Boots vs Barefoot Shoes: A Podiatrist’s Pros and Cons

This content was sponsored by Goral, who make barefoot shoes in Britain with an emphasis on durability.

The shape of our shoes is changing, but it’s not because our feet are changing. Instead, we’re in the middle of a footwear revolution: shoes have heels, support, tapered toes — in other words, they don’t look that much like feet. What if they did?

Many people are embracing what are called “barefoot shoes,” and we’re not just seeing them in the gym anymore. The trend is expanding into the realm of barefoot sneakers and even barefoot boots. But how can a shoe be “barefoot”?

To help understand the pros and cons of barefoot footwear, we sat down with Colin Papworth, who is a podiatrist and expert in gait analysis and sports injuries at Colpod Therapies.

What are Barefoot Boots?

• Traditional shoes and boots often have a raised heel for stability and multiple layers of cushioning underfoot (Cudejko, et al.).
• That structure is intended to limit foot pain by reducing how hard your foot muscles need to work as you walk.
• Barefoot shoes take the opposite approach: too much shoe wearing has left your foot muscles too inactive, so let’s wear shoes that give your feet more of a workout.
• Barefoot shoes typically feature a wide toe box that allows toes to splay naturally, a “zero-drop” sole that is completely flat from heel to toe, and a thin, flexible sole that provides minimal material between the foot and the ground.

“Barefoot shoes” might sound like an oxymoron, but that doesn’t mean they don’t make sense.

“The idea is to have something that simply protects the foot instead of coddling it,” says Colin. “Proponents say the human foot wasn’t designed to be encased in a traditional shoe, so barefoot shoes aim to bring us back to a more natural way of moving and walking.”

Most experts, like Colin, don’t hold the idea that everybody is messing up by wearing regular shoes, and that they should instead wear barefoot shoes all the time.

The idea is more that feet need exercise just like the rest of our muscles. If your foot gets plenty of exercise — say, you work on your feet or you spend a lot of time in the gym — you might have no use for barefoot shoes.

But since most of us don’t spend all day on our feet and we wear regular shoes every time we leave the house, we might benefit from sometimes using footwear that gives our foot muscles more exercise.

“There’s no reason why potentially you couldn’t have a little bit more support if you need it,” says Colin. “When I see patients with foot injuries, sometimes the solution is orthotics or other ways to give the feet more support. But sometimes, the way forward includes getting their feet to do more work and experience more blood flow and mobility as a result.”

Why a Podiatrist Might Recommend Barefoot Shoes

• Encouraging the foot to function more naturally and effectively: By removing supportive structures, the muscles within the foot are forced to work harder, which can lead to a stronger, more stable base, similar to the benefits of barefoot lifting in a gym (Biscarini, et al., Cudejko, et al.).
• Whether an expert would recommend barefoot shoes is entirely dependent on the individual’s history and medical status. (Don’t take this as medical advice.)

The big differences between regular and barefoot boots come down to three main elements: the heel, toe box, and soles.

Regular Boots

• Heel: They have a raised heel, which is said to provide stability and control.
• Stability: Usually have a shank to keep the heel and forefoot moving independently and causing sore foot muscles.
• Support: Usually have two or more thick layers underfoot, eg. insole, midsole, outsole, cork filling. They mold to your foot’s shape with wear, further improving stability.

Barefoot Boots

• “Zero drop” Heel: Completely flat, with no “drop” from heel to toe.
• Wide Toe Box: So your toes can splay naturally.
• Thin Sole: Whether there’s one layer underfoot or more, the idea is to minimize distance between foot and ground.

At this point, I started getting confused: most jobs that have you walking all day put their workers in boots so as to minimize foot pain from their foot’s muscles “working” all day.

But Colin’s saying that barefoot shoes can be a great way to reduce foot pain because they give the foot muscles more of a workout. These ideas are in total opposition to each other. How can both be true?

