Barefoot In Shoes ™

June 7, 2023

In a popular New York Times Magazine article this year, Adam Sternbergh makes the claim that "You Walk Wrong." It's a fascinating article that we highly recommend. Sternbergh explains and sheds some light on the biomechanical issues that ALINE holds dear.

But there is a problem... Mr. Sternbergh, like many well-intentioned barefoot advocates, fails to notice the 500 lb. Sasquatch in the room: its name is PAVEMENT.

Feet have been evolving for 4-5 million years and are wonders of biomechanical engineering. They are well-suited for moving over the variable, natural terrain that humans encountered for 99.9999% of their evolution.

Start pounding those same feet on hard, flat asphalt (or marble, tile, concrete, wood, you name it), and they break down quickly. Most shoes only add to the problem, for the reasons discussed by Sternbergh. And just for kicks, throw in an adult foot that's been severely compromised by years of abuse and is now expected to go run barefoot... on pavement. Disaster.

We started ALINE based on many decades of combined experience in sports and biomechanics, and we understand foot function better than most. What most people don't realize is that the bottom of your foot is constantly in motion, conforming to natural terrain and aligning the body with every step. That action just doesn't work well on pavement, and it's disabled by most shoes.

ALINE's goal is to provide an interface that allows the foot to move in a natural way, especially on the hard, flat surfaces where we live, work and play. First off, your ankle and knee alignment improves dramatically as soon as you stand on an ALINE. And once you start moving, ALINE's BFAST suspension lets your foot move naturally no matter what terrain you're on. In other words, you get barefoot function IN your shoes...all of the positive benefits, none of the negative.

Want proof? OK. ALINE athletes (who we don't pay to wear our insoles!) have won over a dozen X-Games medals in various sports, three PGA Tour events, several mountain biking national championships, and much more. More importantly, we get love letters daily from average people who can't thank us enough.

The bottom line? The shoe problems that lead people to go barefoot are very real. But for modern feet in the modern world, ALINE insoles are just better than barefoot.