Toe Spreaders, A Good Idea?

Another hf member told me to just stick my fingers between my toes sometimes. Seems like the cheapest and easiest way to me.

 

just a simple massage will work

 

Most shoes do not have cramped pointy toes except the ridiculous shoes people (mostly women) wear for looks, not comfort or support. I am a runner and hiker...no shoes I wear cramp my toes at all. I know better

 

On the toe spreader issue. The splayed toes are not for stable base. They are for grip. They develop from walking and climbing on uneven surfaces.

 

I'm a bit perplexed by this thread. Is this really a thing?! They remind me of what my old gran used to do with bits of cotton wool. As a child I never could fathom out why. Another argument for going bf, I feel....with time your feet just splay out normally and look much better

 

well that's just basic frostbite first aid. you stick pieces of dry cloth between the affected extremities. don't try to rewarm them yourself unless there is no chance of professional healthcare.

no idea why you would want to squeeze tiny breast implants in there though.

 

Practice with some more with toe spreading after using the toe spreaders several times each day for about 10 to 15 minutes per usage, and I get an ever wider spread! This is just after two more days of spools of thread toe spreading, and toe spreading several times a day without the spools of thread:



Not quite as wide as when the toes are forced to be spread wider with the spools of thread, but still improved. Not sure how much additional toe spread I can get, but for sure it's also strenghening the balls of the foot muscles to hold that toe spread for a longer time. Still doesn't affect the relaxed toes position much.

Spread toes, for me, give me better balance and grip. Balance because the toes have a wider surface area to walk on, and grip because I can press the toe pads down with more pressure. Of course, that also makes white rougher calluses on the toe pads when I press down harder with the toes, but I actually want rougher calluses for better rougher surface and especially hot surface barefooting.

 

Hot asphalt, this is not intended as criticism, and of course we all react differently to things, but I can't help feeling you make something as simple as not wearing shoes into something mighty complicated

 

It's not complicated. I answered the question.

The toes also spread out wider when walking, although not overly exaggerated like when they are deliberately spread out. Stronger toes are also a benefit when standing on pavement so hot that it's necessary to stand even on the toe pads as part of rolling on the soles, since there is better balance when there is nothing has to be held onto.

As for not wearing shoes, it's about all paved surfaces as long as I am not getting puncture wounds or entire parts of the soles seriously burned. That means strengthening the toes using toe spreaders and then deliberately pushing down on the toes when walking. That means walking on sharp gravel asphalt enough to poke the soles and really feel it, but also that sharpness is even more exaggerated when it's colder. That means walking on hot enough asphalt to even make smaller blisters on the soles, to make as much of the sole have the same heat tolerance.

 

^ that post is the perfect of example of complicated.

you know what i do? i don't usually wear shoes. if it hurts to walk somewhere, i either put shoes on or walk somewhere else.

i've also been told that i have pretty good balance.

 

Fair enough, but the barefoot running movement also goes through getting their feet used to it. SBL has FAQs about getting used too it.

The more I get used to it, the less I have to wear shoes. However, I have no interest in destroying my soles, nor breaking my toes.

 

That's the way I go about it. I figure the more I go barefoot, the more my feet get used to it.
Why overthink it, or make it more difficult than it has to be?

 

Thank you for sharing your infinite wisdom there! (but you might wanna check you keyboard there, the capslock seems to be stuck on some occasions)

Everybody else, nice to read about the different point of views. It helped me form mine. Though i super like the shape of feet with spread toes, i will not going to use the spreaders all night.
And personally, i don't mind correcting my feet, or challenge them sometimes. Using toe spreaders is not more difficult for me, than walking on a very rough surface.
They both might not be 'the most comfortable' for my feet, but it will make them stronger quicker! And thus, i can walk barefoot on various terrains more easily.

 

I really like the wide spread out shape of a barefooters foot too. I think it will be a long time before mine look like that though.

I think you should incorporate toe stretch exercises into your routine to have stronger more spread out feet. I don't use toes spreaders, but I have been spending a few minutes every time I find myself sitting, stretching all my toes apart as far as I can. Since its my own foot muscles pushing them out I have found its a good exercise. I then point my foot down and squeeze them together as much as possible. In just a few weeks I have seen some serious changes. I can spread my toes much farther and my feet feel much stronger.

 

I will try some exersises than. I was impressed on how far your toes could spread mattekat, that looks pretty good already.
Lets see how fast progress is made..

 

I'm wondering the same thing, barefeet. My toes have also kind of scrunched together,and I want to remedy this.

 

www.google.com/search?q=toe+separator+socks+before+and+after

 

After wearing toe spreaders for a couple of months now, i see no real difference.
I think that the toe spreaders do not really alter your feet, maybe when wearing them for years will do something, but i'm no strong believer.
Unfortunatly the damage is done on young age. When growing up, the feet should be free as much as possible for correct development.
When toes however scrunched together, it mayby will relieve some discomfort, together with exercises i guess.

 

Zonker Harris wore spreaders in Doonesbury to even his tan by getting the sides of his toes brown