I HATE SHOES!

[mncjl123]

I have been dealing with some sort foot pain for as long as I can remember. However, NOT like it has been the past 3 years - excruciating and totally disabling that I have been in a wheelchair.

I have always hated shoes! I have never ever purchased a pair of shoes that I said - oh wow these feel great! And, I have spent loads of money on shoes in the past.

I have had blisters, calluses, corns and you name it from wearing shoes. And, a pinching feeling even purchasing wide shoes.

In 2006, I had knee pain, and was told to get orthotics. That was the cake. My foot pain escalated, and I went through many thousands of dollars of different orthotics and shoes. Now, with orthotics I had new aches and pains, and I was taping my pinky toes with band aids, and wearing corn pads, and rubber friction thingy's on my big toes etc....

After my foot injury in 2013, I was unable to walk. I kept at the doctors, trying new shoes, stretching, physical therapy etc... but nothing was working.

As of reading the Sarno books the past 2 months, I have now thrown out all my shoes. I am slowly working on walking barefoot (which is natural and how we made to walk). It is still painful, but at least I can make some progress. I purchased many yoga mats to soften the blow on the hard tile floor. And, plan to make a trip to the beach to see how the sand and water go.

Of course, a doctor would never tell you to go barefoot.

Prior to the 2003 injury, I even wore orthotic sandals in the shower because the doctor said I should never ever go barefoot!

O.k so here is my question. Yes, I believe this is TMS. and I can heal! Yes, I believe it will take some time to get there. Yes, I believe I can heal barefoot. But, I don't believe I can heal with shoes.

(Actually, without TMS, I don't know too many of my friends that don't have some type of foot problem and go through all kinds of shoes to find comfort. I remember most women taking their shoes off under their desks at work - what does that tell you?)

Anyway, lets say I heal without shoes. Is there any reason that I need to bind my foot to the shoe in the future? I just can't imagine putting on shoe on ever ever again!

I want to heal barefoot right now. Is that o.k.? Currently I have excruciating pain in right foot (sesamoid) only. But, lo and behold the first time in my life, I have no calluses, no bunion, no blisters, no friction, and no corns and no bandaids. Those are all painful foot problems that plague most Americans. It is a billion dollar industry selling gizmos and gadgets for those.

There is a movie called "The Birdcage" and there is a scene where the waiter is wearing shoes and tripping all over his feet. That is ME!!!

In my mind I think I should be able to wear shoes, but my feet don't want to go anywhere near them.

Again, is it possible to heal barefoot?

Thanks for anyone who is listening today to my rant. And, because I am a very serious TMS personality, I only want positive remarks to this question. If you have a negative one, please keep it to yourself. My mind spins with any negativity I read on these forums.

 

[Andy Bayliss]

I bought a lot of orthodics and expensive "ortho" shoes, and avoided barefoot at all costs, believing it increased my chronic foot pain. Now I dance and bounce barefoot on hardwood floors, as hard as I can, for hours, no problem. Shoes are simply for protection from cuts and dirt. Period. The "support" theme used to sell shoes, is in my opinion rubbish.

 

[Andy Bayliss]

By beginning to challenge the belief and pain responses as you are doing --by experimenting with bare feet, you are on your way!!

 

[Tennis Tom]

No problem with you not wearing shoes, the new trend in going shoeless is called "earthing". Just be careful around glass and dog poop. In my running days, there was a guy who would do marathons barefoot. I spent over a $1,000 on useless painful orthotics. I only wear driving mocs with no socks for casual wear. I'll drive barefoot for better pedal feel. My favorite is playing tennis barefoot on grass courts. There are several grass court clubs in the Northwest that encourage barefoot play but some snooty clubs that wont allow it for "decorum". Other players look at me like I'm crazy and comment that I'll slip. They are the ones that are slipppin', the coefficient of friction between rubber and grass not being as good as with bare feet and toes. They've got those minimalist sock things with the individual toes, but they look too weird for my taste:

http://www.builtlean.com/2012/07/09/minimalist-shoes/ (Top 7 Minimalist Shoes: Which Is The Best? - BuiltLean)

 

[IvanSO]

Hi mncjl123,
Like you I was told to never go barefoot (because of "flat feet"), but I've always thought "so what" and just ignored this advice. Before reading Dr Sarno's book, I've read that even shoes with a small heel could be causing lower back pain (now I know the pain is due to TMS, not sitting, walking, lifting, etc).

While still in severe TMS pain I've bought a pair of so-called barefoot shoes with very thin soles through which I can feel every pebble. It helped a bit with the back pain, but it was probably the good old placebo. I still wear those shoes, but just because they are very comfortable - I finally have no calluses.

Anyway, I think you can absolutely heal barefoot. Your feet will only look better and you'll have a stronger body, because you'll do the "support" work that is otherwise delegated to shoes.

 

[mncjl123]

Thanks for all your positive support!

 

[plum]

First thing I do when I get home is kick off my shoes. I usually wear walking shoes and find most other footwear unbearable. In a past life I must have endured foot-binding. Going barefoot is as natural as breathing. As Tom says shoes are a necessary evil in a concrete jungle.