In this video, I wanted to share my thoughts on the importance of two things:

1. The proper fit of a shoe, and here I mean its length, width and arch support, and
2. The habit of walking barefoot one day a week.

When it comes to the fit of a shoe, it’s even more important to watch its width, not just its length. A shoe of the right width for your foot provides proper ankle support as you twist your feet. You may not find it an important criteria for your shoes until you twist your ankles or worse, break them, which happens quite a lot with ill-fitting mountain boots and ski boots.

Adequate arch support is obtained by trying on lots of pairs of shoes and knowing what to look for, or with the aid of inserts, which I do not like, or best of all, by getting measured with a proper mold for bespoke shoes. This involves stepping into a box filled with a special pressure-sensitive foam that conforms to the exact shape of your foot and stays that way, allowing the shoemaker to make a shoe just for you.

I believe it’s important to walk barefoot one day a week, for the following reasons:

• It provides you with a pleasurable sensory experience to step over varying textured surfaces, relaxing your mind and your body. Try walking barefoot on cobblestone, pebbles from the riverbed, sand, grass, marble or hardwood flooring and you’ll see what I mean.
• It allows your feet to breathe and stretch out. As much fun as it is to wear great shoes, our feet need to “breathe”, to be free of the confines of a shoe, every once in a while. Your nails will look better after having seen the sun and your bones will re-align, helping you regain your proper gait.
• Walking over textured surfaces will stimulate pressure points on the soles of your feet, points described by the practice of reflexology. Stimulating these points will allow your body to function better, more freely, with less stress.
• Having your feet in contact with the ground will initiate a process called earthing, which will release negative electrical tensions in your body, letting you breathe easier and sleep better. It’s the same concept as the grounding wire in your electrical outlet.

Enjoy the video!