find your footing

 Since childhood i've had so many issues with my ankles, I remember several weeks in a row where I would once again go back to the GP with my ankle being so thick, blue and bruised I was unable to move at all. I was an avid swimmer and was told its due to swimming: "that sport makes your ankles weak, so I best learn to deal with it".

being young and unable to participate in sports at school or even playing outside, was horrible. especially if you LOVE moving around.

As a teenager I was not allowed to wear heels..  *uhhumm* *coughs* did NOT listen🙉

(hi there, I was that teenager, who does not care at all)

had to wear rigid high-top boots for  "STABILITY" ?

NO slippers/sandals/thongs (for the aussies)

NO sneakers

NO running

NO PE in school

I have tried and tested pretty much all out there in regards to crap ankles.

ankles wrapped and spalked, been on crutches for weeks on end. Seen more physios for exercises than I should have.

Fast forward years and years and there was no improvement whatsoever. finally:

Let's get you ready for surgery !!

Well although they did warn me, it was an experimental surgery, and it would not be an adjustment of my ligaments for the rest of my life. I did not experience much joy after. mind you: this surgery was in 2008

Fast forward to 2023

My kids and I moved to the land Down Under, the land of being barefoot, beaches and much much more. Definitely will share more about what Australia is actually like 💕

I decided to do what I love most: walking barefoot, which in my home-country The Netherlands is just not possible..

I just embraced the lifestyle, walked barefoot and barely changed anything in life. However the results are EVERYTHING!!

I did not actually notice anything until I started looking back. My foot health changed by having to use my feet in the NATURAL way, it made my toes, feet, ankles gain so much strength. the changes moved all the way up to my knees, hips all the way up to my complete posture.

The thing that stood out most was my toes, I have always worn the "normal" shoes, the ones where your toes are being pushed closer together. but walking barefoot suddenly your toes get to move and splay. They have to suddenly do what they were ment to do. Keep you in balance protect during movement, which had an effect on my feet and those muscles were apparently lazy.

the big but...

Even Down Under sometimes you need to wear shoes and when you do, after walking mostly barefoot, regular shoes just no longer hit the spot.

They hurt, they get uncomfortable I got blisters from my toes rubbing together, and altogether I felt like I couldn't fit normal shoes, I simply felt unstable.

I figured I could not possible be the only person on earth to experience this and wanting better shoes so I used my most loyal companion at the time: Google.

And yes I found "barefoot shoes"!!

and since then I have not returned to the "normalized" regular shoes. 

This Blog-sequence will be about my experience with several brands and types of barefoot shoes for me but also for kids. 

and there is no affiliation between the ones I will mention, besides my honest opinions!! 

So please follow along my experience and if you have any recommendations good or bad, do share.