10 Reasons to Love Minimal Shoes
Making a Big Difference with Just a Little Shoe
Making a big difference with just a little shoe? Millions of years of evolution, during which we were without supportive shoes or had only very minimal footwear, suggest that our feet don’t need much to promote foot health and positively impact our overall posture. With as little shoe as possible and as much shoe as necessary, we give our feet their natural freedom again.
1. Because Feet Are Made for It
It is in our nature to walk predominantly barefoot. We are anatomically designed for this, as Prof. Zech from the University of Jena discovered, and numerous studies confirm. This is why we are usually born with natural and healthy feet. However, shoes that are too tight, have thick, rigid soles, or lack flexibility can alter the foot’s shape. Minimal shoes help restore natural foot health.
2. Free Feet Are Strong Feet
Over 50 muscles, tendons, and ligaments work together in harmony for every foot movement. To function properly, they need regular training, and running in minimalist shoes promotes exactly that. The entire foot musculature can work undisturbed, the toes become more flexible, and if sore muscles appear, it's a good sign — previously inactive muscles are now more active and stronger. However, when transitioning from conventional shoes to minimal shoes, a gradual approach is essential.
3. Room to Move Naturally
Our feet are small anatomical marvels capable of more than just muscle coordination. The arch of the foot acts as a natural shock absorber, which can weaken due to excessive shoe padding. While well-intended, too much cushioning can hinder the arch’s function. Additionally, stiff soles in conventional shoes restrict the natural rolling motion of the foot. Our feet thrive when they can move as nature intended.
4. Improved Posture
Our posture is closely linked to foot movement. The body — especially the foot and leg muscles — functions like a spring. With natural foot rolling, kinetic energy transfers from the legs to the spine and back again, creating dynamic, upright movements. Shoes with heels shift our weight onto the balls of our feet, disrupting this natural balance and preventing proper movement flow.
5. Joint Relief
Many research indicates that while cushioned running shoes make impacts more comfortable, the force exerted remains unchanged. In fact, the energy transmitted up the leg can be approximately three times higher in cushioned shoes compared to barefoot running. This increased load may contribute to joint problems and could be linked to the rise in knee osteoarthritis cases since World War II. Within the Wildling community, numerous stories have been shared supporting these findings. Many report that wearing minimalist shoes like Wildlings leads to more natural movement and reduces joint stress.
6. Stimulates Circulation
Our feet and calf muscles function as blood-pumping machines, pushing blood back to our torso with each step we take (which is why it's recommended to get up and walk periodically during long flights). Little to no restriction or support in a shoe means that more muscles in our feet and lower legs need to engage. The more muscles are activated, the greater the demand for blood, which in turn enhances blood circulation through these well-designed pumping mechanisms in our legs.
7. Improved Balance
A healthy, upright posture and a natural gait strengthen our balance. By consciously sensing every inch of the soles of our feet, we improve body coordination. A better and more immediate connection with the 400,000 nerve endings in our feet suggests an improved and enhanced connection with our brain and certain cognitive abilities.
8. Less Shoe, Less Effort
What not only sounds logical can also be backed up with fascinating facts: If a shoe is just 100 grams heavier, we consume about one percent more oxygen. Additionally, carrying extra weight on our ankles requires more energy than carrying it around our waist. The farther a load is from our center of mass, the heavier it feels. So, lighter shoes mean less effort with every step.
9. Living a More Conscious Life
Wildlings can help enhance awareness of the surroundings. Especially for people with visual impairments, the thin, flexible sole of Wildlings can offer a significant advantage. Urban planning includes special tactile guidance systems with textured pavements that provide orientation for blind and visually impaired individuals. However, with the unique Wildling sole, the feet can distinctly perceive these patterns — like a form of "reading with the feet." This heightened sensory perception transforms walking: every movement becomes more conscious, the gait more natural, and posture intuitively adjusts.
10. My Fast Shoes
That's what many of the kids are calling their Wildlings - like a super power. And with minimal shoes, we are not only making a good decision for our own healthy future, minimal shoes are a particularly valuable choice for children. By nature, they are intuitively doing everything right when they gladly and frequently take off their shoes. They sense what is good for them and what their feet need: as few shoes as possible, as many shoes as necessary. This means that, together with minimal shoes, we retain our natural freedom of movement and at the same time have the minimal protection we need for wild adventures. Plus, it seems it brings a smile to their face each time they put Wildlings on.
The Best Posture Is the Next Posture
Peter Opsvik, the father of ergonomic furniture design, once said: "The best posture is the next posture." By this, he means that the best ergonomic chair is not the one that supports us but the one that encourages us to change positions regularly. The same principle applies to our feet — remaining still for too long, even with optimal support, is ultimately unhealthy. Interestingly, children naturally embrace this concept by using chairs in various ways and staying in motion.
Ultimately, it becomes clear: Our feet are astonishingly sensitive and can help us perceive the world anew — if we listen to them attentively and keep moving.
Credits
Images: Claudia Baske, Lisa Pitz, Sandra Chiolo, Caro Filger, Bren Zonneveld, Jette Schröder, Kiko Hirakawa, Katrin Meitz
