Scraped my foot, now fearing going barefoot

I've been working from home for the past few years, and have really enjoyed barefoot life. I'm not a hardcore barefooter like some of you, but I was spending more time outdoors barefoot...even did it at a public venue before Covid. It was fun! Well, I scraped my foot on an acorn recently (of all things) and now I'm afraid to go barefoot, again. I honestly wear sandals or flip flops or whatever out to get the mail...or even to sit outside with hubby for a glass of wine. It's kind of strange how skittish I've become.

This doesn't seem like a big thing in the grand scheme of life, but it bugs me...because it seems like it's turning into a phobia now. I've even been wearing shoes in the house now. Sigh.

Can anyone relate? Have you reverted from barefooting to shoes? If so, why?

 

I have had cuts and scrapes from whatever,scrubbed with alcohol and sealed the wound with clear nail polish. I revert to shoes when it gets too cold in the winter but when I get home I will walk barefoot or in flip flops.

 

Interesting, you use nail polish to close a cut? Hmm. I’m not sure I’ll be able to do that - I’m afraid of a lot in life. Barefooting gives me a sense of not being afraid of what people think. It sounds crazy but barefooting can help a person let go of anxieties and such. So it’s a little upsetting that I’ve allowed a painful scrape to set me back in that mindset.

 

When I cut my foot I had some anxiety about going bare again,the nail polish helps a lot,went right back out that day.

 

I once got a decent cut from a sharp stone in my big toe while being in the forest. Tore the lining of my jeans pocket (they were already torn and in tatters) to bandage it, crossed a creek and after 20 minutes ascending the mount, retrieved my dirt bike. Got lots of thorns, glass splinters, goatheads, but after 18 years I achieved a good degree of resilience. I can now walk on glass with some caution. It is a matter of personal tastes after all and there is no right or wrong here, only personal choices. To be honest the only time i got a damn rusty nail piercing my sole it was while wearing boots at the shooting range. If you are uncomfortable with being barefoot you need to do what you want... No need to force things anyway.

 

During the coldest winter weeks I really have no choice. Two weeks ago we measured -26 C (-15 Fah), which is definitely no place for exposed flesh anymore, no matter how tough you think you are. So yes, there are times when it's just not worth it to push it anymore. Where there's nothing to be gained anymore, but you could lose a lot. But I've yet to experience getting demoralized this badly. I stepped on a nail 'bout 4 years ago, but returned to bare feet after I was certain that the wound healed. Also, small cuts here and there, and I once stepped on an angry wasp on another occasion (yes, the bastard stung me). But nothing that would make me quit cold turkey.

Like @jagerhans pointed out, the choice is always yours alone. You are the agent of your own safety. Nobody sane and levelheaded is gonna call you a quitter over this. That being said, if you feel like coming back, your home, where you've already done it before, is deffo the best place to get a fresh start. It's where you're familiar with the surroundings, and potential obstacles. And there's a new summer coming just a couple of months away. A fresh new chance to give it another go. Think about it. We'll be here, if you need moral support.

(Just how nasty are acorns anyway? I don't have 'em here.)

 

???

This is definitely new to me. How does this work? What's the science behind this? If this is some good trick, maybe I'll add it to my fanny pack of 1st aid supplies.

 

very true... here I can rock because the worst we got was -2 C* in the night, for one day. Now we have night temps in the 6-11 C° range, we got max +18 C* on a daily base. When I started, winters were colder. They keep getting milder each new year.

I'm curious too.

 

We used to have a bottle of liquid band aid back when I was a kid,nail polish is all it was.

 

Super glue works well too. It's perfectly safe and is good for sealing up heel cracks, too.

 

Someone famous said pain is the best teacher.

I thought I broke a toe a few months ago after I tripped over the vacuum cleaner going to the bathroom a few months ago.

I was like not fair, people are going to give me I told you so about the bare feet but no one puts on shoes at 4 am to use bathroom !

It really hurt months later my situational awarness is still on watchout for a toe stub.

I have not 'stubbed' a finger going bare handed in a long time. A slipping wrench learns that lesson and it sticks for a wile too.


And someone ask this website to un vandalize my account over that dumbshit in the politics section.

Pressed the post button 5 times it just goes to the damn white screen .

 

Slow internet the timeout is longer then what ever dumbshit they did to my account.

I don't like crooked prosecutors who put people in jail for weed I dont give a crap what color Kamala harris is.

Election is long over un screw up my account

Election is over un screw up my account


I am not doing the politics section

 

No way I can answer this or even read it





I don't like a political candidate so hip forums desteroys my ability to use the website.

people wanted bernie sanders around here anyway

 

I used super glue for a while but today I just use strong canvas plaster, the one that comes in reels. Sometimes super glue becomes hard and a nuisance of its own, so if one uses super glue for those occasional pesky cracks that go too deep, the best type is the one made for flexible materials like rubber and leather. Onve i used to sew the cracks up with silk but that wasn't exactly easy, nor painless. I think we are quite a stubborn bunch

 

Deidre - as others have said do what you feel comfortable doing. I have stepped on a few acorns over the years and things can really hurt. For me I just become more resigned to be careful.

While you're working kick off the shoes. I'm willing to bet you'll soon realize its much more comfortable barefoot and get back to it in no time.

 

Acorns fall from the trees as I’m walking in my driveway for example and a surprise one ends up under my feet. They’re sharp edged in some cases and different sizes so they hurt!

 

i just found out i got a nice hole in my foot from the last hike. I kind of remember i felt a jab in my arch but didn't think much of it

 

How sharp is "sharp" in this context? Razor sharp? Dull butter knife sharp? Can an acorn cut you?

 

Acorns and beech nuts can hurt but think about everywhere else where it feels great.

In terms of reverting to shoes all this covid stuff has got to me and I stopped barefooting last summer. I can’t wear a mask which are mandated in shops in the UK so to have gone in without that and shoes would’ve caused a lot of grief. I’ve since stopped going in shops altogether so at least don’t get death stares or confronted. Before then I was living almost totally barefoot except for work. If the climate is decent there’s no real need to wear shoes in spring and summer, in winter you need to be sensible about it. I’m planning to get bare footing in nature again over the next few weeks, being in a bluebell wood taking in the sights and smells is one of the highlights of the year and in bare feet is even better.

 

Don't force yourself to do anything in particular, you may just push yourself further from barefooting. If you wanna get back into it later, take your time. If not, then that's your choice