What makes a minimalist shoe? Does it have to look a certain way? What is good for my feet? You can get really nuanced here, but the general idea is to find shoes with:
✅Zero drop
✅Wide toe box
✅High flexibility
✅Low stack height
My primary goal in a minimalist shoe, especially for someone transitioning, is the drop. If you’re on an angle, especially a severe one, you are negatively affecting your entire body. I recently got my husband moved from regular tennis shoes with about a 1 1/2 inch drop to a pair with only a 4mm drop and his joints are so much happier. Eventually, we’ll get him flat. I no longer wear a single shoe that’s not flat.
Next, check that toe box! A 2015 study outlined barefoot shoes as “Footwear providing minimal interference with the natural movement of the foot due to its high flexibility, low heel to toe drop, weight and stack height, and the absence of motion control and stability devices.” I find it interesting/disturbing that toe box is not included. Protect your toes and give them space!
Third, flexibility is really important. There’s a real gradient here to in different minimalist shoes. Get the most flexibility you can so that your feet can act like they should: as natural, unrestricted feet. Traditional footwear frequently includes reinforcing material to eliminate the shoe’s ability to flex. That’s the opposite of what you want.
Lastly, get as low to the ground as you can for your comfort level. There’s a real gradient here, as well. The lower to the ground you can go the more stable you will become.
All of these, especially the drop, flexibility, and stack height, come together in the way the shoe is constructed. It’s pretty hard to find something zero drop that’s truly inflexible, but still make sure that you check each of these when looking at shoes.
Where do you start? Here, of course! 😎 You can go to this page for a guide and check the blog regularly because every week I’m adding new reviews, resources, and guides/lists to the blog and my Obsessed with Barefoot Shoes Instagram Page. I’ve explored a lot of brands (bunches of discounts here)and I’m sharing the knowledge to help new wearers and old hats find fun, attractive, foot-healthy shoes. Have any questions? Let me know!
