The wearing of shoes is equated to being part of civilized society. No one would dream of showing up at the office wearing a suit with bare feet and expect it to go unnoticed, and we have all seen the signs that say, “No shirt, No shoes, No service.”
But, like so many other “civilized” things, just because we do it doesn‘t mean it‘s “better.”
This article, featured on the Anthropik Network, reviews the many problems caused by walking incorrectly, which is directly related to wearing shoes.
The civilized walk — here referred to as cow-walk — puts tremendous pressure on the joints. Starting with the squeezing of the foot inside the shoe; jarring the knees as they‘re locked straight upon the pole-driving impact of the heel, which then travels straight up the spine, all the way up the neck.
In contrast, “fox-walking” is the walk of the natural hunter-gatherer — the graceful flow of the body in total synchronization. The knees are bent, rather than locked; the ball of the foot touches the ground first, followed by the heel, in a virtually soundless step motion. Watching a baby walking barefoot can be an educational experience in correct walking technique.
The Anthropik Network June 28, 2007
