From: Howard E. Friedman, DPM
Regarding the recent posts about the benefits of barefoot walking, I revisited my letter to this forum in 2020 in which I cited two studies that documented either improved intrinsic muscle size or improved balance and posture in barefoot walkers. Since then, there have been further studies that have returned the same results in addition to previous research.
However, many things are clinically true about barefoot walking at the same time. Yes, people can get puncture wounds and fungal or bacterial infections. But, it is incontrovertible that a program of barefoot walking in a safe environment for appropriate people can result in larger, i.e. stronger, intrinsic foot muscles. It is also true that barefoot walking does not result in a zero-injury rate in feet and legs and in fact can lead to...
Editor's note: Dr. Friedman's extended-length letter can be read here.
From: Paul Langer, DPM
I'd like to respond to the criticisms of Dr. Conenello's quotes on barefoot walking. My response is as follows: It is disappointing that within our profession, we have people who would publicly disparage a well-informed colleague simply because the disparagers have not bothered to keep up with the research.
The evidence for the benefits of foot intrinsic strengthening and barefoot/minimalist shoe ambulation to increase the foot’s capacity to support the body gets better every year since McKeon and colleagues first introduced the concept of the “foot core” in 2015. It would be better for our profession if we spent less time criticizing concepts we do not understand and more time working to understand them.
Paul Langer, DPM, Minneapolis MN
From: Gary S Smith, DPM
I have been in practice 33 years. I have used the CO2 laser and the radio wave frequency machines many times for matrixectomies. I tried NaOH as well. I have never found anything with less re-occurrence rates or side-effects than phenol.
Gary S Smith, DPM, Bradford, PA
