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Going 'barefoot' is the practice of not wearing shoes, socks, or other foot covering.
It is more common in developing countries and among poor groups but less common, at least in public, in most industrialized countries due to greater availability of footwear and societal taboos against going barefoot.
Some people who live in areas where going barefoot in public is more or less uncommon nonetheless choose to go barefoot in public part or all of the time. Some of these people call themselves 'barefooters' and make an effort to go barefoot as much as possible. Popular surfaces include grass, sand and warm pavement. Many enjoy the sensation of their feet in direct contact with the ground and/or may have other motivations such as perceived spiritual or health benefits. People who self-identify as "barefooters" tend to be those living in developed countries, as the term itself has been popularized primarily via the Internet.

Contents

Activities

Barefoot hiking

Barefoot sports

Barefoot lifestyle

Religious and cultural aspects

Acts of devotion

Artists renowned for performing barefoot

Barefoot on stage

Regional traditions

Sign of poverty or mourning

Symbol of innocence

Symbol of peace

Myths

Driving barefoot

No shoes, no shirt...

Health issues

Risks

Benefits

See also

Notes

References

External links

Activities

Barefoot hiking

Some people who enjoy the sensation of walking barefoot go barefoot on hikes in the countryside, which offers a greater variety of different surfaces to experience than typical indoor or city environments. (For example, bare soil, moss, and fallen leaves are considered particularly pleasant by some.)
In the United States as well as several European countries there are barefoot hiking groups [1] which organize shoeless excursions. Several German-speaking countries have barefoot parks which are designed to be ideal for going barefoot and to encourage the activity.

Barefoot sports

Most martial arts are practiced barefoot, as well as many gymnastics and dancing disciplines. Yoga is almost always practiced barefoot. Barefoot beach volleyball and beach soccer have become the favorites of many young people. Physical education is often done barefoot by school age children. Dancers usually enjoy going barefoot whenever they perform.
Circus performers often do their stunts barefoot, such as trapeze artists, acrobats, high divers, escape artists, and performers working closely with trained animals.
Slacklining is most often done barefoot, as feeling the line with your soles is important for balance.
Fishing is often done barefoot, whenever the fisher's feet will be wet, or if the fisher decides to do some swimming with a net or spear.
Barefoot skiing is waterskiing without skis -- on the bare feet. This sport may also be referred to as footing, barefooting or barefoot water skiing. The participant is a footer or barefooter. Barefoot waterskiing is an international sport with world championships held every two years. More info can be found at World Barefoot Council [2].
Sports that make use of a swimming pool are usually practiced barefoot.
Waterpark visitors usually spend the entire day barefoot, wearing only their swimsuits. Aquatics athletes will go barefoot as often as possible.
Beach swimmers and surfers being perpetually barefoot throughout their full lives in pursuit of their passion is an important part of surf culture.
A fringe barefoot running movement is gaining momentum among recreational runners. Among elite athletes, Abebe Bikila and Tegla Loroupe set world records running Olympic marathons, either with or without using shoes. Zola Budd always trained and raced barefoot, culminating with her eventually winning the World Cross Country Championships barefoot, twice.
Triathletes sometimes choose to save time by training and competing barefoot for each of their racing competitions, often increasing their high performance scores.
Recreational bicyclists often have their bikes' foot pedals modified to allow for reasonably comfortable barefoot riding.
Occasionally, golf and other open-field ball games are played barefoot.
Tennis is only rarely played barefoot by intelligent competitors, due to the haphazard footwork involved in aggressive game play over hard floors or ground surfaces, which may lead to serious foot blistering, if a barefoot player is distracted and careless without using proper form in movement. Only by always practicing barefoot and reasonably learning how to move, can a barefoot player safely compete in sporting tennis on a hard surface.
Some American football placekickers have also played with a bare kicking foot, citing better control over the contact between their foot and the ball as the reason. Paul McFadden and Tony Franklin (Philadelphia Eagles, 1970s & 1980s), Rich Karlis (Denver Broncos, 1980s), and Mike Lansford (St. Louis Rams, 1980s) were the only ones to kick barefoot regularly in living memory (Lansford was apparently the last of them to do so, in 1990). However, Tommy Thompson, a punter for the San Francisco 49ers (1997), punted with his shoe on but kicked off barefoot. And, most recently Jeff Wilkins went 9 of 12 barefoot over the St. Louis Rams' first seven regular season games of 2002. He went back to wearing a shoe in Game 8 eight. (The NFL rules[3] stipulate that a kicker has to at least wear two socks. Barefoot kickers had one of the socks cut off so that they resembled tubes.)
Some Hardcore Wrestling companies have barefoot matches with certain stipulations. Either a barefoot drawing pin match or a barefoot light tube match

