Barefoot shoes designed through biomechanics

“Barefoot” simply means without shoes. The name comes from the idea that this kind of footwear gives a feeling as close as possible to walking barefoot, while still offering minimal protection from the surroundings.

In the late '90s and early 2000s, some brands began using the terms barefoot shoes and barefoot running to describe minimalist footwear: very flexible shoes with little or no cushioning and a thin sole.

Every shoe has a direct influence on how we walk. That is why a functional structure is needed, and in barefoot footwear it is kept to a minimum, to come as close as possible to the feeling of walking barefoot.

The main features of minimalist or barefoot footwear are therefore flexible, lightweight shoes with a minimum functional structure, a thin sole, a wide toe box and zero drop.

Our first science-backed barefoot shoe also adds further comfort and protection features, among them padding and flattened seams to prevent rubbing, a U-shaped cutout to avoid pressure on the Achilles tendon, a removable insole, and quality breathable materials. Put simply, a good children's barefoot shoe should protect the foot, let it move and preserve the natural stability of the bare foot.

A functional structure is necessary because the foot can work perfectly well without support, but the shoe cannot. This structure lets us protect and support the foot without interfering with its natural biomechanics. Without it, the foot can shift around inside the shoe and cause falls.

Every shoe, barefoot included, needs some structure to protect the foot from its surroundings, stop it shifting unintentionally, keep the shoe's basic shape and make it durable. The key is that the structure should not be restrictive, so that it also respects the natural movement of the foot, without stiffness.

In footwear, the heel counter is the rigid, semi-rigid or soft piece at the back of the shoe, inside the heel, usually behind the inner lining. Its main job is to give the shoe the functional structure it needs.

At Biomecanics we remove the heel counter and replace it with a soft external stabiliser, which keeps the minimum functional structure needed without limiting movement and without the stiffness.

Footwear designed to respect the foot is any shoe that respects it at every stage of its development and allows freedom of movement, whether it is barefoot or not.

For babies who are not yet walking, the ideal is for them to spend as much time as possible barefoot.

When they start taking their first steps, a good barefoot shoe can support their progress, as long as it is the right fit for their size and stage.

No. It depends on the child, their age, the terrain, the activity… It is also worth bearing in mind that a sudden switch to barefoot or minimalist footwear can change the loads on the foot with each step, and without a period of adaptation, it could increase the risk of overloading other structures.

Yes, especially for sports or activities that involve sudden stops, quick turns or jumping: in those cases the foot sometimes needs more grip and lateral stability.