>>2729038So the thing about barefoot vs. traditional soles with raised heels is the way that they affect your bodies own bio-mechanics. This may sound kinda cringe but for all intents and purposes most people spend their whole lives literally walking wrong, as crazy as that concept may seem.
If you've lived your whole life wearing conventional shoes almost all of the time, then you likely walk with a heel to toe movement in which you strike the ground with your heel and roll it forward. This happens simply because of the way shoes are shaped and generally its fine because of the padding there.
When moving around barefoot, or in minimalist shoes with a 'no-drop' heel, if you walk the same way you would in normal shoes your body is going to be absorbing that impact straight on, it'll kill your feet, legs, back, and may even cause headaches. So if you are going to make the transition to walking barefoot or in minimal footwear, you will have to walk with a form in which you land with the balls of your feet, and drop the heel down second. When done correctly, this form will cause your feet, legs, and butt to act like a spring so to speak, absorbing that impact. Think of the way a dogs hind leg is shaped and how it moves. A word of warning, however, that using the correct barefoot form will probably suck since your body isnt used to it, and you're using muscles you aren't used to using.
TL;DR
I highly recommend walking, running, and all manner of other physical activity in bare feet or wearing minimalist shoes, its my opinion that the form is simply better for your long term health and wellness, but transition into it progressively and pay attention to your body. This isn't even considering the other benefits of barefoot or minimal shoes, so I think there's a lot to gain from making the change.
