Is there anything you've run into from going barefoot?

Through this thread, I'd like to ask what (if any) parasites or illnesses you've (or someone else has) encountered from going barefoot.

I haven't thought about it much, but from what I had gathered, it seems there is a risk of picking up various things through the soles of your bare feet. I like going barefoot but I wonder about these things.

Please inform me

 

Well I'll tell you that when I was a kid I was forced to wear shoes all the time. During that time, I got all sorts of infections on my feet- fungus, athletes foot, excema, and infections in cuts, scrapes, etc. Then I started going barefoot about 18 years ago and since then my feet and the rest of my body have never been healthier. I actually stopped getting colds and flus too, my posture improved, and just about everything in my life got better. I've never had problems with parasites or other such illnesses. Going barefoot is one of life's secret paths to good health and happiness. You should really try it.

 

I've mainly sustained injuries, to my toes usually, the times I've gone barefoot a lot. As far as infections and parasites...unless you've got an open cut on the bottom of your foot, for the most part don't worry about them. Much of the lore about "catching" these things derives from third-world countries, where hygiene and the cleanlinesss of the environment aren't so hot.

However I have fallen victim to plantar's warts on occasion, and there were only 2 possible causes for how I obtained them. 1. I was getting frequent pedicures at the time - and it's entirely possible that they just weren't doing a good enough job cleaning their foot soaking tub. 2. I was going barefoot a lot, but also still putting on sandals or shoes on occasion. I may have picked up a spore on my foot, then ground it into my sandal where it multiplied and spread, allowing it to then take root in my feet. I can't say for sure that I would have not developed the warts if I had gone barefoot more, but I certainly think it would have cut down my chances of continuing to spread the problem.

I had about 4 or 5 separate incidents of the warts, and an equal number of visits to the podiatrist to have them removed. Keep in mind that I was going barefoot up here in the Pacific NW where we are famous for our moss and damp weather. So your mileage may definitely vary.

 

I had an unfortunate run in with a slug once.

 

hah


Thanks, guys.

 

You can definitely get worms through the soles of your feet..that's not lore,I live in the States and I've heard of it plenty of times. Mostly kiddies who play in contaminated soil,barefoot. I think it's only hookworms that can seep in through your feet though...and I'm not sure how you could prevent it 100% without wearing shoes. I go barefoot alot,always have,and I've never had any trouble like that.

 

Yeah, that is what I heard too, WG. I don't like parasites. Just .. ick.

 

Cases of hookworm are very rare these days. In the past, there was bad sanitation. Hookworm is transmitted when people step barefoot in hookworm infested feces or soil contaminated by feces deposited by a person having a hookworm infestation. Since there are very few cases of hookworm in the US population, and fewer people walking barefoot, and fewer places where people are regularly pooping on the ground, hookworm is almost non-existant today.

Nevertheless, I prefer walking barefoot on dry ground, gravel, and hot asphalt. These surfaces harbor far fewer organisms.

 

I once had plantars warts on my foot when I lived in a dormatory in PA... I HATE TO WEAR SHOES!! I bartend barefoot ,I have walked on coals and glass. I want my feet to be tough ... When I was 15, I was hospitalized with 2nd degree burns on my feet from hot tar, hade most of the bottom of my foot burned or cut off.. NO WORRIES. You can't even tell and I still won't wear shoes..
I say, if you are in the woods, don't worry.. It's what you get from people that will hurt you.. Public places and the city are dirty germ havens. If you are at a festival, the places humans and omestic animals lay waste are where you should cover your feet.

 

I have run into roots and small tree stumps and even broken my little toe twice. It's just part of barefooting in the forest. If you enjoy barefoot hiking as much as I do you accept the risks, the benefits far out way and concerns.

 

I've gotten ticks on my feet on a couple occasions, as well as stubbed my toes many, MANY times, and have a few tonails fall off as a result, but really, nothing too serious. I barefoot A LOT too. Usally during the summer I'll just carry my flip-flops wherever I go and just slip 'em on before going into a shop/restraunt/etc.

 

WOW, you are such a brave girl! Have you succeeded in making your soles tough????

Regards

DG

 

Hookworms are usually caused by animals infecting the soil,not people. And it is very common for animals to have them,actually almost all puppies have hookworms. Animals do their business outside...so,it's possible to step in hookworm infested soil,anywhere. You can also get hookworms through other areas of the body...same as you can pick up all sorts of parasites.

I don't worry about it,myself. I have kept stray animals for years,not to mention all the wild animals that live right around me. I've never had any trouble with parasites. But it's still common around the world.

 

Yes,you are very brave....you've got a great attitude about it

 

I'm barefoot all the time, and getting braver these past 2 years about the public places which we all know---NSNSNS signs---having less trouble w/ that than I thought! Anyway, I extend the season at each end using sandals, I'm bare 8 months a year, which is pretty good for Maine! Only wear shoes during the extreme cold we get (late Dec-early March)

The lesson I learned about sharp objects, pointy sticks in the woods, thorns, etc is that I'm instinctively more careful when bare---my worst and bloodiest injuries happened while wearing hiking sandals (Chacos or Tevas) because I get careless and sloppy. Last summer I twice stuck myself with a sharp branch right after "showing good sense" and putting on Tevas to work in the woods at camp. Off they came again.

The only thing that gets me to slip into flops is when I have to prune a large thicket of the type of cold hardy rose which lives here (Rosa rugosa) whose nearly invisible thorns lie all over the ground. These can get into the hands and feet and stay for a long time. I'm out of the flops as soon as I emerge. All other pruning, gardening, landscape design work I do is barefooted. Always. I'm truly luckier than most.

 

i got some tar stuck to my foot...i always play in the tar when it's warm and squishy, but this was like a 90 degree day and i was jsut playing and kinda walked away with this massive bit of stickiness on me. and i stepped on gum a few times at big summer classic and it just comes straight off your foot you know, not like shoes.

is it just me or does it fell kinda wierd wearing shoes after barefooteing for awhile? i had some rope sandals and they were great but then they started smelling wierd... mildew can go die in fire

 

i go barefoot all the time and havent steppen in anything like insect or parasite wise haha. Ive never stepped in animal poop either haha but i do tend to get little splinters but i barley notice them, and i love walking on the hot streets to, and not a lot of bacteria can grow on hot surfaces right? Idk but its not really going to stop me. The only place i wouldnt go barefoot would be in like the amazon rainforest. That is when u WILL get somethin. haha I LOVE BAREFOOTING! peace

 

I suffered a really really bad cut on my toe. Cut it half off. Arterial bleeding, the whole nine yards. BUT that didnt stop me, my wife jumped my ass for being barefoot outside the next day, all stitched up.

I was raised barefoot, im just comfortable that way.

 

I've never had any infections, parasites or warts from barefooting. Had one wart I picked up at college, but that was long before I went barefoot -wore boots almost all day at the time. The small scrapes I get sometimes (quite rarely, certainly less than on my hands) never got infected so far. And I have little problems with ticks; I check for them when I get home but just recently I did some hiking in Belgium in shorts & bare feet, a fellow hiker flicked one off the back of my t-shirt (almost in the middle of my back) but that's all... they get underneath clothes as much as anything, and also drop on top of you from trees and such. Lots of bare skin & regular checks do better than the usual 'long sleeves, long pants, stuff pants in socks' advise, and the added benefit is you don't die of a heat stroke when hiking like that in mid-summer

I've also had a wart & some kind of fungus on my hands at one time or another, strangely enough few people seem to think it necessary to wear gloves all the time...