German health official promotes barefoot walking as a natural means to well-being

By Darren Richardson, C.M.T.

Golden State Touch

Dec. 8, 2010

A German health official says walking barefoot in the great outdoors is a simple, natural way to increase foot health while simultaneously benefiting the rest of the body.

“Putting the soles of your feet in contact with all the normal sensations helps to relieve internal tension and reduce stress,” Dr. Dieter Breithecker, head of Germany’s Federal Institute for Posture and Mobilization, said earlier this month.

“Shoes, on the other hand, prevent direct contact with the ground and so adversely affect the health of our feet, balance and posture,” Breithecker added.

This is something that people all over the world have known intuitively for thousands of years, but modern civilization puts a strong emphasis on footwear – even in situations where shoes do more harm than good. While it is true that shoes can and do serve a valuable purpose in some situations, one of the results of the nonstop onslaught of shoe marketing via advertisements, fashion shows and even misguided health professionals is the unfortunate idea that going barefoot in nature is something to be avoided.

Coming on the heels of Dr. Daniel Howell’s “The Barefoot Book” (Hunter House, 2010) , “Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever?” (Basic Health Publications, 2010) , Christopher McDougall’s “Born to Run” (Knopf, 2009 ) and other books that focus on barefoot running, Breithecker’s comments add support to what untold numbers of barefoot hikers, runners and “lifestyle barefooters” are discovering and re-enforcing with each step. Namely, that far from being the dangerous activity the habitually shod believe it to be, exercising the feet through barefoot walking not only feels good, it is good for us.

“Wet stones and damp meadows caused by the autumnal morning dew are especially beneficial,” Breithecker said. “The coldness stimulates the circulation, strengthens the immune system and encourages organ function.”

Reflexologists have understood this principle for years. In her groundbreaking 1969 book, “Helping Yourself with Foot Reflexology” (Parker Publishing Company), Mildred Carter wrote: “Walk on the bare earth. Walk on rocks and sticks as Nature intended that man should do. Be sure that the feet are bare so the electrical vibrations of the earth can be absorbed into the body, stimulating every living cell to renewed life and vitality.”

In his 1991 book, “Foot Reflexology: A Visual Guide for Self-Treatment” (St. Martin’s Press), reflexologist Jurgen Jora wrote that reflexology is “…simply an artificial way of going barefoot – a systematic way of going barefoot, of course.”

“Barfuss Parks” – well-kept pathways in nature with surfaces of various textures designed for barefoot walking – are gaining in popularity in Europe, and cobblestone pathways for barefoot walking have long been popular in Asia. Thanks to the work of Dr. Elizabeth Marazita and Paths of Health in recent years, the greater Seattle metro area is now home to at least four walkways specifically designed with barefoot walking in mind, including a path bordering the herb garden at Bastyr University.

Additional Sources: “The Barefoot Hiker” by Richard Frazine (Ten Speed Press, 1993)

“Walking Barefoot an Effective Foot Reflexology Method,” Monsters and Critics, Dec. 6, 2010

Earth Times story on barefoot walking and reflexology, Dec. 6, 2010

Public Barefoot Parks in Europe, www.barfusspark.info

Bastyr University website

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