straighten then strengthen

This is a great article from the NY Times about how shoes effect our feet. I liked it so much I put a link to the article at the bottom of the page.
The reason I like it so much is that when I was little I learned that walking barefoot on gravel roads made, not only my feet feel strong but my whole body strong and connected. I tend to be wired as a kinesthetic learner so you may consider my desire to walk around on rocks at any age a bit strange, However, now in my 40’s I can say that running around in my bare feet has been part of the equation of keeping me strong. Years later, after formal schooling in physiology, training on the Olympic level for windsurfing and various other sports,only once did a wear shoes that were stiff and kept my feet from moving fully. The result I can not entirely blame on shoes but the stiffness of the shoes began to lead to me not feeling as strong in my hips and feet. I also began to develop a bunion on my right big toe. The more that we are disconnected from how the chain of muscles work in our bodies the more dysfunctional the parts become. I have since taken up running in Nike frees or barefoot. My bunion has reduced and hips and running are strong, not to mention the knee pain I used to have is gone. So for all of you in your mid 40’s that have been told that running after age 40 is not good, take a look at your alignment and look at other cultures, especially those that do not wear shoes. Even if you have degenerative joints it is still helpful to regain as much function as possible and consult the advice of a good orthopedic doctor.