Seniors can wear barefoot shoes too! In modern western society an idea has taken root that advancing years means declining abilities. But we have learned from observation of non-western cultures and scientific research that this is not necessarily so – seniors can maintain and increase strength by exercising and/or not decreasing activity. This applies to feet in the same way – a young age is not a requirement to adapt to barefoot shoes. In fact, the flat and flexible soles of barefoot shoes might be especially helpful for older people who are at a higher risk of falling because they allow for more sensory feedback to the proprioceptive system. As with other medical considerations, you should consult with a medical professional for your unique needs.
Further Reading:
Exercised – by Daniel Lieberman
Falls Are Leading Cause of Death in Seniors – CDC article
Specific whole-body shifts induced by frequency-modulated vibrations of human plantar soles – research article
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2 thoughts on “What If I’m a Senior/Older Adult?”
The only problem with barefoot shoes is their lack of any cushioning. As we get older, we lose the foot pads on our feet. That equates to each step landing on almost bare bone at the heel.
I have very wide (2E) feet for a female, and my most comfortable shoes have been my cheap little Whitin barefoot shoes from Amazon — they fit like custom shoes. However, the lack of cushioning means I can only walk around in them for a short time before my heels start to hurt from the impact on hard concrete sidewalks and store floors. (Even at home we have concrete floors in our rented condo.) I don’t “walk hard,” never have, but now matter how lightly I try to step, the lack of cushioning really does a number on my aging feet.
The information on this site is really great, but I wish there were some suggestions for shoes *other* than barefoot. I would love to be able to just wear my Whitins all the time, but my feet say otherwise. It’s extremely difficult to find shoes that work with my feet, which are not only very wide but also have low arches, which most shoes want to arm-wrestle “into shape” with arch support, pronation stabilizer bars, overly stiff heel counters, etc. which do NOT work for everyone. (I wish shoe companies would stop trying to be orthopedists and just make shoes that each individual could customize with whatever orthotics/arch supports, etc. they choose, if any.)
Hi KJ! We do have some options for foot shaped shoes with some cushion in this article here.