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I keep hearing about the benefits of walking barefoot.

One benefit I hear is that walking barefoot "[allows] us to synchronize with the earth’s natural electric charge" (source). This sounds like BS to me, but I wouldn't know any better.

The other benefit has to do with improving posture. I think the argument is that a lot of people's shoes are not tailored to their feet, and this can lead to posture problems down the line.

Is there scientific evidence backing this claim?

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  • I think this falls under the general heading of a non-falsifiable claim. They make claim x and then say it must be true since there is no scientific evidence that it is not. And though you ask, "Is there scientific evidence backing this claim?" what you're really asking is there any scientific evidence that it is not. – BillDOe Jun 28 '18 at 20:45
  • @BillDOe The specific "natural electric charge" argument the OP references is clearly BS, but the general question of "is walking barefoot (better in some way or in some context) better than walking with shoes" is certainly a scientifically studied question. – Bryan Krause Jun 28 '18 at 21:09
  • @BryanKrause, you're correct. I was referring to the second paragraph. I should have made that clear in my comment. – BillDOe Jun 28 '18 at 22:31
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    The Wikipedia article seems like a good starting point. – Narusan Jun 29 '18 at 5:49
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    @JonathanCender - I am not sure how much credance can be given to the research due to the fact that there is the disclaimer "G. Chevalier, S. T. Sinatra, and J. L. Oschman are independent contractors for Earthx L. Inc., the company sponsoring earthing research, and own a small percentage of shares in the company." (Chevalier, et al. 2013 and 2012). – Chris Rogers Jul 22 '18 at 12:52

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