When I got diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, doctors told my parents to never let me go barefoot. They said blood circulation is lower in T1Ds, and we're at an increased risk for infection and amputations. But thick-soled closed-tow shoes were clearly not the answer. I heard the term "feet prisons" used to describe shoes, and that's absolutely what I felt! Not only that, but it cut off my sensation to the world. It made me agitated, squished and deformed my toes, and I couldn't walk properly. Pain would develop in my legs after any amount of walking, and my feet would get hot and stuffy and chafed and overwhelming discomfort. The first thing I always wanted to do, all the time, was kick those shoes OFF, and preferably burn them in a fire. I wasn't allowed to do any activity without them, so it made me hate exercise and activity.
When I went to college, I had the chance to choose my own footwear. I chose minimalist, and never went back! The shoes allowed me to feel the ground and correct my stride. Leg pain was severely reduced, and the feeling helped placate me! I switched to Xero shoes as soon as I heard of them, and I tried their line of sandals. The Z-Trail, later on the Z-Trek became my go-to sandals for everyday footwear. I loved being active again! But after 12 years of minimalist shoes, I hit a brick wall. I had to keep accounting for this thing dangling off my foot, and constantly accounting for that still caused leg pain. I also couldn't feel the texture of different surfaces on the ground, which my body craved. I wanted to bend my feet in ways that any kind of shoe prevented me from doing. The chaffing issue was much less, but still a concern. I can't just walk on one surface only: I need variation. I did plenty of research on barefooting and started going on barefoot walks years ago to experience the joy. And those walks were quite joyful! But a bit painful as I walked on concrete, which scrapes the soles of my feet, and they couldn't get any tougher only being in shoes.
This lead to me make a valiant decision: I would become a full-time barefooter. I work from home, so weekdays are no different for me. But on weekends when I run errands and go on walks, I'd make conscious effort to do those barefoot as well, explicitly to toughen my feet. A little over a week ago I parked my car underneath the John Ringling bridge, took a walk over the pier, grabbed a sandwich from the bait shop, and continued over the bridge, across another bridge, past a few communities, and headed into St. Armand's Circle, had lunch at the Green Zebra Café, and took a walk around the art show. Then I walked back, completely barefoot!! It was a breathtaking experience! I loved the walk forward, feeling all the different surfaces as I went forward. The asphalt, which massaged my feet, the grass, which tickled them, the concrete, which was actually quite abrasive, but also the brickwork and tiles, which coated them in soft dirt. I experienced no leg pain for this whole walk, but my feet were scrapped pretty badly, and I was in pain on the way back. According to more regular barefooters, I went too far too soon. It can take weeks, months, or even a year to get tough enough feet to handle long walks on concrete because it's so abrasive. I also received advice to change the way I lift my feet to avoid abrasive scrapes to them. Regardless, after a single acetaminophen, the pain cleared after a day or two, and I had a great memory.
I'd been barefoot to Publix, Aldis, Save-A-Lot, Dollar General, Target, Best-Buy, and a local shawarma place called Al Forno. I also did barefoot walks around Conservatory Park, Bayfront Park, Lido Beach, St. Armand's Circle, and the John Ringling Bridge. By far my favorites were the grocery stores! For some reason, I just love walking on those flat, dirty, cold floors. The dirt feels soft, and all the cooling calms them down. This was also new to me as I'd previously kept my barefooting to concrete, which I'm now finding is abrasive and prevents me from walking further. I wear my dirty feet with pride, knowing they mean my feet are active and happy, and free of the foot prisons I was forced in most of my life. My feet do feel, and that feeling is so important. Most people and businesses were tolerant, and I experienced zero discrimination. Except for one Publix store where a security guard and store manager prevented me from entering. Since that, I hadn't shopped at Publix except to pick up my prescriptions. A horrible experience occurred with a security guard for the Selby Public Library a few years back. He shouted at me and threw me out. He was fired. And I never felt comfortable to set foot in that library ever again. But with so many places that are tolerant, I found places to do all my errands barefoot, now, and I actually look forward to doing them!
The truth is this: very few Diabetics actually get amputations: 1.6%, and uncontrolled A1C plays a big role in determining this. The risks of infection can be reduced with safe and common sense barefooting: don't walk into broken glass, or dirty needles, or quicksand, or whatever clear hazards you might find on a normal walk. Bacteria likes warm, damp conditions, and hate anything cold, hot, or dry, so warm puddles should be avoided, and breaking skin where circulation is poor causes infection. Getting cut on your feet can be a problem if left untreated: I carry antibacterial wipes, ointments, and bandages in case of a cut, as well as some backup sandals for when my feet get scraped. I'm a barefooter, not stupid. The benefits are plentiful: I'm feeling better than I ever had! I actually look forward to doing errands and activity now because I can actually feel good while doing them! It's promoting healthy activity, and I'm seeing a sharp drop in blood sugars, reduced insulin resistance, which will definitely help my A1C and long-term complications from Diabetes! The more I go, the more I realize my feet are getting tougher, and my feet can walk longer, even on surfaces I once considered unwalkable. The risk of cuts and infection are seriously overblown from reality. My feet don't stink, they don't feel uncomfortable, and according to regular barefooters, over time, they'll be able to walk pain-free as long as my legs can. I've joined several barefooter communities to share advice and experiences, receive validation, and yes, even share pictures of our dirty feet! I'm looking forward to living this life I've always wanted, and was meant, to live.
P.S, I've heard there is a connection between autism and barefooting. Apparently it gives them the stimulation they crave, and sometimes need in order to walk correctly. It helps people focus as well. This feels remarkably similar to what I describe, and is yet another peg in the board that relates my experience to autists. I was diagnosed with OCD, so there may be some overlap between the two, but it's quite possible I've been autistic my whole life. If there is valid medical reason for me to be barefoot, I may be able to receive accommodations for places that would otherwise reject it.
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