“Well, medical advice works on a case-by-case basis,” says Colin. “Some people have injuries from too much exercise, some people have them from too little. So I look at each patient’s situation and make a recommendation for their individual needs.”

Some research has found potential uses for barefoot shoes in treating conditions like plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, bunions, and hammer toes (Perkins, et al., Ridge, et al.). Other research has found more supportive footwear to potentially reduce the risk of foot conditions like overpronation and ankle instability (Malisoux, et al.)

Yup, believe it or not, medicine is more nuanced than “this type of shoe always good/bad.”

“When we walk, the arch naturally drops and the foot destabilizes to absorb impact,” Colin points out. “We can either use the shoe to help with that process, or we can go minimalist and let the foot’s own muscles do the work. When you first make that switch, your feet will get tired more quickly. It’s just like starting a new gym routine.”

For some people, like runners, you want the foot’s muscles to stay active. For others, maybe not. It’s like choosing between sitting on the couch and working out. A traditional boot is like the couch. A barefoot shoe is like a workout for your feet. And the body needs both exercise and rest.

How Often Should I Wear Barefoot Shoes?

• No one’s telling you to wear them: that decision is between you and your doctor.
• Start gradually: If you do go down this route, don’t jump into wearing them for a full day. Bring a spare pair of shoes to change into after a couple of hours, and slowly increase your time spent “barefoot” based on your doctor’s advice.
• Treat it like starting a new gym routine: Begin by wearing them for short periods a few times a week and slowly increase the duration as your foot fitness improves. This helps prevent excessive fatigue and potential strain on the rest of your body.

“Advocates for barefoot styles say your foot will work better and get stronger, but you have to manage the fatigue,” says Colin.

Someone (like me) who wears boots most of the time might be a little lacking in foot fitness, so it might make sense to start by walking in barefoot shoes a day or two a week.

“I wouldn’t start with a whole day,” says Colin. “You need to be much more gradual, because the change in movement impacts the rest of your body. It’s like when you first go to the gym: you might go just twice per week before you can handle more frequent workouts.”

When someone visits a physical therapist or podiatrist with an injury, the diagnosis is often that a muscle wasn’t as strong, fit, or mobile as it should have been. The typical solution is to strengthen those muscles to make the person more injury-resistant in the future. That’s what happened when my shoulder got a repetitive stress injury from picking at a warehouse job. The same approach is sometimes used for feet.

Do I Need Barefoot Shoes If I Don’t Have Foot Pain?

• They can be a preventative tool
• Wearing them depends on your personal goals

Experts argue about the line between “barefoot shoes may help recover from certain injuries” and “barefoot shoes may prevent certain injuries.” As is the case with lifting weights, how much they help or harm has a lot to do with ensuring your muscles get the right amount of both exercise and rest.

But research does tend to agree that barefoot shoes improve foot strength.(Curtis, et al., Ridge, et al.)

If you’re happy with how your feet feel, engage in regular exercise, and have no foot pain, you might not need barefoot shoes.

However, if you want to improve your body’s functional strength and your tolerance to loading and carrying weight, barefoot shoes might help you build a more stable base.

“When the foot is stronger, the calf muscles and hips work more effectively,” says Colin. “Your core becomes more activated, your posture can improve, you gain better proprioception, or awareness of where your feet are located in space.”

Research backs this up — some studies have found that transitioning to minimalist footwear can indeed increase the strength and size of the intrinsic foot muscles over time.(Curtis, et al., Biscarini, et al.) One landmark study found a 57% increase in foot muscle strength after six months of daily activity in minimal shoes, compared to a control group in normal shoes.

This same study, published in 2021, found that subjects who had been wearing minimalist shoes for years had foot strength comparable to those who went through that six-month program, suggesting that the benefits plateau once your feet reach a higher fitness level.

