Is Hiking Barefoot Healthier For You?

From a young age, we are taught to wear shoes outside, especially when hiking. But is that actually good for your body? What if hiking barefoot is actually healthier?

It’s an interesting question.

I’ve always preferred hiking barefoot to wearing shoes. The house I grew up in is surrounded by woods, so I often went outside to play without wearing shoes, like any normal child raised in the country.

But at the point where most people start wearing shoes outside, I didn’t.

I get a lot of strange looks when I’m hiking barefoot, as well as some comments about how tough my feet must be. Occasionally (but very rarely) I meet other barefoot hikers like myself. While we barefoot hikers ditch shoes out of personal preference, I’ve learned that there are other benefits that come with barefoot hiking.

Hiking without shoes can lead to better balance, a better workout, and less stress on your body.

The Way We Walk

Whether or not hiking barefoot is healthy for you has a lot to do with how we walk.

Normally, we walk heel to toe. The heel strikes first, then we shift our weight forward as we plant the rest of our foot. Eventually we shift the weight all the way to the toes and lift off for another step. Generally, we follow this same pattern whether we are barefoot or wearing shoes.

Hiking barefoot, though, is a different matter. When you are on a trail full of roots, rocks, and other trip hazards, it can change the way you walk. While it’s true that I still walk heel to toe much of the time, when I’m hiking barefoot I often switch to walking on the ball of my foot so that I can test out my footing.

Walking on the ball of your foot takes a lot more work that walking heel to toe. In fact it takes about 53% more energy to walk on the ball of your foot!

But does that mean it’s bad for you? No.

In many forms of martial arts, you are taught to walk on the ball of your foot. Likewise, Native Americans tended more towards walking on the ball of the foot instead of the heel. Elite athletes often run on the ball of the foot as well.

So which method of walking is better?

Heel to Toe vs. Ball of the Foot

We are taught that stepping heel to toe is the proper way to walk. Yet, walking heel to toe has its drawbacks. One of the consequences is a higher impact. Your body has to withstand the constant concussion of your heel striking the ground.

Another problem is the lack of balance. When you walk heel to toe, it is difficult to shift your weight once you have already put your heel down, because your momentum carries you forward. You cannot respond quickly because your balance is not centered.

On the other hand, when you walk on the ball of your foot, you are more centered and balanced. You may lack some of the momentum you have when walking heel to toe, but your weight is more evenly distributed between both of your feet. This allows for a faster reaction time and more maneuverability when navigating a trail.

Additionally, shifting your weight from the heel to the ball of the foot causes you to bend your knees slightly. This takes care of the concussion problem. With your knees slightly bent, you can better absorb the impact of walking. However, walking on the ball of your foot is harder on your knees.

Both ways of walking have their cons. Walking heel to toe comes with a slower reaction time and more concussion. But walking on the ball of your foot comes with more energy expenditure and stress on the knees.

So if you’re hiking barefoot, on rough trails I suggest walking on the ball of your foot as I do. Eventually I get tired of the extra work that goes into walking that way, so on easy trails and flat surfaces I go back to walking heel to toe. Instead of seeing one method of walking as superior to the other, I use them both depending on the terrain.

This is where barefoot hiking can be healthier for you! You change the way you walk depending on the terrain, exercising different muscle groups & developing better natural balance.

Pros & Cons of Hiking Barefoot

While I prefer hiking barefoot, it isn’t for everyone. There are definitely pros and cons to barefoot hiking, just like everything else. Here are a few pros and cons that might impact your decision on whether to try barefoot hiking or not.

Pros:

• Increased balance & grip

• Contact with the earth

• Better workout

Cons:

• Foot wear & tear

• No ankle support

• Unprotected toes

And if you think you need extra tough feet to become a barefoot hiker—you’re wrong. In the springtime, my feet are just about as tender as anyone else’s after a winter of wearing socks. All it takes is two or three weeks of barefoot walking for my feet to toughen back up again.

Those two or three weeks may not be pleasant for you, but it’s definitely worth it if you want to try hiking barefoot. Whether you’re trying to up-level your hiking workout or further immerse yourself in nature, once you shed your shoes you might not want to put them back on!