Barefoot lifestyle

A significant portion of the population even in developed countries enjoy going barefoot and some are resisting their society's taboo against doing this in public. In the United States social folkways that frown upon bare feet in public are more pronounced in certain parts of the country than others, where they can hardly be said to exist at all. In some industrialized nations such as those of Oceania, people of all ages and backgrounds, while a minority, are seen walking barefoot for pleasure, comfort and style as they go about their daily business in settings where people dress in blue jeans, shorts, t-shirts, sandals or other informal/casual attire. Upscale restaurants and most pubs, however, generally require shoes.
Some barefooters and social historians old enough to remember American life before the 1960s have theorized that the often inaccurate but nonetheless persistent stereotypical image of the filthy, unkempt, barefoot hippie from the later part of that decade has contributed to an overall change in society's attitude toward the practice of going barefoot in public. The widespread appearance of "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Service" signs can be traced to this era, and some decidedly non-hippie individuals and even families who had gone barefoot in public on a regular basis opted to begin wearing shoes, lest they be identified with opposition to the Vietnam War and other causes associated with the counterculture.
People who prefer walking barefoot to wearing shoes maintain their barefoot lifestyle is a matter of personal choice that harms no one, intends no disrepect and is consistent with the tradition of individual self-expression that has historically been a cornerstone of liberty in democratic nations. Many barefooters are optimistic that with increased awareness, education and visibility, social acceptance will return to pre-1960s levels and in time, the illogical anti-barefoot sentiment of the late 20th and early 21st centuries will be little more than a footnote in the history of footwear.
Some barefooters are now promoting barefoot living as a part of a simpler, more family-oriented way of living. They believe that it is healthier to raise children in a family oriented environment where going barefoot is strongly encouraged.

Religious and cultural aspects

Acts of devotion

Many religious traditions consider removing shoes as a pious gesture of respect, especially appropriate when approaching holy places.

★ In Exodus, Moses had to take off his shoes before approaching the burning bush.

★ Muslims are usually unshod for prayer (commonly on a prayer mat) or to attend services in a mosque.

★ Some Christian churches practice barefoot pilgrimage traditions – an example being the ascent of Croagh Patrick in Ireland.

★ In the Hindu religion, shoes are removed before entering temples.

★ Among many neopagan reconstructionists, bare feet are considered an ideal way to remain in touch with the elements.
Going barefoot is also a common form of mortification, often combined with others such as pilgrimage, either as penance or ascetism.
Roman Catholic religious orders that permanently restrict the ability of members to wear footwear are known as "discalced", though in reference to certain religious orders the term means wearing only sandals on the feet. Barefoot orders include the Camaldolese and the Teresian.
"The Barefoot Path in the Western Contemplative Tradition" by Ken Rice (link below) provides a good overview of the subject.

Artists renowned for performing barefoot

Some artists and entertainers like Sandie Shaw, Joss Stone, Henry Rollins, Christy Dignam, Deana Carter, or Shakira and Dez Fafara perform and/or appear so often shoeless that the barefoot look has become a "signature" of sorts for them. Their lack of footwear is often cited in publicity photos, album titles [4], interviews and even (in the case of Genevieve Gorder or Julia Roberts[5]) parodies. These performers often cite comfort or nervousness for their preference
[6], and sometimes (as with Isadora Duncan[7]) challenge significant social obstacles to do so.

