If you have only been wearing shoes with lots of support for long periods of time, the first use of barefoot footwear may make your feet uncomfortable.

Imagine doing a heavy workout after months of no training, your body will feel sore because it hasn’t been trained for a long time. This analogy applies to the feet as well. This is because going barefoot or wearing minimalist footwear without support can awaken the leg muscles which may have been “asleep” for a long time. 

If you are considering switching to minimalist/barefoot footwear, please read this article to help you to transition safely without being injured. 

Take it slow

Too Much and Too Soon are the first things that can injure your feet. 

The feet need to adapt to new habits. If this is your first time wearing barefoot footwear, avoid doing strenuous exercise immediately or using it for a long period of time. Instead, start with 15-30 minutes a day, then gradually increase the frequency and duration of use as your body and feet adapt. The stronger your feet are, the more comfortable you will feel wearing barefoot footwear, even for sports and running.

Make sure to walk before you run, and walk a short mile before walking a long mile. Transition times can vary from person to person so always listen to your body!

Do feet exercise 

Do little exercise for the legs (toe yoga, tiger claw, or using a toe separator), basically doing stretching exercises regularly. You can also practice walking barefoot around the house or on a natural surface.

There are different ways to transition depending on how you plan to use your Tapak Barefoot Flip-flops.

Transition for Casual Everyday Walk

If you want to use minimalist footwear for casual activities such as walking, running,   standing and sitting, podiatrist and inventor of Correct Toes Dr. Ray McClanahan  recommends the following transition plan:

Start with 1 hour per day using barefoot footwear. Each week, increase duration of use an hour longer until you reach 8 hours per day at the end of the 2 month transition. In that time span, the feet should have adjusted enough to use minimalist footwear without injury.

Depending on the condition of each person's body, some can transition more quickly, especially people who are often barefoot. If there is pain in the legs, do not be too hasty to increase the frequency of the transition. Don't rush it and listen to your body.