Transitioning to barefoot shoes has been one of the best choices I've made for my overall health.

And I don't say this lightly. We spend so many hours wearing shoes, and if we consider how important foot strength is for overall balance and posture (and how much modern shoes compromise this strength), then choosing the right shoes is a very low hanging fruit in terms of improving our health. However, due to common shoes weakening our feet, transitioning to barefoot shoes is not that trivial.

And doing it too quickly can lead to pain and injuries for most people.

These are the three mistakes I did when I made the switch, that costed me some ankle, knee and toe pains:

Mistake #1: Overdoing mileage initially.

Feet, joints and legs need time to adapt to walking naturally again, without elevated heels or comfy support by bumpy shoes. We can make this adaptation easier by wearing barefoot shoes for 10 minutes a day in the first days, and then adding to that gradually. I didn't do that, and I ended up with sore feet and painful knees.

Mistake #2: Choosing the wrong type of barefoot shoes

Most people believe barefoot shoes are just shoes that look "minimal", but they must have some specific features: wide toe box, flexible soles, zero drop, minimal cushioning and support. And no, Converse are not barefoot shoes (as I used to believe...).

Mistake #3: Ignoring pain and discomfort

Remember, wearing barefoot shoes is like a workout for the feet. And rest and recovery is as important as the workout itself, otherwise we get injuries. I mistakenly used barefoot shoes too much too soon, got sore feet, ignored the discomfort and ended up with knee and ankle pains. I should've allowed more recovery to facilitate adaptation without issues.

I now use barefoot shoes exclusively 24/7 - for short walks and long treks.

My feet, joints and legs have never been stronger (all my previous chronic knee and ankle pain are gone for good). And, cherry on top, my back has straightened. Barefoot shoes can have a dramatic effect on our overall health, and I encourage everyone to wear them.

Just avoid these beginner's mistakes and you're good to go!