Scientific Evidence Supporting Barefoot Living
When it comes to barefoot living, stories and personal experiences are powerful—but the science is just as compelling.
Over the past few decades, researchers have studied how going barefoot (or wearing minimalist footwear) affects everything from foot strength and posture to inflammation, balance, cognition, and even sleep.
This post gathers the most important scientific studies on barefoot living and grounding in one place, so you can explore the evidence for yourself and see how freeing your feet connects to whole-body health.
2025 – Park
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study on earthing mats reducing stress, insomnia severity, and daytime sleepiness
This more recent human trial tested earthing mats and found that using them reduced stress and insomnia severity, and also improved daytime sleepiness, when compared to placebo or before the intervention. This adds to evidence under more controlled conditions.
2024 – Kim
Effects of Barefoot Walking in Urban Forests on CRP, IFNγ, and Serotonin Levels
Walking barefoot in natural environments lowered inflammatory markers (CRP, IFNγ), boosted serotonin, and supported nervous system balance. Suggests barefoot forest walking combines grounding with green exercise.
2024 – Kim
Barefoot Walking Improves Cognitive Ability in Adolescents
A 12-week study had adolescent participants walk barefoot four times weekly. Results included shifts in EEG patterns—lower gamma and H-beta waves and increases in SMR and alpha waves—plus improvements in concentration, cognitive speed, and reduced brain stress.
2024 — García-Arrabé
A study comparing barefoot running to wearing advanced footwear found that barefoot runners—especially those running barefoot for two years—showed increased muscle thickness and cross-sectional area in intrinsic foot muscles.
2023 — Xu
International Journal of Sports Medicine found that studies involving minimalist shoe interventions (minimum of 2 weeks with a control group) showed intrinsic foot muscle strength increases of 9–57% and muscle size increases of 7–10.6%.
2022 – Kim
Barefoot walking improves cognitive ability in adolescents
Compared barefoot vs. sneaker walking in adolescents; barefoot walking led to stronger attention scores and lower stress indicators.
2022 – Sinatra
Grounding – The universal anti-inflammatory remedy
This paper frames grounding / earthing as a potential broad-spectrum anti-inflammatory intervention. They discuss studies showing effects on inflammation, hormonal balance (cortisol, etc.), blood flow, and metabolic parameters. It highlights how grounding might serve in preventing or mitigating chronic inflammatory diseases.
2022 – Park
The effect of Earthing Mat on Stress-Induced Anxiety-like Behavior
This is an animal (rodent) study. They used earthing mats for rodents after inducing stress, and measured behavior like time in open arms of a maze (a standard test for anxiety), and markers such as CRF (corticotropin-releasing factor) and c-Fos (neuronal activation). Results showed reduced anxiety-like behavior, lowered stress hormone expression, etc., suggesting earthing may help mitigate physiological and behavioral responses to stress.
2022 – Koniver
Practical Applications of Grounding to Support Health
Summarizes that grounding (i.e., conductive contact with Earth) has been shown to deepen restorative sleep and normalize cortisol rhythms.
2022 – Breet
Are habitually barefoot children compelled to wear ill-fitting shoes?
Current school shoes sold in stores don’t fit well for children who grow up barefoot. Manufacturers should make wider shoes to prevent long-term foot problems in these kids and teens.
2022 – Ren
Barefoot walking is more stable in the gait of balance recovery in older adults
Walking barefoot may improve balance training in older adults, since their steps are more consistent than when wearing shoes.
2021 – Curtis
Daily activity in minimal footwear increases foot strength
Adults wearing minimalist shoes for six months saw a 57.4% average increase in foot muscle strength, leading to better balance and gait mechanics.
2021 – Urry
Relationship of the Use of Short Footwear with the Development of Hallux Valgus in a Sample of Andalusian Schoolchildren
Study found too-short shoes strongly correlated with deformities (bunions, hammertoes) and foot pain.
2021 — González-Elena
Relationship of short footwear to the prevalence of foot deformities
This study highlights footwear as an important factor to monitor in hallux valgus prevention in schoolchildren. Too-short shoes directly correlated with deformities and pain.
2020 — Petersen
Walking barefoot vs. with minimalist footwear – influence on gait in younger and older adults
A study noted that walking in minimalist shoes can improve static balance and gait stability, offering protection while retaining benefits of barefoot walking.
2019 — Ridge
Walking in Minimalist Shoes Is Effective for Strengthening Foot Muscles
BYU clinical trial reported that walking in minimalist shoes was just as effective as specific foot-strengthening exercises in increasing both muscle size and strength over eight weeks.
2017 – Hollander
A multicenter epidemiological study was conducted to compare the foot morphology between habitually barefoot children and adolescents and matched counterparts that are used to wearing shoes. Found that barefoot-raised kids had wider feet, stronger arches, and better flexibility.
2017 – Warne
Transitioning to Minimal Footwear: a Systematic Review of Methods and Future Clinical Recommendations
Review suggests that after adaptation, barefoot/minimalist running reduces injury risk and promotes more efficient mechanics.
2015 – Oschman
This overview highlights that grounding deepens restorative sleep, normalizes the day–night cortisol rhythm, helps relax muscles, and boosts mood.
2015 — Franklin
Barefoot vs common footwear: A systematic review of the kinematic, kinetic and muscle activity differences during walking
Habitual footwear use has been reported to influence foot structure with an acute exposure being shown to alter foot position and mechanics.
2012 — Lieberman
What We Can Learn About Running from Barefoot Running: An Evolutionary Medical Perspective
Research on footstrike patterns confirmed that minimalist or barefoot runners often adopt forefoot strikes, reducing collision forces compared to heel-strike patterns typical of cushioned running shoes.
2011 – Wegener, C. et al.
Effect of children's shoes on gait: a systematic review and meta-analysis
The effect of footwear on the gait of children is poorly understood. This systematic review synthesises the evidence of the biomechanical effects of shoes on children during walking and running.
2010 — Lieberman
Foot strike patterns and collision forces in habitually barefoot versus shod runners
Barefoot runners naturally strike with the forefoot or midfoot, which softens impact and reduces collision forces compared to heel-striking in shoes.
2004-2006 – Chevalier & Oschman
The effect of Earthing (grounding) on human physiology
In this double-blind pilot study with 58 healthy adults (30 controls), grounding was done via conductive patches connected to the earth. They measured EEG, EMG (muscle tension), blood volume pulse, and other electrophysiological signals. They observed rapid changes once grounded: changes in EEG power, muscle tension, blood flow etc., suggesting shifts in autonomic balance (less stress), better electrophysiological stability.
2004 – Ghaly & Teplitz
The Biologic Effects of Grounding the Human Body During Sleep as Measured by Cortisol Levels and Subjective Reporting of Sleep, Pain, and Stress
A pilot study where participants slept grounded on conductive mattress pads for 8 weeks. Results showed significantly reduced nighttime cortisol levels, a more normalized 24-hour cortisol rhythm, and improvements in sleep quality, pain, and stress perception.