“Stronger feet can provide a more stable base and better shock absorption, akin to how a stronger core supports your spine,” says Colin. “It can lead to more mobility, flexibility, and blood flow, keeping the soft tissues in your body flexible for longer. Sometimes, you can treat back pain just by working on your foot health — but again, it’s a case-by-case basis.”

Types of Barefoot Shoes

• All manner of barefoot footwear exists: Boots, sneakers, workout shoes, sandals, and more

Many brands sell different kinds of footwear with the barefoot benefits of a wide toe box and a zero-drop heel. Where they’re most likely to differ is how thick the sole is and what it’s made from.

“Some brands have extremely thin, flexible materials, but there are downsides to that,” says Colin. “A thicker sole offers more protection from punctures and from the cold, which can be a real issue with minimalist shoes in the winter, when the increased groundfeel can make your feet very cold.”

Some running brands, meanwhile, like Xero, make zero-drop, wide-toe-box shoes with a centimeter or more of cushioning, designed for ultra-marathoners who need some extra protection. This might sound against the whole idea of barefoot shoes, but remember that many folks value the wide toe and/or zero drop heel more than the thin sole, especially for working out.

For more on barefoot workout shoes, check out the content on That Fit Friend, a site focused on that space that’s run by my friend Jake.

The Takeaway

Your feet have muscles, but people don’t think about maintaining the strength and function of their feet the same way they do of their core and biceps — but they should.

Like any other muscle, it’s good to work on your feet’s strength, flexibility, and mobility. Most of us don’t really have the time to do so, just like most people (unfortunately) don’t have time to lift weights.

But working out a couple of times a week is way better than not working out at all, even if it’s not quite as ideal as having a six-days-per-week workout routine that incorporates massage, sauna, mobility, yoga, varying levels of cardio, and lots of deep sleep.

In the same way, even if you don’t have time to do dedicated foot workouts (they exist, and full-time athletes do them), it’s good to incorporate a little foot fitness into your week if you can. Barefoot shoes can be a good way to do that.

But just as you should do if you’re starting a new workout routine, it’s good to talk to your doctor or physical therapist before getting into barefoot shoes so that you can get an idea of the best way to incorporate it into your life — and so that you can find out if it’s the right idea for you at all.

Thanks to Goral and their very fancy barefoot shoes and boots for sponsoring this content.

Bibliography:

Curtis R, Willems C, Paoletti P, D’Août K. Daily activity in minimal footwear increases foot strength. Scientific Reports. 2021 Sep 20;11:18648. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-98070-0

Ridge ST, Johnson AW, Mitchell UH, Williams KS, Tarr JM, Clermont CA. Walking in minimalist shoes is effective for strengthening foot muscles. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019 Jan;51(1):104–113. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000001764

Biscarini A, Calandra A, Marcucci A, Panichi R, Belotti A. Enhanced Foot Proprioception Through 3-Minute Walking Bouts with Ultra-Minimalist Shoes on Surfaces That Mimic Highly Rugged Natural Terrains. Biomimetics (Basel). 2024;9(12):741. doi:10.3390/biomimetics9120741. PMCID: PMC11672953. PMID: 39727745.

Malisoux L, Theisen D. Can the “Appropriate” Footwear Prevent Injury in Leisure-Time Running? Evidence Versus Beliefs. Sports Med Open. 2020 Dec 4;6(1):59. doi:10.1186/s40798-020-00290-5. PMCID: PMC7740063. PMID: 33064799.

Perkins KP, Hanney WJ, Rothschild CE. The Risks and Benefits of Running Barefoot or in Minimalist Shoes: A Systematic Review. Open Access J Sports Med. 2014 Oct 9;5:175-92. doi:10.2147/OAJSM.S66948. PMCID: PMC4212355. PMID: 25364479.

Cudejko T, Gardiner J, Akpan A, D’Août K. Minimal shoes improve stability and mobility in persons with a history of falls. Sci Rep. 2020 Dec 10;10(1):21930. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-79058-w. PMCID: PMC7730448. PMID: 33303964.