Before Fivefingers, start with this

What happened to Miguel can happen to anyone, including you, because what you want is one thing and what you need is another.

Look.

Miguel arrives at the shop with his wife.

Miguel is a middle-aged man, with a young build and totally white hair.

His wife was dressed up in a pair of boots with a bit of heel, but he was coming from the workshop, wearing overalls and sturdy hiking boots that he was using as safety boots.

He's been told about Fivefingers and wants some for the gym, to help him straighten his toes.

When he takes off his sock, it's not his toenails, but his fingernails that are on the ground. He had clawed toes, like a harrier.

When I saw that, I said to myself, well, I'm not going to take away his desire for the Five Fingers, let him try it.

After a while, putting each finger in its place, he finishes putting them on, but in the area of the fingers the fabric was tight, making little mountains and the fingers didn't stretch. They were still curved.

The Fivefingers looked terrible on him, but he was convinced and said: 'well, they'll get better on their own'.

But I told him no, he'd better start with other ones, because among other things they would break very quickly.

So I recommended toe socks, so that he could exercise his toes just by putting them on, and minimalist safety boots.

Minimalist safety boots? Does that exist? Let's see, explain that to me,' - says Miguel.

I take out a pair of Birkenstocks and while I remove the insoles I explain:

'Look, these boots have a wide toe cap, not narrow like the ones you have, and with a steel toe cap, so that they comply correctly with safety.

'And they are flat, because if they have a rear elevation, the pressure goes to the toes, which right now are clawed.'

He tries them on and says:

'Listen to me, I like this better. Besides, I wear safety boots all day long, and I only go to the gym for three times. I'm going to get more out of this,' - he says.

Bingo.

He came to that conclusion himself.

The important thing is to wear minimalist shoes for as long as possible.

Get more out of it, that's what it's all about.

And Miguel spends many hours in the safety boots, on and off the job.

As he was leaving we had the following conversation:

'Miguel, I don't want to take away your desire for the Fivefingers, but the way your toes are right now, they don't even fit.'

No, no, I'm like you. Sometimes people come to the workshop and I have to recommend another idea than the one they bring. I'm with you in that sense, you've helped me make the right choice to start with.'

Becauseletstakealook.

In life it's not everything, come on, I want it and I wear it, and I put up with it even if it hurts, because I think that if I put up with the pain I'm going to get well.

It's not like that with feet.

If it hurts, change the option and start slowly.

Miguel's change was toe socks and QS700 minimalist boots with the highest level of safety.

Health starts with your feet.

Antonio Caballo

Pd. No doubt Miguel needs a toe corrector, but he'll get there, for now he's going to start giving his feet more space, flexibility and balance.