11 Reasons Podiatrists Dislike Bare Feet

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11 Reasons Podiatrists Dislike Bare Feet
By Ahcuah


Maybe it’s time I did a listicle.

Yesterday, over at Barefoot and Grounded, Michael Buttgen had an excellent and interesting posting that got me thinking. The posting was Studies? We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Studies (to Live Barefoot)!.

In it he addresses the fact that so many (mostly podiatrists) who are against going barefoot keep saying there isn’t enough evidence to support the idea: “Studies have not been able to show that going barefoot is better for you than wearing shoes.” He points out that that is totally backwards. As he puts it
Really, since when do we need scientific evidence to use an inborn part of our bodies? How in the world did our society’s thinking about feet become so “bass ackwards” that footwear supersedes our natural condition when it comes to the scientific burden of proof?​
Go read the whole thing.

But that got me thinking. Just why is it that so many podiatrists are convinced that going barefoot is so bad? Why do they think that feet need support and that without shoes they would just become puddles of goo?

So, here’s a list I came up with. You might be able to think of items that ought to be added, so feel free to comment. To continue reading, please visit http://ahcuah.wordpress.com/2014/05/23/11-reasons-podiatrists-dislike-bare-feet/#more-7623.
 
If humans would have stayed barefoot from birth, I bet the number of podiatrists would be very few.
 
I think podiatrists dislike bare feet mainly because they never tried out being barefoot by themselves: They have grown up in shoes and have never considered another possibility for a number of reasons, most of which probably are related to their parents' upbringing. All they "know" about barefoot is theoretical "knowledge": they read this or that study and they choose to believe the one that comforts their own belief-system, which was laid down during childhood. Studies which present data contrary to this belief system are systematically discredited. To discredit a study one either has to say that the person who conducted the study is incompetent (for instance, he or she doesn't have this or that diploma and from that one concludes that the study is invalid) or if the person is actually some kind of professor, one will find some problem with how the study was conducted to conclude the same. Most people (not just podiatrists) will do anything to avoid questioning their upbringing and deeply rooted beliefs.
 
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11 Reasons Podiatrists Dislike Bare Feet
By Ahcuah


Maybe it’s time I did a listicle.

Yesterday, over at Barefoot and Grounded, Michael Buttgen had an excellent and interesting posting that got me thinking. The posting was Studies? We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Studies (to Live Barefoot)!.

In it he addresses the fact that so many (mostly podiatrists) who are against going barefoot keep saying there isn’t enough evidence to support the idea: “Studies have not been able to show that going barefoot is better for you than wearing shoes.” He points out that that is totally backwards. As he puts it
Really, since when do we need scientific evidence to use an inborn part of our bodies? How in the world did our society’s thinking about feet become so “bass ackwards” that footwear supersedes our natural condition when it comes to the scientific burden of proof?​
Go read the whole thing.

But that got me thinking. Just why is it that so many podiatrists are convinced that going barefoot is so bad? Why do they think that feet need support and that without shoes they would just become puddles of goo?

So, here’s a list I came up with. You might be able to think of items that ought to be added, so feel free to comment. To continue reading, please visit http://ahcuah.wordpress.com/2014/05/23/11-reasons-podiatrists-dislike-bare-feet/#more-7623.

I think they'll protest against anything that could cost them some patients...;)
 
Great essay Acuah!
Reason number one is the defining motive in prompting me to toss the clogs. I was presented with the feet of a sandal wearing ultra runner and I nearly fell over in awe and astonishment. They were like Nothing I had ever laid my hands on before.
Rest is history
Natch
:)
 
We wouldn't need as many podiatrists if we didn't damage our feet with shoes, that is the main reason for their existence.
They fix the problems that are caused by the shoes, bare footed people don't have to 'prove' anything. There don't have to be studies, evolution actually works.
Unless podiatrists think a million years of evolution doesn't come up with a decent design to move an animal around it's environment in an efficient manner they are the ones that should be supplying the 'proof' that
shoes should be worn all the time.
I don't hear the podiatrists asking governments to ban stiletto heel shoes due to the number of broken or sprained ankles, deformed feet and bad backs.
Do they have a health warning in the shoe shops where you buy them, or an instruction manual.
The reason there are not many podiatrists in countries where they wear little or no footwear is because they wouldn't be doing much business.

