Barefoot at the gym, treadmill

raevynn

Just get some Vibram FiveFingers shoes and you'll be good to go. They are great for strengthening foot muscles and mimic natural walking with the protection of a "shoe". They also help correct biomechanical problems, strengthen knee and lower leg muscles, and prevent injury due to postural and stride irregularities.

I wanted to get those, but from word of mouth i heard they end up stinking bad.

...and they are washable! Just throw them in the wash with your warm/cold laundry, hang to dry.

I use them for my treadmill walking all the time.

committomittxoxo

I have a treadmill at home and while I don't run barefoot, I often wear only socks.. Sometimes I even wear moccasins. I like it because it causes me to land on the balls of my feet.. and I’ve really noticed a difference in my calves as a result.

Lisa__Michelle

MRSA is very prevalent in gyms. I would be worried about contracting it barefoot. I don't think a gym would allow that either.

ybarbara

Ohhhh, can you say, ATHLETES FOOT!!!!!!!

amiles21693

Beware of staph infection and athletes foot! Both are quite nasty!

dad106

The only time I go barefoot in the gym is during yoga class.. and even then I bring flip flops to wear into the studio and wear out.. I would never walk barefoot. I also make sure that my shoes are for gym only.. They barely get worn outdoors and if they did then it's like once.. if that!

Bottom line.. Don't do it. At home, fine.. but at the gym, no.

Alice_H

I had a nail tech tell me once that she thought manicures were much grosser than pedicures, because people put their hands in much more disgusting places than they put their feet.

I'd be very concerned about the belt on the treadmill. I'm a big believer in barefoot, but treadmill belts aren't natural, and I think that even accidentally stepping with your foot halfway on the belt and halfway off could give you a nasty abrasion.

I have a pair of the Merrell barefoot shoes that I absolutely love. I originally bought them because I didn't want to have to hunt down athletic socks before I hopped on the treadmill (I'm always behind on laundry, LOL!) and now during temperate weather I wear them from morning til bedtime. I tried the VFFs, I just couldn't find any that felt right.

And yes, they can end up stinking - but they don't stink while they're on, and when I take them off at night I give my feet a quick wash and if the shoes themselves are especially bad I might hit them with some deodorizer spray. I've never noticed them smelling in the morning, though. I don't think they hold odors once they're off your feet.

waterhaunted

I use Vibram too. Love them. I have a back hip due to my thigh bone being slightly twisted. Wearing regular sneakers, walking a lot gives me much pain. Being barefoot doesn't change the I step.
As for the smell, they do make socks for them. Pricey, but would give them a longer life between washes.
I haven't found it to be a problem so far without socks.

CoraGregoryCPA

The sanitary would be grooooooooooooooooooooooooss But it's not like you are ingesting it. Your feet can be washed.

CoderGal

I LOVE my five fingers. Everyone should get them!

calliope_music

No, it is not OK--just for basic sanitary reasons.

It's hard to imagine that being acceptable at any gym -- I know it wouldn't be permitted at ours.

this.

funkycamper

Just get some Vibram FiveFingers shoes and you'll be good to go. They are great for strengthening foot muscles and mimic natural walking with the protection of a "shoe". They also help correct biomechanical problems, strengthen knee and lower leg muscles, and prevent injury due to postural and stride irregularities.

I wanted to get those, but from word of mouth i heard they end up stinking bad.

You can wash them in the washing machine. Mine don't stink.

mommy2lou

I use the vibram five fingers because they are good for people who have flat feet. You can buy them here. It is like walking barefoot. You can go here to buy them http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/index.htm

This negates everything I heard about being flat footed, because I very much am. So....if flat footed folks overpronate, doesn't that wreak havoc on folks like me with flat feet that get shin splints? Educate a sista...

