A little over two years ago, I was in the middle of training for an upcoming Spartan OCR event when I started noticing excruciating pain in my right foot after my runs. It started in the arch but soon spread throughout my entire foot. Eventually, it got so bad that I had to stop running altogether and discontinue my OCR training. I couldn’t jump anymore and even doing lunges hurt. I remember going on a backpacking trip that summer and my foot bothering me the entire time.
This began a long journey over the next year as I tried to uncover the source of this unexplainable pain. It wasn’t plantar fasciitis, but it was clearly inflammation combined with misalignment in my foot and gait. I saw so many professionals—massage therapists, physical therapists, a pelvic floor specialist, chiropractors, an athletic trainer, a podiatrist—and bounced from one to the next searching for answers. Slowly, I started to find some relief, but nothing fully solved the problem.
The final straw came when I visited a podiatrist. After an examination and X-rays, they found nothing. Their solution? Six weeks of PT, followed by a recommendation to get custom $450 orthotics to wear in my shoes forever.
Wait a second. I love walking barefoot at home and running barefoot on the beach—this couldn’t be my “forever” solution. There had to be another way.
I took everything I’d learned from all the experts and created my own plan to get back to running. Slowly but surely, it worked. I can now run, backpack, sprint, and jump again—completely pain-free.
You want to know what finally helped me heal? It was a combination of physical adjustments to my foot, treating scar tissue from a C-section scar that had been rotating my pelvis, and—most importantly—changing my shoes and strengthening my feet.
Say what?
That’s right. My shoes were a big part of the problem. Even though I had switched to zero-drop shoes a couple years earlier, they were still too narrow and didn’t allow my feet to splay naturally. I couldn’t fully push off my toes—especially my big toe—so those muscles became weaker over time.
I switched to Altra Lone Peaks and immediately noticed a difference just walking around. From there, I transitioned from training in my No Bulls to more barefoot-style shoes like my Merrell Trail Gloves and Vivo Primus Lites. These are more flexible and let me truly grip the floor. My feet grew stronger simply by changing my footwear.
I also added balance work and foot and calf strengthening exercises to my warm-ups and workouts. And voilà—I’m back, better and stronger than ever.
Now, when I start working with clients, one of the first things I ask them to do is switch their shoes. Here’s what happens every time: their balance improves, their knee and hip control sharpens, and their ability to perform movements like bridges, swings, deadlifts, and lunges skyrockets. They recruit their glutes more effectively, stabilize better, and transfer force more efficiently. Every single client has seen noticeable changes in their movement by making this one simple shift.
Do me a favor: ditch your cushy Hokas, your narrow-toe-box Nikes, and let your feet move the way they were designed to.
Here are some of my favorite barefoot shoes to get you started:
Altra Lone Peaks – Great for running or hiking. I wore them backpacking and they outperformed my hiking boots.
Xero Prio Neo – Excellent for gym training or walking.
Xero Speed Force – Good for walking or trail running
Vivo Primus Lite – Ideal for gym training.
Merrell Trail Glove – Perfect for gym training, walking, or hiking.
New Balance Minimus – Great for gym training or walking.
Reebok Nanos – Another solid option for training or walking.
If you’ve been wearing cushy walking or running shoes for a long time, I recommend transitioning gradually. Start with Altras, New Balance, or Reeboks first—they have a firmer sole, wide toe box, and no heel lift. After about six months, you can move to more flexible barefoot shoes like Merrell, Vivo, or Xero.
To delve even deeper into foot health, check out this podcast interview with Dr. Courtney Conley. She does a very good job of explaining the benefits of foot strength and wearing the right type of footwear.
So, what do you say—are you ready to toss out your cushy shoes and give barefoot training a try? If you are confused of where to start, send me a quick message and I would be happy to help guide you.
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