The study reveals that early human populations that didn't wear shoes, had healthier feet with fewer pathologies than modern groups of humans who wear shoes. The research was conducted on over 180 modern humans from three different population groups (Sotho, Zulu and European) and on skeletons of humans more than 2000 years old.

Advertisement

Wits academics Dr Bernhard Zipfel, a Podiatrist and University Curator of Fossil Collections, and Prof Lee Berger of the Institute for Human Evolution and the Bernard Institute in the School of GeoSciences, conducted the study.

It challenges the widely held belief that habitually wearing shoes is good for your feet and suggests that going "barefoot" results in fewer bony pathologies, particularly in the metatarsal (mid-foot) region.

The study also highlights the damage done to female feet by wearing high-heel shoes. "In almost every case, women show a higher frequency of fore-foot pathologies, bony damage to the foot, and this is almost certainly due to the constraining nature of fashionable female footwear and the wearing of high heels in particular," notes Prof Berger.

However, the study found a surprising exception in Zulu males, whose feet have more pathologies than Zulu females. "The surprising reversal in this global trend may be due to the history of manual labour in South African mines where these men were forced to wear ill-fitting footwear and stand on their feet for long hours," notes Dr Zipfel, lead author of the paper. Prof Berger is quick to point out, however, that statistically, the Zulu population group in the study has the healthiest feet overall. This was followed by Sotho people. People of European decent had the "unhealthiest feet".

Dr Zipfel explains: "our study suggests that the reason Africans have generally healthier feet is probably due to the fact that the mid-twentieth century Africans examined probably came from rural areas and thus may have been barefoot as children - a much healthier situation for their feet than the European group which probably wore shoes from an early age". Prof Berger adds "Prehistoric humans had it right - bare is best - at least when it comes to feet!"

Both authors agree that the results of the study indicate that if one's goal is to have fewer foot problems, then going without shoes is the healthier option. But Dr Zipfel is quick to point out that there are some situations where wearing shoes is mandatory for hygienic reasons. "Shoes should be worn in public areas, restaurants and toilets and situations where there might be the danger of stepping on sharp objects," he notes. – (Sapa)

Read more:
Fashion footwear causes problems
Barefoot benefits
 

Print this article on

Rate this article Poor 1 2 3 4 5 Excellent

JOBS

Operations Manager R20,000-25,000 Per Month Cost To Company Incl Benefits Gauteng - East Rand Financial Accountant: CA(SA) R400,000-500,000 Per Annum Cost To Company Gauteng - Johannesburg Key Account Manager Gauteng Java Developer-CT Western Cape - Cape Town Java Developer-Jozi Gauteng Account Manager R460,000-540,000 Per Annum Cost To Company Plus Benefits Gauteng Account Manager R460,000-540,000 Per Annum Market Related Plus Benefits South Africa Case Manager R210,000-220,000 Per Annum Negotiable Gauteng - Pretoria Find more jobs Register your CV Post a job