Lessons from an angry client

I'll tell you what happened with a client who, after more than a year of using barefoot footwear, called fuming from the ears.

Ángel told me, he was the one who attended to her.

If you don't know Ángel, I assure you that Saint Job has less patience.

He tells me that he spent hours attending to this woman.

In the store and on the phone.

Hours.

1, 2, 3… hours.

And until a few days ago, she always spoke wonders of the barefoot footwear.

What happened?

This woman, who had been enjoying the barefoot footwear and speaking wonders for months, decided to go back to hiking. But after that, she began to notice discomfort in her hip.

And of course, her surroundings soon pointed to barefoot as the culprit.

The result? A call to Ángel loaded with reproaches.

You can imagine the scene: Ángel, who had already invested hours advising her with all the patience in the world, suddenly finds himself on the other side of the phone, listening to how complaints rain down on him.

After so much advice, so much attention to detail, and so much care… Nothing.

Lafirgen.

Well.

I can understand the client's frustration,

Who wants to have pain or be injured?

But undoubtedly her case goes beyond the mere fact of using barefoot footwear.

Or from the tired debate of minimalist footwear versus conventional footwear.

What happened to the Client?

Let me break it down because this has some substance.

• Halfway Transition: My client had been using barefoot footwear for a year, but her feet may not have been ready for the demands of hiking yet. Switching from smooth terrain to uneven terrain is a boost for your muscles, and if you're not well-prepared, you pay the price.

• Muscle Imbalance: The body is like a team. If one muscle doesn't measure up, others work harder to compensate, and that's where the pain comes from. Fault of the barefoot shoes? No. Fault of not having balanced your musculature before embarking on the adventure.

• Toxic Opinions: Her environment or in her search for answers, they put the idea in her head that the barefoot footwear was the problem. And when you believe something harms you, your body often believes it too. It's like when they tell you something tastes bad before you try it, and suddenly it seems horrible to you.

Having said that, there is something that makes a difference.

Demosimportanthing.

The big toe and its alignment.

This toe has a huge responsibility. It's the MVP of your foot, the Messi of biomechanics.

It's the main engine of propulsion when you walk or run. Without it, you literally cannot walk properly.

When it's aligned, everything flows = your weight is evenly distributed throughout your foot = You walk better, run better, and even your back hurts less.

But when you lock up your feet and squeeze your toes into conventional footwear with its narrow tip, it forces the big toe to deviate inward.

This affects its functionality and triggers a chain of imbalances that can reach your knees, hips, and spine.

This is where barefoot footwear and correctors come into play, seeking to return the big toe to its natural position.

But BEWARE: this does not happen overnight.

The switch to barefoot footwear involves activating muscles that you probably had dormant for years.

So it requires time, patience, and a plan to strengthen both your feet and the rest of your body.

Why am I telling you this?

Because if you use barefoot footwear and your big toe is misaligned, you are missing half the movie.

And perhaps, just perhaps, this is what was happening to our client.

What can you do?

Easy.

• Take care of the alignment of the big toe: This guy is more important than you think. Exercise it. Learn to move your toes independently (yes, it sounds weird, but try it) and use toe separators if necessary.

• Strengthen your feet, legs, and hips: Barefoot isn't just about putting on minimalist shoes and going for a run. It's a change in the entire musculature of your body. Do specific exercises for your feet, but don't forget your legs and hips, because everything is connected.

• Take it step by step: Literally. If you are going to start a new activity, take it easy. Start with short, simple routes before launching into the mountain. Don't try to run before you learn to walk.

I finish with a recommendation.

Some very complete hiking boots.

As light as your mobile phone, as flexible as if they were slippers, and so wide that they allow you to use them with toe correctors.

They hold up well in the rain, but don't ask for hours stuck in a puddle like plastic water boots.

These boots breathe and therefore, are almost waterproof.

They are the well-known Xero Shoes Xcursion

For Her and Him.

Remember, your feet are the foundation of all your movement. Take care of them, give them space, and see how the rest of your body thanks you.

Effectivelywonder.

Your health begins with them.

Antonio Caballo.