Ever wonder why it feels so good to run barefoot across green grass or stroll on a sandy beach?
These simple acts infuse you with pleasure because you’re experiencing direct contact with the earth.
When that happens, the naturally negative electric charge in the ground absorbs the positive electrons accumulated in your body.
This experience is called grounding or Earthing, and it relieves an invisible strain on your body.
Grounding shoes, or Earthing shoes as they’re also called, restore the connection.
- What Are Grounding Shoes?
- What Are the Benefits of Grounding Sandals and Shoes?
- 9 Best Grounding Shoes for Women and Men
- 1. Unisex Therapy Slippers Sandal Grounding Clogs Earthing Shoes
- 2. Adult Hawthorne Chukka – Leather Sole
- 3. EARTHLING 3.0 Grounding Straps
- 4. Earth Runners Sandals
- 5. Grounding Shoes Unisex Earthing Sneaker
- 6. Birkenstock Milano Sandal
- 7. Grounding Earthing Shoes with Breathable Mesh
- 8. Handmade, Wide Toe Box Women’s Earthing Shoes
- 9. Men’s Barefoot Grounding Slip-on Shoe
What Are Grounding Shoes?
Grounding shoes, like Earthing sneakers, allow the electrons in your body to flow through the shoe and discharge their positivity into the negatively-charged ground.
They accomplish this exchange of electrons through a variety of designs.
What’s important to know is that they offer a healthful alternative to conventional shoes.
Most shoes have a rubber sole that insulates you electrically. In that situation, static electricity builds up in your body and drags down your health.
What Are the Benefits of Grounding Sandals and Shoes?
Living cells communicate on chemical and electrical levels. Grounding appears to improve your immune system’s ability to function optimally.
Measured benefits of grounding include:
- Better cardiovascular function – Comparisons of people with heart disease who engaged in Earthing showed that grounded people had better red blood cell fluidity. The blood cells were less likely to clog together.
- Better recovery from injury – Blood work measured white blood cells, pain markers, and creatine kinase in injured people. Lab results showed reduced muscle damage and less pain within the grounded group.
- Improved mood – A study conducted on massage therapists had some work on grounding mats while others remained ungrounded. Those who worked while grounded reported a reduction in fatigue, depression, and stress.
- Improved sleep quality – An eight-week study of people troubled by pain had them sleep on grounding mats. Their diurnal cortisol levels became less erratic, and the participants slept better.
- Relief of chronic inflammation – Chronic inflammation and autoimmune diseases respond positively to grounding. People with these problems who practiced grounding therapy showed a decrease in white blood cells and cytokines associated with inflammation.
You naturally have questions about these shoes that solve a problem most people are totally unaware of. Here are a few common questions that people frequently ask.
Can you do grounding with shoes on?
Yes. The shoes must include a conductive material on the bottom that connects with the shoe’s interior where your foot is. For example, grounding shoes with copper use the metal to conduct electrons between you and the Earth.
If you’re not wearing grounding shoes, you can also achieve grounding by touching the ground with your bare hands. This explains why many people find joy in gardening.
What kind of shoes are good for grounding?
You need to select shoes that purposefully use conductive material. These products come in several styles, including athletic shoes and grounding sandals.
To promote direct electrical contact with the ground, you would ideally find a shoe with a substantial grounding material in the sole.
Some products do this with an insert of conductive material that runs down the center of the sole. Other shoes use a small metal plug, usually copper, embedded in the sole.
Although the metal piece is small, its excellent conductivity allows for a consistent exchange of electrons.
Are Birkenstocks Good for Earthing?
Although most Earthing soles have thin soles meant to deliver the feeling of walking barefoot, Birkenstock brand shoes typically have thick soles.
They still perform as grounding shoes because the soles are cork and natural latex. Both of these products are derived from trees, and the natural materials allow for grounding.
The cork footbed on Birkenstock shoes is engineered to support your feet and conform to your feet once you break them in. The wide footbeds provide plenty of room for your toes and promote better stability as you walk.
Are Earthing shoes safe?
Grounding is a safe therapy to pursue to alleviate your maladies or improve your quality of life. If you have serious health problems, you should view grounding as a supplemental therapy.
You should not avoid other medical treatments and place all of your hopes on Earthing.
Of course, if you stepped on a live electrical wire while wearing grounding shoes, you would be at an enhanced risk of being injured. However, coming into contact with high voltage places you in danger no matter what kind of shoes you wear.
9 Best Grounding Shoes for Women and Men
Grounding is a growing trend as people realize how constant disconnection from the Earth affects their quality of life. Shoemakers have responded with plenty of styles, including sandals, sneakers, and slippers.
1. Unisex Therapy Slippers Sandal Grounding Clogs Earthing Shoes
Wear the strap across the front to make these Earthing shoes a slip-on clog. If you want some more security, slip the strap around the back of your ankle. Constructed of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), the shoes are lightweight and flexible.