Barefoot on stage

In dancing, theatre, and opera performances, bare feet often express emotions, fears, vulnerability, a down-to-earth attitude, and/or familiarity. It may often alleviate a performer's sense of nervousness or anxiety in such situations, as being barefoot tends to promote physical, and by implication mental, comfort.
The ceremony or ordeal of firewalking entails walking barefooted through fire, over a bed of embers, or over hot stones.

Regional traditions

In many cultures it is considered inappropriate, even rude, to wear shoes indoors. It may be acceptable to wear shoes in public places ( e.g. museums or libraries ), but people are usually expected to go barefoot, or wear socks, inside dwellings. This is usually true for countries where inclement weather is frequent, such as Japan, China, Vietnam, or Canada, and serves the purpose of minimizing the amount of dirt and mud brought in from the outside.

Sign of poverty or mourning

This tradition dates to Roman times, when it was traditional for prosperous Roman citizens to wear elaborate clothing, including footwear, while slaves and lower-class citizens went barefoot. In Medieval times, leather shoes and boots were expensive, so poorer people often either went barefoot or wrapped their feet in cloth. In art and literature, bare feet often symbolize poverty.
Just as 'sack cloth and ashes' or even full nudity, it was also a sign of mourning in Antiquity.

Symbol of innocence

This largely American literary tradition dates from the 18th and 19th centuries, when going barefoot was a standard part of childhood play, especially in rural areas. It features prominently in the novels of Mark Twain and the poetry of John Greenleaf Whittier. Barefoot children and young women are also common in the paintings and sketches of Norman Rockwell, William-Adolphe Bouguereau, and the artists affiliated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.

Symbol of peace

One way to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi, is to walk barefoot around his monument. Even Pope John Paul II and George W. Bush paid him this honor, as shoes are banned within Gandhi's memorial site, Raj Ghat.

Myths

There are many myths and popular misconceptions regarding regulations against bare feet.

Driving barefoot

Many people like to drive barefoot, and argue that it is safer than wearing certain types of loose-fitting footwear, such as flip-flops. However, critics suggest that it may be dangerous in some situations. For instance, if a sudden stop is necessary and there is anything such as gravel or glass embedded in the brake pedal, the leg's reflexes may cause the foot to withdraw from the pedal, resulting in an increased stopping time. ( Although anyone who has ever driven barefoot will recognise that this suggestion is idiotic. One would be immediatly aware of any such debris lodged in the pedals and would remedy the situation before continuing to drive. )
Regulations concerning driving barefoot vary from one jurisdiction to another:

★ In the United States, widespread belief in the existence of laws against driving barefoot has been debunked as an urban legend.[8] Members of the Society for Barefoot Living wrote letters to the highway patrols of all 50 states and were told by officials in each state that driving barefoot was not illegal.

★ In Germany, traffic laws do not forbid driving barefoot. For thorough study see Verkehrsportal concerning German traffic laws.[9]

★ In Belgium, the driving code does not explicitly ban barefoot driving, but article 8.3 requires drivers to be "constantly able to perform any maneuver". According to the federal police, this implicitly bans barefoot driving. (However, barefoot drivers dispute that lack of shoes impairs their ability to perform maneuvers. It is not known whether this dispute has been tried in Belgian courts).

★ In Hong Kong, laws require drivers to be driving with appropriate footwear. Driving barefoot, or with sandals, is not allowed.

★ In Italy, driving barefoot is allowed. [10]

★ In New Zealand, traffic laws do not forbid driving barefoot. At least one member of the public has emailed Land Transport NZ, who confirmed that no existing legislation requires drivers to wear footwear.

★ In Australia, there are no laws to prohibit barefoot driving.

★ In Brazil, driving barefoot is recommended over driving with inappropriate footwear.[11]

No shoes, no shirt...

