The field journal
Fit, feel, and function. A considered look at footwear, with attention to the conditions and tradeoffs.
Yes, some calf pain is normal during the barefoot shoe adjustment period, especially in the first few weeks. I see it all the time when runners and walkers switch from cushioned, heeled shoes to zero-drop barefoot shoes too fast. Your calves and Achilles suddenly have to do more of the work they were partly […]
Yes, you should change your running shoes depending on the surface, but not in the way most runners think. I do not mean you need a giant shoe rotation for every trail, sidewalk, and treadmill session. I mean the shoe has to match the demands of the ground under you. Surface changes how hard […]
I’ll give you the short answer first: yes, many older adults can do well in barefoot shoes, but age is not the real filter. Tissue tolerance, balance, foot strength, and transition speed matter more than the number on your driver’s license. I’ve coached runners and walkers who moved better in their 60s after switching […]
I coach a lot of runners through this switch, and the biggest mistake is treating barefoot shoes like a cosmetic change instead of a training change. Yes, you can hike, run, or walk long distances in barefoot shoes or fully barefoot style footwear, but only if your feet, calves, and gait mechanics are ready […]
I get this question a lot from runners and walkers with stiff feet: yes, you can wear barefoot shoes if you have high arches, but you need to treat the switch like a foot-strength project, not a shoe swap. High arches usually mean a foot that stays more rigid and absorbs shock less naturally, […]
I coach a lot of runners through this switch, and the biggest mistake is treating barefoot shoes like a cosmetic change instead of a training change. Footwear Guide Barefoot shoes appeal to people who want a wider toe box, a flatter sole, and a more natural feel underfoot. For some wearers, that shift is […]
I coach a lot of runners through this switch, and the biggest mistake is treating barefoot shoes like a cosmetic change instead of a training change. Parents looking at children’s footwear today run into a new category almost immediately: barefoot shoes. They are marketed as flexible, lightweight, and shaped more like a natural foot […]
I coach a lot of runners through this switch, and the biggest mistake is treating barefoot shoes like a cosmetic change instead of a training change. Barefoot shoes can help with back pain for some people, but they are not a universal fix. The short answer is that they may improve comfort if your […]
I see this catch people off guard because they expect a fracture to follow one obvious bad step. Yes, a stress fracture in the foot can develop without a single traumatic event such as a fall, twist, or direct blow. In many cases, the injury builds gradually when repeated force is placed on the […]
I coach a lot of runners through this switch, and the biggest mistake is treating barefoot shoes like a cosmetic change instead of a training change. Yes. Nerve entrapment can cause sudden foot pain even when you cannot point to a clear injury. In some cases, the pain appears to come out of nowhere […]