I've been doing all my walking lately on the beach--barefoot. I recently read a lot about the benefits of this:
New York Magazine online suggests that despite your innate ability to walk, years of walking in shoes has got you doing it all wrong. The result: more aches and pains in your body than you should naturally encounter. The article as a whole is a compelling read, making the case that despite the great lengths shoe manufacturers have taken to bring comfort to your step, most shoes are doing more harm than good. The author also highlights a shoe style called Vivo Barefoot made specifically to mimic the barefoot walking experience while providing some of the modern necessities of shoes (like, um, protecting you from broken glass). The article is persuasive—enough at least to pique my interest in some barefoot shoes.
