Harry Shum | Physiotherapist
Your origin?
Hong Kong
Your title?
Physiotherapist
S&C Coach
How barefoot inspire your attitude in sports?
Being barefoot helps me to be in touch with the ground much more, improve my sensory function, activate the small muscles within it and being conscious of each step and having better performance and reducing ankle injuries on the court due to thousands of reps of walking each day.
How incorporating barefoot shoes into your training or sport has impacted your performance and overall experience?
It makes me conscious of my connection to my big toe which is the driver for hip extension and toe off on each step and by having a better big toe connection, it helps with waking up your glutes which I have heard many individuals not being able to "activate" it.
Reducing injuries is a big part since it challenges my ankle stability and proprioception of where I am in space
How do you believe barefoot shoes can benefit other athletes or individuals who participate in your sport or activity?
If there are barefoot shoes in basketball (which currently there are NONE), the closet thing was probably Kobes back then, it would DRAMATICALLY reduce the ankle sprain incidence as most basketball shoes right now have very high heel elevation and that actually increases the severity of ankle injuries.
What specific features of our barefoot shoes do you find most beneficial for your sport or activity?
Wide toe box, close to the ground, traction for changes of direction, sufficient minimum cushioning for jumps.
Could you provide a personal anecdote or story about a time when wearing barefoot shoes made a significant difference in your performance or recovery?
Back when I was in college, Feiyues were one of my first relative barefoot shoes and back then i had a huge ankle sprain that was very swollen.
And having barefoot shoes, it really helps to drive your ankle into dorsiflexion and load it as much as possible (even if it is a little painful). I think having that and just the ground feedback really got my ankle to be much better within a week or 2.
What advice do you have for someone who is considering transitioning to barefoot shoes for their sport or activity? Any tips or recommendations for a smooth transition?
I think they should NOT jump straight to a barefoot shoe.
That's a huge misconception that most individuals have from very high heel shoes along with a lot of cushioning and once they transition into it, they start to have foot issues because they are not used to it.
Find a pair of shoes that have a little less cushioning first along with being a little less heel elevation and then once you get accustomed to it for a few weeks to months. Transitioning to a barefoot shoe with zero drop would then be a much much better option.
Feiyues would be a good start as the transition to zero drop shoes from my personal experience. There might be other shoes out there as well.
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