In order to build anything we have to start with a foundation. A building is more prone to failures without a strong foundation and our bodies are no different.
For our body to function we have a basic framework of bones with muscles attached. Our nervous system is what communicates with our muscles in order for movement to occur.
When we wear cushioned shoes (or any shoe that isnt mimicking our feet) it can affect our foots function and ability to relay information to our brain as well as conforms our feet in a sort of brace, so we dont rely as much on the muscles and sensory receptors within our feet. This can lead to an increase in potential injury as well as a decrease in our overall functioning.
When we spend more time barefoot we are essentially training our foot muscles which has been proven to increase our stability. An increase in stability means that we are better able to distribute forces throughout our body which can lead to an increase in our overall strength.
Its important to note that like any sort of training, you never want to dive deep when you first start.
Taking it slow is the best way to reduce risk of injury.
In this video I'm showing one technique on how to activate our feet musculature. (there are a lot and I can go over them in future posts, just let me know)
Start with your feet on the ground. Keep your heel, balls of your feet, and toes on the ground as you imagine gripping the ground with your feet. The goal is to activate our arch and create a "short foot" without letting the rest of our foot lift from the ground, including the lateral side of our foot.
If you try it out let me know how it goes!
Here's one of the studies of you're interested💜
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274988346_Barefoot_Training_Improved_Ankle_Stability_and_Agility_in_Netball_Players