In the United States, it is also frequently believed that OSHA regulations prevent people from going to stores, restaurants, and the like without shoes (or a shirt). OSHA regulations refer specifically to employees, not customers. There are no state health codes that ban customers from going barefoot in establishments, as is demonstrated by a project undertaken by The Society for Barefoot Living.[12] Individual businesses, however, are free to refuse to serve customers without the footwear they deem appropriate. Individual cities and towns may also require certain footwear in public places.

Health issues

Risks

There may be regional risks like poisonous plants or animals, or parasites that can enter the body through the skin or cuts on bare feet. For instance, the intestinal parasite known as hookworm may infect humans who walk on soil containing hookworm larvae (typically in areas where people have direct contact with soil that contains human feces).
Other obvious hazards include sharp objects (nails, rocks, etc.) or surfaces (crushed or broken glass) which can lacerate the foot and cause serious infections, common toxic substances (petroleum distillates, pesticides, etc.), and extremes of temperature (asphalt becomes extremely hot when in direct sunlight and can cause burns), while unprotected skin can develop frostbite especially fast on the extremities.

Benefits

A primary factor for going barefoot is that humans evolved without wearing shoes and that wearing shoes is the abnormality. Some believe that society's habitual wearing of shoes actually leads to a weakening of the feet as a result of the support they provide. It is also believed that shoes impede the natural biomechanics of the foot therefore leading to many health problems seen today involving the feet, knees, and back.
Some physicians who espouse natural healing traditions recommend going barefoot as a measure against flat feet, varicose veins, and dorsal pain. They believe that the potential benefits outweigh the potential risks. 'Kneippism' advocates the treatment of disease by walking barefoot in morning dew and other forms of hydrotherapy. Currently this issue has not undergone any peer-reviewed study, the standard for a practice to be accepted by the medical establishment.
A study by Dr. Najia Shakoor and Dr. Joel A. Block, from Rush Medical College, Chicago, was published in the September 2006 issue of Arthritis and Rheumatism. The study found that adults with osteoarthritis can benefit immensely from walking barefoot. Findings "suggest that modern shoes may exacerbate the abnormal biomechanics of lower extremity OA," and that "modern shoes, and perhaps our daily walking practices, may need to be reevaluated with regard to their effects on the prevalence and progression of OA."
In the Far East, some areas have officially established reflexology paths; the idea being that those who walk on them in bare feet, stimulating the foot reflexology points, will get the same benefits as a reflexology massage.
There is some evidence that going barefoot inhibits the development of fungal infections like athlete's foot. Such infections proliferate in warm, moist places like the inside of a shoe.
Some evidence for the health benefits of going barefoot has been collected on the page Parents for Barefoot Children, although again this is not a peer-reviewed, scientific study. People who promote a barefoot lifestyle, such as Richard Frazine and members of The Society for Barefoot Living maintain that habitually going barefoot makes the feet tougher and far less susceptible (though not immune) to commonly feared hazards; this is echoed by former NJ health commissioner Len Fishman.[13]

See also

★ Barefoot and pregnant

★ Barefoot Deep Tissue (massage technique)

★ Barefoot doctors

★ Barefoot park

★ Barefoot running

★ Barefoot Sandals

★ Social aspects of clothing

Notes

References

★ French language: B.F., ''Tongs au volant : gare !'' in ''La Dernière Heure'', August 6, 2003

★ ''The Barefoot Hiker'' by Richard Frazine. ISBN 0-89815-525-8

External links

★ Natural and Healthy Barefoot Activities

★ Society for Barefoot Living

★ RunningBarefoot.org

★ Parents for Barefoot Children

★ Italian Club dei Nati Scalzi

★ Italian Health Chiropodist Community

★ European Barefooting Resource Center

★ The Barefoot Path in the Western Contemplative Tradition

★ Barefoot Natural Family

★ Is Barefoot Better? (''The Wall Street Journal'', June 6, 2006)

★ Footloose and Boot Free: Barefoot Hiking (The New York Times, September 22, 2006)