Toronto, ON – November 27, 2006 – The days are getting colder and soon the snow will be flying.  Boots are back for the season, yet many Canadians don’t realize the negative impact shoes and boots can have on overall foot health.

A recent Strategic Counsel poll for Barefoot Science™ reports that 53.5 per cent of Canadians experience regular foot pain.  Frequently, tired or sore feet, legs and back can be attributed to weakened foot muscles and arches.  Ongoing scientific research is pointing towards shoes as the key culprit for weak feet, creating an emerging trend: barefoot is better.
 
“Because cushioning and artificial support in shoes and boots impedes proper foot function, people are left with weakened foot muscles,” explains Sam Dubé, Ph.D. CSCS, Carleton University.  “In societies that do not use footwear only three per cent of the population report foot problems, compared to 85 per cent of North Americans.”

Research shows that wearing shoes, even those described as ‘sensible’, can interfere with the proper functioning of foot muscles and lead to foot defects and problems with posture and gait including fallen arches and rolling onto the sides of feet creating foot, ankle, knee and back pain.

While studies point to the benefits of going barefoot, its rarely practical especially in Canada.  As a result, Canadian-based Barefoot Science™ developed a foot strengthening system that stimulates and activates the arch and mimics the physics of going barefoot while wearing shoes and boots.

Over the years, Barefoot Science™ has grown in popularity among a number of Olympic and professional athletes, including Joe Theismann.  Regular users credit Barefoot Science™ with improved performance and reduced foot, leg and back pain.  A clinical trial is currently underway in a large Toronto hospital among ER staff to examine the effectiveness of the product in reducing foot pain following long, and often physically demanding, work shifts.

Alleviating sore feet

“Even those people that exercise regularly tend to neglect their feet,” says Dr. Larry Bell, M.Sc., D.C., F.C.C.S.S. (C).  “There are a few things people can do to help relieve foot pain including exercises and wearing soft-soled, flexible shoes that allow toes to wiggle.”

Steps to lessen foot pain and increase foot health include:

About Barefoot Science™

Barefoot Science™ was founded in 1997 to further develop and refine a revolutionary new technology and approach to foot care.  Barefoot Science™ technologies work inside footwear through insertion of an insole system to prevent and rehabilitate a wide range of foot, leg and back ailments.