I see a very esteemed podiatrist and she is completely against running barefoot or in near-barefoot shoes! She has seen several runners for problems /pain with their Metatarsals (bones across the top of the feet) because they swore by running barefoot and claimed it felt more "natural" to them.
The reasons why this would feel more comfortable to them is because these runners all ran more on their toes. This is actually due to a malformation of the feet and these people needed orthotics rather than shoes to conform to their malformations.
I suspect there will be many people that will say, “she is just in the business to make money and orthotics are job security." Actually, these runners that DONT get orthotics are more profitable for her because most of them require expensive and extensive surgery as time goes on. Her goal is to keep people from having surgeries (and honestly, she isn’t lacking in business!)

funkycamper

I use the vibram five fingers because they are good for people who have flat feet. You can buy them here. It is like walking barefoot. You can go here to buy them http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/index.htm

This negates everything I heard about being flat footed, because I very much am. So....if flat footed folks overpronate, doesn't that wreak havoc on folks like me with flat feet that get shin splints? Educate a sista...

I see a very esteemed podiatrist and she is completely against running barefoot or in near-barefoot shoes! She has seen several runners for problems /pain with their Metatarsals (bones across the top of the feet) because they swore by running barefoot and claimed it felt more "natural" to them.
The reasons why this would feel more comfortable to them is because these runners all ran more on their toes. This is actually due to a malformation of the feet and these people needed orthotics rather than shoes to conform to their malformations.
I suspect there will be many people that will say, “she is just in the business to make money and orthotics are job security." Actually, these runners that DONT get orthotics are more profitable for her because most of them require expensive and extensive surgery as time goes on. Her goal is to keep people from having surgeries (and honestly, she isn’t lacking in business!)

I find it fascinating that humans functioned for centuries without orthotics, inserts, special shoes, etc. How is it possible that various populations that never developed shoes with fancy support systems can run, hunt, walk for miles, etc., with few, if any, problems?

People are meant to run striking first with the ball of the foot not heel. That is how our bodies were designed to function.

Every single person that I know who has switched to a barefoot style shoe has had great success with them including myself. I know of people who had knee, hip, ankle and/or foot problems who no longer have them after making the switch.

mommy2lou

I use the vibram five fingers because they are good for people who have flat feet. You can buy them here. It is like walking barefoot. You can go here to buy them http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/index.htm

This negates everything I heard about being flat footed, because I very much am. So....if flat footed folks overpronate, doesn't that wreak havoc on folks like me with flat feet that get shin splints? Educate a sista...

I see a very esteemed podiatrist and she is completely against running barefoot or in near-barefoot shoes! She has seen several runners for problems /pain with their Metatarsals (bones across the top of the feet) because they swore by running barefoot and claimed it felt more "natural" to them.
The reasons why this would feel more comfortable to them is because these runners all ran more on their toes. This is actually due to a malformation of the feet and these people needed orthotics rather than shoes to conform to their malformations.
I suspect there will be many people that will say, “she is just in the business to make money and orthotics are job security." Actually, these runners that DONT get orthotics are more profitable for her because most of them require expensive and extensive surgery as time goes on. Her goal is to keep people from having surgeries (and honestly, she isn’t lacking in business!)

I find it fascinating that humans functioned for centuries without orthotics, inserts, special shoes, etc. How is it possible that various populations that never developed shoes with fancy support systems can run, hunt, walk for miles, etc., with few, if any, problems?

People are meant to run striking first with the ball of the foot not heel. That is how our bodies were designed to function.

Every single person that I know who has switched to a barefoot style shoe has had great success with them including myself. I know of people who had knee, hip, ankle and/or foot problems who no longer have them after making the switch.

I don’t know....By the way, weren’t their lifespans much shorter?? Hmm…Oral hygiene and clean water wasn’t the norm at one time either.
Show me a study comparing a cave man that ran barefoot or some sort of graph showing the number of persons with foot problems back before we wore shoes compared to today. Until you do, (and you aren’t the one treating persons for Metatarsal fractures, ankle tendon tears and stress fractures) I'll base my information on someone with a PHD in a science that she is at the top of her field of and is respected by her peers and community. I will also “stand” (because I can now!) by the fact that the excruciating pain in my ankles that kept me off my feet all summer has been completely alleviated by my orthotics and I'm back to running.

crazybeautifulkittie

Just because it feels good doesn't mean its a good idea. Aside from basic sanitary reasons (bacterial infection anyone?). Its not really good on the bones in your feet and ankle. You might not feel it after a year of running the "natural way" but try that for like years. Stress fractures are not fun. Sure our ancestors did it, but why should we? We have shoes for a reason and I'm not talking about the five toe type of shoe.

funkycamper

I use the vibram five fingers because they are good for people who have flat feet. You can buy them here. It is like walking barefoot. You can go here to buy them http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/index.htm

This negates everything I heard about being flat footed, because I very much am. So....if flat footed folks overpronate, doesn't that wreak havoc on folks like me with flat feet that get shin splints? Educate a sista...

