In my nearly 30 years of Chiropractic practice, I have always paid particular attention to the condition of my patients’ feet. I was trained to recognize that the healthy function of the body begins with healthy feet. There are several common degenerative conditions of the feet that are becoming familiar buzz words in everyday conversations; foot disorders such as plantar fascitis, hammer toes, bunions and fallen arches. What I have noticed in the last few years is signs of these conditions in much younger patients, many of whom most often wear shoes scientifically designed for maximum performance and extreme athletic activities. The technology of shoe design has led to the development of foot gear that literally over-protects the feet. The average individual is not often engaged in extreme athletic activities and in my opinion, this over-protection leads to a steady weakening of the muscles, ligaments and tendons of the feet. The shoes are doing the work and the feet atrophy. I have had great success with those patients exhibiting early changes, before serious permanent changes occur, by training them in specific exercises and encouraging them to walk barefoot whenever possible. As there are hazards to going barefoot, I recommend wearing unstructured shoes which allow the feet to work for themselves. Unstructured shoes like cheap flip-flops and simple slippers are easy to find but for more practical and stylish needs, I am delighted with Nativearth. Shoes with intelligent design that respects the beauty, form and function of the human foot. Shoes that are hand crafted and made to last, easy to repair and resole, rather than be used and added to the trash over-running the planet.