Don’t follow the trend of going barefoot

NEW YORK (HealthDay News).—Attention! Ignore the so-called experts on TikTok and put your shoes on. Going barefoot is risky business, according to Dr. Sari Priesand, a foot specialist at Michigan Medicine-University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

“Keep your shoes on,” he exhorts. “We are not the Flintstones family.”

Fans of the “natural” lifestyle have revived the trend on TikTok in search of “likes” and “shares” through videos in which they wear their feet bare in public. Some even cut the soles of their shoes to get around the mandatory footwear rules in their favorite places.

Walking barefoot is natural and good for the feet, they believe.

“No way,” Priesand responds. “Taking off your shoes puts your feet at risk in several ways.”

You might step on a foreign object, such as glass, dirt, or debris; cut yourself or end up with a scratch or blister that can become infected, he warns. Keep in mind that infections can be present in places where many people walk.

Athlete’s foot or nail fungus are another danger of going barefoot, adds Dr. Priesand. It can make your feet itchy and tender. Sometimes viruses can cause warts that are difficult to treat, such as plantar warts, which are often associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV).

The specialist adds that these types of conditions can be expensive to treat, since they require visits to the doctor, drugs and, sometimes, surgeries. Even if treated successfully they are likely to recur.

“On surfaces that are cleaned properly, it can be fine,” admits the specialist. “But anywhere you are barefoot, you are exposed.”

“Having good foot hygiene is beneficial, but it won’t necessarily protect you from all those things that can penetrate or hurt your feet.”

Without shoes, the feet are also unstable, he says.

“The reason we have a sole is to help support our foot,” explains Dr. Priesand. “Removing that part is removing one of the most important parts of the shoe itself.”

Therefore, even if it feels more natural to go barefoot it is best to find a pair of supportive shoes that fit your feet correctly and wear them.