Is barefoot best?
The buzzword in footwear these days is "barefoot." While there are studies that support some of the purported benefits, there is also "a lot of hype," says Kendrick Whitney, a professor of podiatry and orthopedics at Temple. "Shoes should never be used as a replacement for exercising," he said. Whitney, and his Temple colleague Kathya Zinszer, a podiatrist who specializes in diabetes education, see a lot of patients whose shoe choices prove to be a step backward. The experts offered Inquirer readers some advice for striking the right balance between innovative and sensible shoes.
Philadelphia Inquirer| June 29, 2011