Neil
 
We wouldn't need as many podiatrists if we didn't damage our feet with shoes, that is the main reason for their existence.
They fix the problems that are caused by the shoes
I don't know about fixing. That seems to imply restoration to original, unimpaired functioning. Maybe more like patch things up, the best that they can. TJ can attest to this.

a decent design to move an animal around it's environment in an efficient manner they are the ones that should be supplying the 'proof' that shoes should be worn all the time.
If they don't understand the original design, how can they "fix" it or even make sufficient repairs?
 
Industrial nations view barefootedness as a strange and diminutive thing. Most Podiatrists are from industrial nations. The perceived need for shoes is so ingrained in our industrialized culture that wearing them "for survival" seems as fundamentally essential as the need for water. It is felt that evidence based practice is best in the medical world. It gives doctors some backing to what they say so the don't sound like they are spouting hot air. How many times have you heard, studies show . . . or, research suggests . . . Doctors tend to be prudent and not much for risk taking when dealing with things out of their expertise. Most Podiatrists don't know enough about the dynamic of barefoot living. When docs are out of their element, even slightly, they tend to recommend prudence, as they take an oath to do no harm. There are a lot of foolish foolish people and doctors are bombarded with the end results of their foolhardiness. That, too, is another reason they act so prudently.
 
Unfortunately, practice of medicine is either "standard care" or "evidence based". Basically, if what a doctor is doing is wrong, but every other doctor does it, then it's accepted as "good medical practice" even if nonsensical or without evidence. It's not until there is evidence to refute that practice, that things are changed.
 
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Unfortunately, practice of medicine is either "standard care" or "evidence based". Basically, if what a doctor is doing is wrong, but every other doctor does it, then it's accepted as "good medical practice" even if nonsensical or without evidence. It's not until there is evidence to refute that practice, that things are changed.

That's not quite right nowadays, Sid. That would be reckless. It could be thats was how medicine was practiced long ago but evidence based practice has overwhelmingly become the standard of care. If barefootedness persists then the field will study it and gather data. If they do the testing properly (test veteran barefooters such as ourselves, and not newbie barefooters who are more likely to get injured), which, sooner or later, they likely will, then the data will likely vindicate to the public what we already know. Barefoot is better! It just takes a long long time to do good testing and gather enough data. I ain't getting any younger, so I'm going with my gut for now. Gotta run -- literally. VIVA BAREFOOT! AAAHHHUUUGGGAAA!!
 
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True that on the need for more research. Doctors know a lot about the human body but not much about how to fix it, especially without dire consequences (drug side effects, adhesions, dumping syndrome, etc.). That's why the conservative approach to medicine works best. It means they physically do the least harm, though their lack of insight into one's problem and their inability to do much doesn't help and makes people wonder what the $100 office visit was good for, lol, but seriously, their advise is usually pretty reasonable. But hey, if I get in a terrible car accident and it's do or die, then please, by all means, do!

You're also right that best practice and evidence based aren't the same thing but evidence based is the driving force behind new standards of care, and standards of care are considered to be best practices. Thank god evidence can change the standard of care and effectively augment best practice. In the end we are thinking the same thing, but, alas, we are talking idealisms in a less than ideal system. It is getting better, though:).
 
I'm with you on the reseach, but going to disagree that docs (or scientists in general) know a lot about the human body. There are horrendous gaps in the knowledge base.

Best practices significantly lags evidence, often for many years. The ongoing updates to the ACLS protocols are just one example. Changes are slow.
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/CPRAn...ndStats/History-of-CPR_UCM_307549_Article.jsp

With all the things that kill people and the profit-driven nature of healthcare, it is exceptionally unlikely that we'll see much significant research in barefooting that will change current "best practices".

However, we are free to make our own decisions. I believe that there actually is sufficent evidence that shoes are harmful, hence one cannot recommend use of shoes in general (unless needed for specific circumstances). See the articles in the Studies forum.
 
I think they know a lot, yes there will always be even more to learn, look at the genetic code. Maybe it's better put, they know a lot compared to what they can do with it. But, as I said before, their advice is usually reasonable.