Barefoot Shoes: Everything You Need To Know - Steven Sashen, founder of Xero Shoes

Have you come across barefoot shoes and wondered how on earth this weird shaped footwear could be better for your feet than normal shoes? There’s plenty of hype, mixed advice and even opposition to barefoot shoes - but what does the science say? Steven Sashen is the founder of barefoot shoe brand Xero. Not only is clued up on all the latest research, he’s also one of the fastest runners in his age group in America and has been teaching physics since he was 14 - so he’s well placed to tell you everything you need to know about barefoot shoes. In this episode Steven tells us: About the biomechanics of the human foot, and why normal shoes make us weaker. How to properly prepare your feet for barefoot shoes, so you can reap all the health benefits and avoid injury. That we’re being fed “propaganda” from ‘normal’ shoe companies. About the mythology of footwear sizing and much more! Highlights: 0:00 Intro 09:32 Do barefoot shoes cause injuries? 17:30 Can you just jump into barefoot shoes? 32:36 Promoting optimal human functioning 44:53 Mythology of footwear sizing 50:42 Sprinting records in barefoot shoes 55:36 The “propaganda” campaign 1:06:21 Are they fashionable though? 1:08:24 Being barefoot and grounding 1:20:20 Why should we trust Steven? 1:34:47 Changing the world Welcome to Hack It: Health and Fitness. Fitness and lifestyle hacks, the latest health tech, diet innovations and more! Meet the creators behind the world’s most exciting health products. Find out how they came up with their ideas and how they could improve your health. From the producer behind New Scientist Weekly. Remember, you don’t need all the latest gadgets and upgrades to be healthy. It’s the fundamentals that matter most. Sleep, nutrition and exercise. I just find all the extra stuff fun too. Before making any decisions on your health, do your own research, question everything and seek out advice from people you can trust.