Why do barefoot people have better sex? Views on the subject from a sexologist and physiotherapist.

Yes, even shoes can influence your sex life. In fact, they influence your whole body. We sat down with Petra Vrzáčková, sexologist and psychotherapist from the TH Clinic in Prague, and physiotherapist Lukáš Klimpera to talk about what shoes do to your potency and sexual enjoyment. 

Warning from the Ministry of Healthy Feet: You might abandon your favorite pair of shoes after reading this.  

When your beloved sneakers are secretly destroying your feet 

Take your favorite pair of shoes down off your shoe rack. It doesn’t matter whether they’re high heels, walking shoes or sneakers. Put one shoe on the floor and put your foot down next to it. Then put all your weight on that foot. 

Does your foot have the same shape as your shoe? 

We’d bet it doesn’t. Your shoe is narrower, and the tip hasn’t been fashioned according to human toes. This means one thing: Your feet are cramped and being deformed in your shoes, even if you’re not noticing. 

And this is the core of the problem.

Healthy shoes don’t cramp feet. Do yours?

Everything is interconnected in the human body 

So you’re probably asking yourself, what does the shape of a shoe have to do with my sex life? In the human body, everything is interconnected. No joke. When you deform your foot, you’re rearranging the relationships between the individual segments of your body. The imbalance spreads: past your ankles to your knees, hips and pelvis. 

“Generally speaking, your muscles and skeleton need to be in balance for a high-quality and satisfying sex life. Stability of the spine, free movement of the joints, primarily of the hips and knees, is fundamental,” says sexologist Petra Vrzáčková.

Deformation of the foot disrupts balance and stability. When you deform your toes, the whole lower limb and rest of the body has to react. The brain rearranges tension in the body. And because we wear shoes for the greater part of the day, we get used to this new arrangement and we don’t return to what’s natural, even when we take our shoes off in the evening.

When the foot is free, all segments connect to one another.

Going with the flow

“Good blood circulation in the pelvis, just like good innervation, is crucial for the erectile tissue in the penis to function properly,” Petra Vrzáčková adds.

The body must be relaxed and free for everything to properly flow in it. When you free your feet and start to use them naturally, not only will the alignment of your feet change – your muscle tension and the position of your pelvis will too. This makes blood flow properly, allowing for proper circulation in the loins. 

And by the way – did you know that healthy walking activates your pelvic floor? Read this article on How to strengthen the pelvic floor. Learn to walk healthy.

What does the pelvic floor do? 

The pelvic floor is responsible for more processes in the body than you’d expect. According to Dr. Vrzáčková, proper tension in this area is fundamental for you to enjoy pleasant sex and orgasms. 

This is the same reason physiotherapist Lukáš Klimpera warns against wearing high-heels:

“If the pelvis is tilted forwards as a result of wearing heels, the pelvic floor also tilts forwards and the pressure of the organs on the front part of the pelvic floor is also greater. The brain has to automatically create greater tension in the front section of the pelvic floor. And if the tension there is long-term, it will cause discomfort, circulation will be limited, and toxins will build up.” 

By saying “heels”, Lukáš isn’t only referring to 4-inch spikes. Even a smaller heel on a classic shoe will influence your body’s alignment. 

Reading tip: 6 simple exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor

A healthy shoe has no heel.

How our feet teach us to feel 

A healthy barefoot stride will teach you to be aware of your own body. Did you know that by walking barefoot you’re stimulating specific centers of the brain? 

Try it. First you’ll feel the ground beneath you. Then, gradually, you’ll start to realize how your feet feel in this or that pair of shoes. Soon you’ll be feeling the needs of your whole body. 

And this is the ideal setting for great sex. Be in tune with yourself. Enjoy each touch. And don’t let your sex life be influenced by something as silly as an uncomfortable pair of shoes.

Learn to perceive your own body, step by step.

Be careful – it’s not only about the sole

If you’re getting ready to head out to the shop for barefoot shoes, hold on a minute. You should know something about them first: 

In order to attain the results that we’ve described in the article, shoes with a thin sole are not enough. Truly healthy shoes have more: 

• Enough space for the whole foot, especially for the toes. 
• Flexible and cushiony materials. 
• Minimum weight.

We had Ahinsa shoes tested at Masaryk University and found that walking in them is just as healthy as if you were walking barefoot. Have a look at men‘s and women‘s products.

Measurements at Masaryk University: In Ahinsa shoes, you’ll be walking as if you were barefoot.

Free e-book: Learn to walk healthily

The right shoes will free you and let you walk naturally. But they won’t teach you how. 

That’s why physiotherapist Lukáš Klimpera has created the Step by Step to a Healthy Stride e-book. Download it for free.