We ran the largest ever study on MODERN SHOES👟 effect on FEET🦶🏻
Here's what we found during our month in Sri Lanka (pictured below with the Veddah people)
Welcome to 'The Shoe Effect'
🧵
Here's what we found during our month in Sri Lanka (pictured below with the Veddah people)
Welcome to 'The Shoe Effect'
🧵
Why is this important and why should you care?
A weak foundation = a weak body
Feet are important because they are the foundation of your biomechanical chain and posture. Any movement you perform will begin at the feet, so if they are messed up - nothing will work optimally.
A weak foundation = a weak body
Feet are important because they are the foundation of your biomechanical chain and posture. Any movement you perform will begin at the feet, so if they are messed up - nothing will work optimally.
So - who conducted the study and why were we qualified to do so?
The Shoe Effect was a collaborative study between My Foot Function, a leading global foot health education company, and Wyde Footwear, a fast growing newcomer on the functional footwear market.
We also had help from scientists from universities in Sweden as well as from Volumental helping us with the 3D scanning analysis part of the study.
The Shoe Effect was a collaborative study between My Foot Function, a leading global foot health education company, and Wyde Footwear, a fast growing newcomer on the functional footwear market.
We also had help from scientists from universities in Sweden as well as from Volumental helping us with the 3D scanning analysis part of the study.
Where was the study conducted?
We chose to spend a month in Sri Lanka and we studied shoe wearers vs non shoe wearers, as Sri Lanka has both; many big cities where the population has adopted many western ways of life (including modern shoes) and then more rural people who had never worn shoes before.
We chose to spend a month in Sri Lanka and we studied shoe wearers vs non shoe wearers, as Sri Lanka has both; many big cities where the population has adopted many western ways of life (including modern shoes) and then more rural people who had never worn shoes before.
STATISTICS & GRAPHS
The chart here shows HVA (Hallux Valgus Angle) in the vertical axis and shoe wearing habits in the horizontal axis. HVA values of close to 0 are considered to be normal. Above 10 degrees is classified usually as Hallux Valgus (misalignment of the big toe).
There is a statistically significant difference between the barefoot population and the shoe/sandal wearing population.
The chart here shows HVA (Hallux Valgus Angle) in the vertical axis and shoe wearing habits in the horizontal axis. HVA values of close to 0 are considered to be normal. Above 10 degrees is classified usually as Hallux Valgus (misalignment of the big toe).
There is a statistically significant difference between the barefoot population and the shoe/sandal wearing population.
The Cohen’s d effect size for the 3 groups were:
Sandals/Flipflops vs Barefoot 0.78
Shoes vs Barefoot 0.91
Shoes vs Sandals/Flipflops 0.06
Clear!
Sandals/Flipflops vs Barefoot 0.78
Shoes vs Barefoot 0.91
Shoes vs Sandals/Flipflops 0.06
Clear!
IMAGES & STORIES
The Sisters
On study day 5, we met a family who had 3 daughters, a mother and a father. They had put extra effort in sending the oldest daughter to school, meaning she was the only person in the family who had worn shoes. And look what happened after just a couple of years of mandatory shoe dress code - BIG HALLUX VALGUS.
The other sister and the parents? Perfect feet. Genetics or environment?
The Sisters
On study day 5, we met a family who had 3 daughters, a mother and a father. They had put extra effort in sending the oldest daughter to school, meaning she was the only person in the family who had worn shoes. And look what happened after just a couple of years of mandatory shoe dress code - BIG HALLUX VALGUS.
The other sister and the parents? Perfect feet. Genetics or environment?
The Sisters ctd.
Here you can see all 3 daughters and the mother.
The only member who’s worn shoes is the girl who went to school. The mother and the other two daughters, perfect foot function.
Here you can see all 3 daughters and the mother.
The only member who’s worn shoes is the girl who went to school. The mother and the other two daughters, perfect foot function.
The Veddah People
On study day 13, we met with the indigenous tribe Veddah. Even though they are a bit more modernized today and rely on some tourism, they had still never worn shoes — and it shows.
On study day 13, we met with the indigenous tribe Veddah. Even though they are a bit more modernized today and rely on some tourism, they had still never worn shoes — and it shows.
The Police
As soon as we met with occupations where there was a dress code including shoes, we saw a pattern right away. Almost every single police officer had some sort of deformity that we see in the western world.
As soon as we met with occupations where there was a dress code including shoes, we saw a pattern right away. Almost every single police officer had some sort of deformity that we see in the western world.
The Teachers
Same thing here, they all had very tight and pointy shoes, and many of them showed signs of Hallux Valgus.
You can clearly see how their feet are shaped after the shoes that they wear all day!
Same thing here, they all had very tight and pointy shoes, and many of them showed signs of Hallux Valgus.
You can clearly see how their feet are shaped after the shoes that they wear all day!
Was an awesome and humbling experience to meet all the staff and children. Will not forget.
Tea Plantations
Here we met with people who worked barefoot outside all day. Super healthy and wide feet all around.
Here we met with people who worked barefoot outside all day. Super healthy and wide feet all around.
Mother & daughter
One day we met these two ladies on the street who were asking for donations to the local temple. They simply told us “we don’t like wearing shoes!”
We could tell.
One day we met these two ladies on the street who were asking for donations to the local temple. They simply told us “we don’t like wearing shoes!”
We could tell.
My personal reflections from this month in Sri Lanka are:
1. Modern shoes are horrible for your feet
2. Socks that squish your toes together are bad, be without them as much as possible (be completely barefoot always when you’re home)
3. Flip flops not as bad as I had previously thought
4. Shoe wearing during formative years seem to be most damaging. Help your kids with smart choices!
5. Genetics plays almost no role in Hallux Valgus and other foot related deformities.
What do you think?
1. Modern shoes are horrible for your feet
2. Socks that squish your toes together are bad, be without them as much as possible (be completely barefoot always when you’re home)
3. Flip flops not as bad as I had previously thought
4. Shoe wearing during formative years seem to be most damaging. Help your kids with smart choices!
5. Genetics plays almost no role in Hallux Valgus and other foot related deformities.
What do you think?
Want to support the mission and fund more research going forward? Get a pair of shoes from @WydeFootwear or workshops/products from @MyFootFunction
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