

What’s the case two years later? The foot has three arches. I can see all of them. My feet and ankles are substantially stronger. My gait is better and I have little or no discomfort in my knees and hips. The natural strength of my feet and my balance are both better. I have splay in all the toes except the big toe which I know will take longer to get closer to proper alignment.

The rationale for minimalist shoes is that the way the foot is meant to work, it has a spring action when you walk. If you fill up the middle of the arch with “support” it’s like putting your arm in a splint. The foot needs to flex with each step. (This is why neither the clogs nor the Doc platforms were good.) The rest of your body takes its cues from the feet so if you get that settled a lot of other annoyances go away. I miss the extra height of my higher shoes but I am willing to sacrifice it for foot health. I am amazed at over 60 how resilient the body is when given what it needs. Happy walking, everyone.