How to transition to barefoot shoes?

General advice about transitioning 

1. Some people, including me, find ‘extremely barefoot’ shoes very comfortable from the first moment. My sudden transition relieved my chronic Plantar Fasciitis instantly, and I was also able to ditch my custom orthotics right away. By extreme I mean those with 1.5-3.5 mm thick soles and a very explicit ground feel. Others may prefer somewhat thicker, perhaps even cushioned, slightly supporting soles for months or even years before going more natural. And of course, you may be anywhere in between, too. The best advice I can give is: listen to your body! It will tell you what it (dis)likes in any given moment. Don’t force anything that causes pain! (I also suggest reading But I find flats uncomfortable unless you have covered that topic already.)
2. If necessary, find an expert who can help you – there are online options, too. Some of those that I follow on Instagram and find their information and exercises super useful
   • Healthy Feet Alliance (they have recently launched a directory) 
     https://healthyfeetalliance.org/health-professionals/ 
   • Andy Briant Podiatrist
   • Healthy Feet Alliance – Directory of Professionals
   • My Foot Function
3. The general suggestion for beginners is: start with half an hour in barefoot shoes per day and build it up gradually in accordance with your personal needs. How fast you can go depends on a number of aspects: your age, your adaptability, how much you have been going around barefooted, how much you have been going around on high heels, possible deformations/inflammations etc. I bought my first pair of barefoot shoes on a trip abroad and made whole-day sightseeing walks in them, simply because my feet preferred them over my original shoes which I could only use with orthotics, and even so they gave me pain. On rainy days though, I was forced to wear my old, waterproof shoes, and perhaps that saved me from overstretching my feet… I didn’t know anything about transitioning at the time. 
4. Whether you give barefoot shoes a chance or not, it is strongly advisable to regularly stretch your calves, because the calf muscles shorten from walking in heel-elevated shoes, plus, too much sitting and our shifted upright position (also related to heeled shoes) often result in calves compensating for the reduced functioning of other muscles, such as the glutes for instance.
5. Feet exercises are extremely useful. For our physical well-being, it is key to realign the body, strengthen and stretch the toes, and work on one’s gait. Yoga, physiotherapy and all such exercise that reconnects you with your body and facilitates natural functioning are super helpful. For easy short exercises you can see my Instagram as well as follow the experts listed in point 2.
6. Choose the size and shape of your shoes carefully, to best fit your feet. For help read How to measure your feet!