5 Facts About Your Feet (and What They Mean for Your Shoes)
Share
5 Facts About Your Feet (and What They Mean for Your Shoes)
Most of us spend more time choosing a phone cover than thinking about the shape of our shoes. Yet our feet carry us through every single day. Here are five facts about them, and what each one means when you choose footwear.
1. Each foot has 26 bones
Together, your two feet hold 52 bones, all linked so your feet can bend, flex and adapt to the ground. That's roughly a quarter of all the bones in your body.
What it means for your shoes: a foot with that many moving parts is built to bend and flex. Saguaro shoes have a wide, foot-shaped toe box and a flexible sole, so there's room for that movement instead of a narrow, rigid shell.
2. You take around 3 million steps a year
At 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day, the average person walks close to 3 million steps a year.
What it means for your shoes: how a shoe feels at the end of a long day matters more than how it feels for five minutes in a shop. A roomy toe box, a light build and a sole that bends with you make the difference.
3. Most everyday shoes have a raised heel
Many everyday shoes have a heel that sits higher than the front of the foot, often by a centimetre or more. That difference is called the "drop".
What it means for your shoes: Saguaro shoes are zero-drop. Your heel and forefoot sit level, just as they do when you stand barefoot.
4. The soles of your feet are packed with nerve endings
The soles of your feet are one of the most sensitive areas of your body, which is why walking barefoot on grass, sand or warm paving feels so different.
What it means for your shoes: a thick, heavily cushioned sole blocks out most of that feeling. Saguaro uses thinner, flexible soles, so you feel more of the ground while your feet stay protected from stones, heat and rough surfaces.
5. Your toes spread out when you stand
Look at a footprint in the sand: the toes fan out. A pointed or narrow shoe presses them together.
What it means for your shoes: Saguaro's wide toe box follows the shape of a real foot, so your toes have room to spread out and relax.
Why more South Africans are choosing barefoot shoes
People come to barefoot shoes for all sorts of reasons: comfort, a roomier fit, a lighter shoe, or simply wanting to feel the ground again. At Sol Footwear we bring the Saguaro range to South Africa, with shoes for:
- Everyday wear
- Gym training
- Walking and travel
- Hiking and outdoor adventures
- Kids
Every pair has a wide toe box, a zero-drop sole and a light, flexible build.
Thinking of switching?
If you're used to cushioned shoes with a raised heel, take it slowly: wear your new pair for part of the day at first and build up from there. A thinner sole feels different underfoot, so give yourself time to get used to it.