I see a very esteemed podiatrist and she is completely against running barefoot or in near-barefoot shoes! She has seen several runners for problems /pain with their Metatarsals (bones across the top of the feet) because they swore by running barefoot and claimed it felt more "natural" to them.
The reasons why this would feel more comfortable to them is because these runners all ran more on their toes. This is actually due to a malformation of the feet and these people needed orthotics rather than shoes to conform to their malformations.
I suspect there will be many people that will say, “she is just in the business to make money and orthotics are job security." Actually, these runners that DONT get orthotics are more profitable for her because most of them require expensive and extensive surgery as time goes on. Her goal is to keep people from having surgeries (and honestly, she isn’t lacking in business!)

I find it fascinating that humans functioned for centuries without orthotics, inserts, special shoes, etc. How is it possible that various populations that never developed shoes with fancy support systems can run, hunt, walk for miles, etc., with few, if any, problems?

People are meant to run striking first with the ball of the foot not heel. That is how our bodies were designed to function.

Every single person that I know who has switched to a barefoot style shoe has had great success with them including myself. I know of people who had knee, hip, ankle and/or foot problems who no longer have them after making the switch.

I don’t know....By the way, weren’t their lifespans much shorter?? Hmm…Oral hygiene and clean water wasn’t the norm at one time either.
Show me a study comparing a cave man that ran barefoot or some sort of graph showing the number of persons with foot problems back before we wore shoes compared to today. Until you do, (and you aren’t the one treating persons for Metatarsal fractures, ankle tendon tears and stress fractures) I'll base my information on someone with a PHD in a science that she is at the top of her field of and is respected by her peers and community. I will also “stand” (because I can now!) by the fact that the excruciating pain in my ankles that kept me off my feet all summer has been completely alleviated by my orthotics and I'm back to running.

There are aboriginal people in various parts of the world today who still go shoeless, still run, and, yes, many of them live to be in their 70's and 80's. I'm no expert on them but I do read about them once in awhile and I have never read about any increased incidences of crippling among them due to lack of shoes. On the contrary, those who make it to a ripe old age without succumbing to an illness or major accident appear to be much healthier than the elderly in our own country.

And I'll stand on the fact that my hip problem that was not relieved by orthotics has been completely alleviated by wearing Vibrams or going barefoot when at home.

We're all different and find different methods to health. I think the problems with wearing barefoot-style shoes and running comes from two major mistakes: (1) not doing a proper break-in getting used to wearing them which calls for only wearing them for about 1/10 of your normal run the first time you wear them and then gradually increasing that percentage and also neglecting to do the suggested exercises to strengthen your feet; and (2) wearing them while running on pavement. Our bodies were not designed for that level of impact so I can see where more padding is needed to absorb that when running on anything other than dirt, sand or a more giving surface like a rubberized track.

doubglass

Not smart. Buy a pair of Nike Free's or their equivalent. They are supposed to flex naturally so your foot works like it is barefoot.

sofaking6

That is disgusting, it's so extremely unsanitary - at least think about the people who have to use the treadmill after you YUCK! Also, shoes cover up stinky foot smell! If you want to go barefoot, go outside or in your own home please.

sofaking6

I say if you want to, go for it. I wear shoes while working out so if someone were to be barefoot on the machine before I used it it wouldn't concern me at all. Now for safty reasons I probably wouldn't do it. What if you began to sweat and slipped off the the treadmill. It may be dangerous

Treadmills are not smooth surfaces, they are grooved and rough and have dirt on them from people's shoes. Imagine you are barefoot walking on one...how long before you get a pebble or a scratch and reach down and touch your foot and then touch the controls and the handrails?

I am really not a germophobe..I clean a machine after I use it but not before..but this is beyond the pale IMHO.