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Back pain? Barefoot walking helps

3/3/2020

Civilisation diseases are very common in industrialised countries. Back pain is a classic example. They often result from foot problems. These can be avoided by running barefoot regularly.

Our feet carry us every day and we treat them very badly. What many do not know: The complete musculoskeletal system is affected by disregard for our foundations. As a result, there are knee, hip and back problems.

Pastor Kneipp knew it over a hundred years ago: walking barefoot on a suitable surface strengthens the whole organism. Especially for back pain and intervertebral disc problems, but also for knee or hip problems, it is a wonderful way to bring the musculoskeletal system back into balance.

Walking barefoot can avoid surgery
The causes of the complaints are often not recognised correctly, unnecessary operations on the knees, hips and back are carried out. The explanation is quite simple: the most common cause is walking in shoes with a relatively stiff sole. This ensures that we cultural people practice a walking style that has hardly anything to do with natural movement.

Due to its inflexibility, the sole of the shoe acts like a plaster splint, which means that almost the entire foot muscles are "out of order". As a result, the muscles can no longer hold the foot in its original, three-dimensional shape, which is why the foot collapses. The consequences are flat, flat, kinked or spreading feet, hallux valgus to heel spurs and Achilles tendon problems.

Get out of sturdy shoes as often as possible
In addition, our feet and back form a functional unit. The position of the feet affects our entire posture through tendons and muscles. Walking barefoot can release blockages and thus "relieve" the back.

So get out of the inflexible shoes! Treat your feet to something good, walk barefoot as often as possible and train your entire musculoskeletal system. Because foot problems - and consequential complications such as knee, hip and back problems - can often be alleviated and even eliminated by walking barefoot regularly.

Tip: start slowly. The feet first have to get used to the freedom that has been regained. A few minutes are enough to get you started. Sand, forest and meadows are particularly suitable. Later you can walk on asphalt and other smooth and hard surfaces.

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Running barefoot is better than running with shoes for your working memory, according to a new study published by researchers at the University of North Florida.

9/20/2019

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The experiment, designed by lead researcher Dr. Ross Alloway, undertaken with Dr. Tracy Alloway, associate professor, both from the Department of Psychology at UNF, and Dr. Peter Magyari, associate professor in the Department of Clinical and Applied Movement Sciences at UNF, is the first to show that running barefoot leads to better cognitive performance than running with shoes.

Working memory, our ability to recall and process information, is used throughout our lifespan. By improving it, we may be able to realize gains in key areas, from school to work to retirement.

"Working memory is increasingly recognized as a crucial cognitive skill, and these findings are great news for people looking for a fun way to boost their working memory," said Tracy Alloway.

The UNF researchers enlisted 72 participants between the ages of 18 and 44, who ran both barefoot and wore shoes at a comfortable, self-selected pace for approximately 16 minutes. Working memory was measured before and after running.

The results of this research, just published in Perceptual and Motor Skills, found a significant increase -- approximately16 percent -- in working memory performance in the barefoot-running condition. There was no significant increase in working memory when running with shoes. Additionally, the speed and heart rate of the participants was measured but neither was found to have any impact on working memory performance.

"The little things often have the greatest impact. This research shows us that we can realize our cognitive potential and enjoy ourselves at the same time," said Ross Alloway. "If we take off our shoes and go for a run, we can finish smarter than when we started."

When running barefoot, one often has to avoid stepping on potentially hurtful objects by using precise foot placement. As a result, study participants were required to step on flat objects to simulate running barefoot in an outdoors context. Though participants stepped on the flat objects with shoes and barefoot, only the barefoot condition saw improvements in working memory.
According to Ross Alloway, it's possible that the barefoot condition required a more intensive use of working memory because of the extra tactile and proprioceptive demands associated with barefoot running, which may account for the working memory gains.

Story Source:
Materials provided by University of North Florida. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference:

R. G. Alloway, T. P. Alloway, P. M. Magyari, S. Floyd. An Exploratory Study Investigating the Effects of Barefoot Running on Working Memory. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 2016; 122 (2): 432 DOI: 10.1177/0031512516640391

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Back pain? Barefoot walking helps

Running barefoot is better than running with shoes for your working memory, according to a new study published by researchers at the University of North Florida.

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