Getting into a pair of men's or women's wide toe box shoes (specifically, shoes that are widest at the ends of the toes, not the ball of the foot) is vitally important in preventing additional toe deformities and in creating the circumstances that allow for true toe rehabilitation. So, a wide toe box shoe (which should also, ideally, possess a completely flat and flexible sole) is crucial in preventing a...
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At Natural Footgear, we firmly believe that finding the right minimalist shoe begins with understanding your unique foot shape and biomechanics. While conventional footwear often forces feet into a narrow, standardized mold, minimalist shoes should work with your natural anatomy, not against it. People have varying foot structures—some have wide forefeet and narrow heels, others have high or low arches, and some may have longer second toes (Morton’s toe). These...
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In order to understand how our feet would develop without shoes, we need look no further than barefoot cultures that currently exist around the world in places like Asia, Africa, and South and Central America. The feet of barefoot individuals are characterized by strong, sturdy arches, thick calluses on the underside of the foot, and perfectly straight toes that are splayed well apart. In shoe-wearing societies, we have lost the...
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Barefoot walking is part of our natural foot health heritage. Our ancestors walked barefoot across a variety of terrain and in a variety of climatic conditions. Many people around the world still walk barefoot, or in minimalist footwear, without experiencing the kind of foot and toe issues—such as bunions, crooked toes, and neuromas—that plague many shoe-wearing individuals. So, is walking barefoot a good strategy for achieving optimal foot health? For...
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This is a question that we commonly receive from customers and site visitors! The truth is, most folks who adopt foot-healthy footwear (i.e., shoes that stay out of the way of your feet) in combination with other helpful footgear (e.g., toe spacers, toe socks, metatarsal pads, sole-stimulating insoles, etc.) experience a lengthening of the feet. It's not so much that the feet are growing after adopting minimalist and foot-shaped footwear,...
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