NEO by Vivo Barefoot

[Melas Zomos]

Out of interest apart from bigger feet are there any other changes you've seen happening since wearing these shoes?

Toes are definitely spreading.
Not quite ready to do anything of impact without the liners, with the liners I am cool with everything except Olympic split lifts as toe strength and flexibility are an issue.
Put the liners back in for now and will wean off them gradually through walking.
Still way too early to comment on whether they are changing anything or not, for positive or negative for sure, but I like them and believe they are helping.
To be honest I have several issues around the feet, knees, back that make it hard to generate a short term assessment. At this time I really can not say anything negative about them, other than don’t get the top of your foot caught in a doorway or the like as there is no protection.
I am wearing them more and more.

It seems to be helping with a generation of force, especially with relation to the big toe.

Surprisingly I am having no issues with the arches, which I am a little surprised with??

Really waiting to see how it helps toe flexion as mine is terrible due to previous footwear and the fact that twenty years ago I had a 500lb slab of metal fall and break every metatarsus in one of my feet. This will be a great gage, but is certainly going to take more than a few weeks.

Ankle flexion, as mention previously will be another gage. Still too early to tell, this will take months I am thinking. Again, nothing negative to report right now, possibly minute positive changes??? Hard to say with injuries.

Knee’s, this is my biggest concern. My knees are long grenaded, and hanging by a thread. Again injuries and torso alignment as well as ankle flexibility and hip strength are all contributing factors. As compared with my other footwear, it seems to be an improvement.
Oddly with the liners in, I can feel it slightly in my right knee and when the liners are out in the left knee. I am hopeful that once alignment issues and flexibility as mentioned are addressed then it will balance for the better.

Ham/quads: Really not sure what is going on here both are tighter than before. Hamstrings especially are noticeably tighter. Hopefully this has something to do with my torso alignment correcting itself and putting the force where it should be and my hamstrings just need to get up to speed???

Back: Seems to be helping, but again I am dealing with old injuries and one week everything can be great and the next…..well you get the point. Nothing negative, but not ready to give it the seal of approval on this just yet….looks promising though.

Tallywacker: unfortunately no changes there. Was hoping for ligament stretching or something similar to the lengthening of toes, but alas nothing.

[Cookie]

To be honest, I have no clue how to tighten an arch.

The Short Foot Exercise: Strengthening the primary musculature of the arch.
Medical Resource Vol. 8

We commonly discuss or recommend strengthening the intrinsic foot musculature to improve strength and good foot health, but exactly what exercise should we be doing?

Toe curls, picking up objects with toes, splaying of toes, and the towel exercise are routinely advised to strengthen the intrinsics. While these are excellent activities to strengthen lower extremity and foot muscles, there is a more ideal exercise to improve arch strength - The Short Foot Exercise.

The short foot exercise serves to activate and strengthen the abductor hallucis muscle of the foot. We discussed the importance of this muscle in volume 6 with regards to a decrease in deforming forces for a bunion. The abductor hallucis muscle is also the primary muscle of the foot that supports the arch. The posterior tibial tendon (leg muscle that crosses the ankle joint and inserts in the medial arch) is usually focused on during acquired flat foot deformities as a primary cause. While we know it does help to support the arch, it's function only becomes important after the passive support of the arch breaks down. Current literature demonstrates that the abductor hallucis muscle is more of a dynamic supporter of the arch then the posterior tibial tendon.

To perform a short foot exercise, sit in a sturdy chair, using good posture. Place both feet flat on the floor with your toes pointing straight forward. Raise the arch of your right foot off the floor without curling your toes and lifting your heel. This is called the short foot position. Hold this isometric contraction for six seconds. Relax, and repeat with the left foot. Inch your feet forward and perform another rep with each foot. Perform 15 to 20 repetitions with each foot to strengthen and stabilize the muscles that comprise the longitudinal arch of the foot. Reposition your feet a little farther away from the chair each rep to target the muscles at slightly different angles. When this exercise is executed properly, you will feel muscle contraction in the foot and lower leg.


References:
Emmerich J, Wülker N, Hurschler C. [Influence of the posterior tibial tendon on the medial arch of the foot: an in vitro kinetic and kinematic study]. Biomed Tech (Berl). 2003 Apr;48(4):97-105. German. PubMed PMID: 12749288.

Headlee DL, Leonard JL, Hart JM, Ingersoll CD, Hertel J. Fatigue of the plantar intrinsic foot muscles increases navicular drop. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2008 Jun;18(3):420-5. Epub 2007 Jan 8. PubMed PMID: 17208458.

Jung DY, Kim MH, Koh EK, Kwon OY, Cynn HS, Lee WH. A comparison in the muscle activity of the abductor hallucis and the medial longitudinal arch angle during toe curl and short foot exercises. Phys Ther Sport. 2011 Feb;12(1):30-5. Epub 2010 Sep 15. PubMed PMID: 21256447.

Wong YS. Influence of the abductor hallucis muscle on the medial arch of the foot: a kinematic and anatomical cadaver study. Foot Ankle Int. 2007 May;28(5):617-20. PubMed PMID: 17559771.