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Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Vibram Five Fingers Free Foot Massage

This weekend, found another asset to wearing Vibram Five Fingers. I've written about how in my experience, they, along with z health, improve gait and are great for getting through airport security without shoe removal. This weekend i also discovered another bonus: foot massage when walking on gravel.


That's right: VFF's afford a great foot massage when walking on stones.

There was a pile of stones/gravel around where i was working this weekend, and just standing, walking around IN the stones felt FABULOUS. It was like a free foot massage. I've started looking out for gravel pathways for the experience, and figuring out optimal stone types for the best foot work.

I felt pretty lucky, actually: all these folks where i was walking around the same stuff and likely missing the benefits of connecting foot to path.

It reminded me again how much fun it is to explore with one's feet, and how close, when doing so, off the beaten path can be.

Added Bonus:
For some great inspiring photos and tales of VFF, please check out Justin Owings beuatifully designed birthdayshoes.com site.
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2 comments:

  1. Franz SnidemanTuesday, May 26, 2009 at 5:19:00 PM GMT+1

    I have gravel in my back yard at home, and I have noticed the same phenomenon. Although these rocks are a bit sharp, it does resemble a type of foot massage. Without the Vibrams it would probably be too painful but the VFF make it tolerable.

    MC, I think there is definitely to walking on stones, sand, unstable earthy areas. There needs to be more research done on the subject as a whole, but my subjective experience has been similar to yours. Feeling the ground with your feet and the objects on top of the ground improve both sensory and motor functioning.

    You should write an article on the topic!!!!

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  2. dr. m.c.Tuesday, May 26, 2009 at 11:17:00 PM GMT+1

    cool franz!

    yes it's lovely to feel the sqishy stuff too

    the article idea is a goodie too: surprise surprise we feel better when we avail ourselves of our evolutionary design features.

    and u no as I think on this it seems feet are pretty special

    they get to touch stuff all the time
    they get way more baroreception
    (presure like hugs) than just about any other part of us
    they have mechanoreceptors for awarenes in space
    they have thermoreceptors for temperature

    we *could* take them out for sensory walks everyday but we don't very much do we
    and yet we love to wiggle our toes in the sand or swish mud or splash in water

    and as u note vffs let us do that at least more so than without them

    I'm going to look for different surfaces deliberately tommorow just to see if I can find another cheap thrill for my feet :)

    as always lovely to hear from you Franz
    mc

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