8 replies to this topic

[ioanna]

Hey guys, I started wearing minimalist shoes exclusively around the start of this year and have since noticed some changes in my feet. The shoes I wear are VFF TrekSports for running and hiking, and Vivobarefoot Aqua for everything else. I also do the occasional barefoot walk/jog when there's enough daylight and decent weather. At first both of the above shoes fit my feet perfectly, but lately my big toe keeps hitting the front. I thought it was all in my head until I measured my feet again, and they seem to have grown at least 0.5cm, if not more . I compared the current length with the sizing chart I used to order my TrekSports and now my feet are definitely one size bigger! I'm kinda grumpy about that... I wasn't counting on having to buy another pair of shoes so soon .
Am I the only one whose feet have grown since switching? They've also become bit wider and have small arches now, whereas before they used to be really skinny and flat.

[bornagain]

A hah, so thats why my nike frees felt so strange when i put them on after a summer of running in bare feet...
I dont have any other measure reference though.....  

[slowmo]

It can actually go both ways. I've been running in minimal footwear and barefoot for three years or so. My right foot hasn't changed but my left foot is now slightly shorter than it used to be. The reason is that my left arch has strengthened so that it now actually is an arch, rather than being a flat thing as it was previously.

If you search the archives of the huaraches forum you'll find people talking about foot size changes: http://groups.google...group/huaraches

slowmo

[Nickelass]

My feet have changed substantially.  They are wider and thicker across the top, but shorter.  I've gone down a full shoe size since I started barefoot.

A lot of "minimalist" shoes no longer fit me as my feet are too wide/thick across the top

[Chickenlegs69]

I've also found that both my feet have gotten shorter as the arch has strengthened old rock climbing shoes are now too long. I have also found that a pair of flat Keen sneakers are much more comfortable, before running barefoot I couldn't wear them for more than half an hour but now they are my favorite shoe.

[maryclaire]

there's a good picture of "natural" feet and those that are continually shod  here

[ioanna]

Hehe those big toes on the barefooters are in a different postcode to the rest of the toes
Mine are somewhere in-between, thankfully they were never quite as bad as that photo of the shod person. I never liked narrow shoes or high heels even before I discovered minimal shoes, so I've probably spared my feet a lot of deformity through those preferences . I think the reason my feet have become a little longer may be that the toe joints sit more stretched out now rather than curled up as the shod person in that photo. I don't have before/after photos so I can't know for sure. My arches have definitely risen a little, but not dramatically. The difference is that previously they used to just collapse when I was standing whereas now they don't.

[slowmo]

There are some more (bare-)foot fetish photos at Ken Bob's website, including a few doggy ones

slowmo

[Arnoruns]

Have noticed differences in my feet.. Not in a MAJOR way but you notice subtle changes in your body when others may not.
Ive always had quite skinny and thin feet, could never fill out a shoe and needed to pull the laces until the cavety where the tongue sits closes completely. Now however i notice that the shoe sits more normally.
My Vibram five fingers where initially correct for my length but were a bit lose, my feet fill them out pretty good now which is awesome!
Also my 4 little toes are quite short and looked like i would never use them for anything, now they seem a bit thicker and longer.
(hopefully they dont quite turn into that wide footed dude's feet! lol)