Is it safe to run barefoot

Some people may worry about walking or running barefoot, for fear of injury and injury. This is indeed not entirely wrong. Running barefoot does have certain risks to health, but on the other hand also has various benefits. Running is one of the most popular sports. Besides not requiring a lot of money, this sport is also known to have many benefits.

Barefoot Running Potential to Provide Benefits

Although not yet familiar to hear, in fact there are various potential benefits of running barefoot, for example, helps relieve stress. In addition, running barefoot also has various health benefits, namely:

• Stronger muscles

One of the great benefits of running barefoot is to strengthen leg muscles. In addition, running barefoot is also useful for improving posture.

• Sleep better

For those of you who have sleep disorders like insomnia, you can try running barefoot. Running barefoot on the grass can reduce the hormone cortisol (stress hormone), so you can sleep well and wake up in the morning with more energy.

• Low risk of osteoporosis

To prevent the risk of osteoporosis, you can routinely run barefoot, because it is useful to prevent the removal of calcium from the body.

• Better body balance

Without shoes, small muscles in the leg area, will work more actively. This helps improve the body's balance by increasing the ability of sensational muscle movements (proprioception), which is beneficial for maximizing body movements.

• Increased endurance

Another benefit that is no less important than running barefoot is to increase body power. Barefoot running optimizes the body's metabolic processes, including the performance of the body's immune system, such as white blood cells and red blood cells. This is useful to increase endurance and reduce the risk of disease.

• The risk of heart disease is reduced

High blood pressure is often the cause of heart disease. To lower blood pressure, you can run barefoot. Doing barefoot running regularly will reduce the risk of heart disease.

Consider the Risk of Running Barefoot

Regardless of the variety of benefits that may be obtained in this way, you who are considering running barefoot, you should know the risks that can arise before starting this activity:

• Injury due to body movements

If running barefoot is done suddenly without warm up, the possibility of foot injury can be higher. Especially if you don't run properly. This can then cause the muscles to work too hard, causing you to experience cramping in the calves or experience Achilles tendinitis.

• Exposed to germs or bacteria

Barefoot running outdoors, needs to consider increasing the risk of exposure to germs or bacteria. This then causes an infection.

• Wound from surface conditions

Barefoot running activities make you vulnerable to sharp objects or ground surfaces that are too hot or cold.

• Pain in the sole of the foot

Generally, the sole of the foot has a soft texture. Running barefoot can cause pain in the soles of the feet. In some people, this can even trigger the condition of plantar fasciitis.

• Abrasions

For those of you who run barefoot you will likely experience blisters, blisters, to calluses. Generally this happens in the first few weeks of activity without shoes.

For diabetics who are likely to experience peripheral neuropathy or nerve sensitivity disorders, you should avoid this, because you might not realize if the foot has a wound.

Watch This Before Running Barefoot

To reduce risk and get the benefits of running barefoot optimally, there are a few things you need to pay attention to, namely:

• Get used to running barefoot in the room first.
• Choose ground level on grass or a flat area.
• Make sure the ground surface is free of dirt, glass or small stones that might hurt your feet.
• Try to run barefoot outdoors gradually, starting with a 9 minute walk and 1 minute running. Once accustomed to, increase the duration slowly.

For those of you who are interested in running barefoot, you should consider the risks and benefits. Do it gradually, without hurry. If you have special health conditions, you should consult a doctor first.