Spirit of Bonhomie -Day Fourteen

Go barefoot .....outside

Going barefoot outside is a sensory experience that engages both our brains and our bodies. Let’s explore the fascinating neuroscience behind this practice:

1. Natural Gait and Foot Mechanics:

   • Walking barefoot more closely restores our natural walking pattern or gait.

   • Shoes, especially those with excessive cushioning and support, can alter how we use certain muscle groups.

   • Going barefoot allows us to engage these muscles, leading to better foot mechanics and improved overall body mechanics.

2. Benefits of Walking Barefoot:

   • Foot Position Control: Walking barefoot provides better control of your foot position when it strikes the ground.

   • Balance and Proprioception: It enhances balance, proprioception (awareness of your body in space), and body awareness.

   • Foot and Ankle Health: Barefoot walking helps maintain appropriate range of motion in foot and ankle joints and strengthens muscles and ligaments.

   • Leg Muscle Strength: Stronger leg muscles support the lower back region.

3. Earthing (Grounding):

   • Earthing refers to contact with the Earth’s surface electrons by walking barefoot outside.

   • Research shows it transfers energy from the ground into the body, potentially benefiting overall health.

Brain structures and barefoot walking:

There are many areas of the brain that are involved in barefoot walking that actually have beneficial effects for other processes and actions we take -

1. Cortical and Subcortical Networks:

   • Walking, seemingly automatic, actually engages specific networks in the brain.

   • These networks consist of both cortical (outer layer of the brain) and subcortical (below the cortex) structures.

   • They interact with each other and send neuronal commands via the spinal cord to the muscles involved in walking.

2. Brain Areas Involved:

   • Motor Cortex: The primary motor cortex plans and commands movements. It’s where the final output is sent down the spinal cord to cause muscle contraction.

   • Premotor Areas: These regions coordinate complex movements.

   • Frontal Lobes: The brain’s motor system is mainly contained in the frontal lobes.

3. Age and Pathologies:

   • Younger vs. Older People: Younger individuals rely on fewer or lesser activation of brain areas for walking compared to older people.

   • Physical Inactivity in Older People: Inactive older individuals show higher activation of sensory and motor areas during backward walking or walking over obstacles.

   • Neurological Disease: People with neurological diseases compensate for deficits by stronger activation or recruitment of additional brain areas during walking.

4. Plasticity and Compensation:

   • Our brains exhibit plasticity, always aiming to ensure a minimum of motor control under various circumstances.

   • Compensation processes reflect this adaptability, ensuring stability even in challenging conditions.

Today is really simple, get all the humans you can to join you in barefoot bonhomie. Forget the weather. embrace the mud, take off your socks and shoes. just get out there and feel the ground beneath your feet!🌿👣🌟

Most children have been cursed with parents who have forgotten the joy of walking barefoot.