I’m going to refer to this footwear as “minimalist”, since it’s more accurate than “barefoot”. I’ve tried a few brands and styles, and some are far more “barefoot” than others. I think “minimalist” best covers this whole category of shoes that are thin-soled, zero-drop, bare-essential footwear.
As with everything these days, there’s an overwhelming amount of information available on the pros and cons, some of it contradictory. I’m not going to cite articles, studies, or rehash all the supposed benefits. You can find that stuff. I have no doubt there are a lot of barefoot shoe-related injuries out there. Just think, most of us spend almost all our waking hours with shoes on our feet. In order to have tough, strong feet, the muscles need to be used. Even most flip flop-style sandals have soles too thick to really engage foot muscles. Our feet are atrophied. To throw on a pair of barefoot shoes and walk around the city all day, or go for a hike, is asking for trouble. We’re also used to thick, protective soles. So we don’t pay much attention to where we stomp down our feet. That jagged rock, sidewalk/curb edge, tree root etc. can really jab the bottom of your foot.
Two things need to happen to prevent injury. One is a slow transition. Think of it like breaking in a new pair of stiff boots, except here we’re breaking in our feet. We need to slowly build muscle and adapt our feet to minimalist footwear. The second is relearning how to walk, both to get a smooth gait, and to prevent injury. Most of us walk on our heels. We have thick, spongy soles with a ton of heel cushion, and we use it. I was used to coming down hard on my heels when I hiked, taking advantage of all that cushion to jump from rock to rock or drop off ledges. I was also used to quick changes of direction, pivoting on my feet. Think of trying to fake someone out on the soccer field or basketball court. Some of these things just need to be toned down, some simply aren’t possible with minimalist shoes. Or at least they aren’t yet possible for me.
If you walk in minimalist shoes the way you walk in thick-soled shoes, it will almost literally rattle your teeth. If you come down hard on your heel, the way most of us are used to walking, it’ll really jar your knees and hips. The transition can be difficult, especially if you switch back & forth, like I did at first. I had to constantly relearn how to walk in regular shoes, then minimalist shoes, back & forth. When I started feeling more confident that I could painlessly hike in minimalist shoes, I committed, and my walking adapted. I didn’t think about it much. One day I was walking across a grocery store parking lot and realized it wasn’t awkward, and I wasn’t slamming down on my heel. It now feels natural. If I had video of myself walking before and after minimalist shoes, I’m sure the difference is noticeable. I come down more mid-foot instead of heel, which has to have “downstream” changes in my knee, hip and shoulder alignment. I also avoid sudden changes in direction which put a lot of stress on feet. In the beginning, I almost injured myself a couple times, whether in the office, grocery store, or house, trying to be “fancy” and making a quick direction-change foot-pivot.
I’m not selling any shoes or trying to convert anyone. I do believe that pretty much anyone can benefit from letting their feet spread out, using more foot muscle, and walking less on their heels. But it is a change, and not a subtle one. You need to give your feet and stride a chance to adapt, and realize that you probably won’t be able to drop off a 3 or 4 foot ledge onto concrete or rock anymore. Some really rocky or gravely trails will not be fun, and you might even wear your old shoes on that stuff. You need to be more aware of where your feet are landing. You can injure them on a pointy rock if you don’t pay attention. For me, the payoff in comfort and “ground feel” is worth it.