What we choose to wear on our backs and feet will probably have implications on our overall health as we advance in age.
That statement has been proven correct by experts, so don’t argue with me dear diary.
Women who wear stilettos consistently will end up with back aches in their 60s. Pretty well guaranteed.
Guys who wear muscle shirts in January, and again all summer, will deal with skin conditions later on.
People who forego good mittens and toques in the winter will suffer frostbite frequently enough that their ears and fingertips will hurt at unusual times when they get to the CPP collection line.
I can recall many a childhood evening in front of the heat register crying in pain as my toes thawed after too many hours of street hockey in sub-zero temps.
I think that is one reason why I’ve never owned a pair of slippers. Socks or bare feet, depending on the season, are preferred. Sandals in summer serve the purpose too.
I, like many of you, suffer from back aches and that’s why I used to revere a particular style of Adidas runners I once owned that allowed me to run, walk and stand for long periods of time without seeking relief. I wore them any time I knew I was heading to some event that required an endless amount of standing or walking.
Those blue sneakers gave up on me about a decade ago, and I haven’t found a replacement pair that comes close to their comfort level.
Barefeet, I have read, is probably the best way to go, if only our society (and Mother Nature) would comply.
Careful studies of world-class athletes indicate that the closer athletes could get to actually running in barefeet, the better off they were. Those Kenyan and other African bare foot runners in the 1970s were proof positive. The way their feet made contact with the ground was efficient insofar as barefoot walkers and runners have a toe to heel rhythmn whilst we North Americans have a distinctly, inefficient heel and toe walking and running style.
Try it sometime this summer boys and girls. Choose your surface and give bare feet a good shot. I advise you don’t choose a glass factory or downtown Estevan, but you could try the new track at the Comp or the Affinity Place oval just for fun.
It seems the minute we don shoes, we change the natural romp to a contrived stride dictated by our footwear.
Those who need to wear heavy work boots will probably agree with me when I talk about changing gait as we change footwear.
I know I have always blamed my ill fitting skates from ages nine to 13, as the primary reason I never patrolled left wing for the New York Rangers. From the minute I laced them up, until I could escape them after practice or a game, I was in pain. My baseball and football cleats, on the other hand, were pliable and fun to wear, but I never made it to the major leagues in those sports either, so perhaps it wasn’t just the footwear.
I’m wondering if those NBA and FIFA guys really need sneakers and boots to get their jobs done or whether naked feet would serve them better.
If so, Michael Jordan is in for one big financial hit if my theory plays out.
Don’t worry Mike, somehow I think my theory won’t get a lot of traction. Sorry for the pun. Couldn’t help it.