The side vents aid with comfort on hot days. If you want to go wading at the beach, the vents drain out the water for speedy drying. These shoes are appropriate for easy hikes, walks in the park, or any time you want casual footwear.
Pros:
- Fit to size
- Fashionable
- Comfortable
Con:
- No arch support
2. Adult Hawthorne Chukka – Leather Sole
Want to wear some grounding shoes that show that you’re really “down to Earth?” Invest in some handcrafted Softstar Shoes.
Produced at a workshop in Oregon, Softstar Shoes feature minimalist designs that get the most out of materials and wrap comfortably to your feet.
This Hawthorne Chukka places only a bull hide leather sole and suede inner sole between your foot and the Earth’s healing energy. Wearing them is like going barefoot except with great style.
Each shoe weighs only 9 ounces, so your feet won’t feel heavy even if you wear them all day. Wax-leather uppers resist moisture on this shoe that comes with black laces unless you want to upgrade to colored laces.
Pros:
- Handmade in the USA
- Premium materials
- Timeless style
- Excellent “ground feel”
Con:
- Bullhide sole is slippery on wet floors
3. EARTHLING 3.0 Grounding Straps
The desire to improve the athletic performance of Australian Olympians resulted in the development of these grounding straps.
The brilliant design is a bendable band that you stick to the bottom of any shoe, wrap around the top of the shoe, and then insert inside the shoe under your heel.
Place a strap on each shoe and then exchange electrons with the Earth with every step outside. In this way, you circumvent the insulation of rubber soles and maintain a near-constant connection with the healing energy beneath our feet.
Benefits of use include less bodily inflammation, which is great for athletes and anyone else, and better sleep quality.
Pros:
- Can make any shoes grounding shoes
- Simple design
- Comfortable against your foot
- Money-back guarantee
Cons:
- Outer tab sticks best on flat soles
4. Earth Runners Sandals
A vegan lifestyle can extend to avoiding animal products in your clothing. Earth Runners sandals achieve this with non-leather materials on minimalist sandals designed for outdoor adventures.
Runners and hikers who want the feel of going barefoot while still protecting the bottoms of their feet choose these sandals based on the ancient Tarahumara culture.
The sandals ground you with a copper and stainless steel pad in the sole that connects your foot with the ground through laces that go around your feet. The footbed design ensures a good grip with every step.
Pros:
- Vegan materials
- Feels like going barefoot
- Sustainably produced
Con:
- Not for cold or wet weather
5. Grounding Shoes Unisex Earthing Sneaker
They look like your basic athletic shoes, but the sole includes a black conductive plug that grounds you as you walk.
The conductive plug passes through the rubber sole and foam insoles to prevent you from being insulated from the flow of electrons in the ground.
Shoes lace up and have a good tread on the sole to keep you sure-footed even in wet conditions.
A padded ankle reduces the chance of rubbing your skin uncomfortably on long walks. The curve of the arch is average and works well for people except those who need strong arch support.
Pros:
- Suitable for warm or cold weather
- Style acceptable for many workplaces
- Quality construction
Con:
- Sizing runs small
6. Birkenstock Milano Sandal
Birkenstock shoes have a reputation for comfort and durability. For many people, these shoes are an investment in relieving foot pain.
The special design of the thick, cork footbed gives feet what they need to connect comfortably with the ground. The natural materials gradually conform to the shape of your feet in a way that few shoes can replicate.
Thick cross straps make them easy to slip on while keeping them reliably on your feet. Overall, Birkenstock sandals feature premium materials, such as cork, natural latex, and thick leather.
Pros:
- Good reputation
- Potential to relieve foot pain
- Cork footbed
- Sturdy construction
Con:
- Discomfort is common before shoes are broken in
7. Grounding Earthing Shoes with Breathable Mesh
Sometimes you need a cool breeze just as much as you need to be grounded. The mesh upper on these shoes makes them a great choice for hot weather or when you expect to work up a sweat.
The material continually vents the heat and moisture. Wear them when it’s hot, but you don’t want to wear sandals. These stylish athletic shoes are appropriate in many casual situations outside the gym or jogging trail.
The shoes ground you through a conductive insert pad. It runs along the middle of your foot from heel to toe and projects upward through the shoe into the inner sole.
Pros:
- Classic lace-up style
- Comfortable for people on their feet all day
- Long grounding strip for good connection
Con:
- Sizes run small
8. Handmade, Wide Toe Box Women’s Earthing Shoes
Say goodbye to cramped toes with these hand-crafted all-leather shoes, including a copper capsule for connectivity. Calf leather uppers gently encapsulate your feet without crowding your toes at all.
For the sole, the shoemaker chose heavier buffalo leather. This provides durability but still allows you to feel your environment as if you were almost barefoot.
A piece of pure copper embedded in the buffalo hide exchanges electrons with ease due to the high conductivity of copper. Shoes are lightweight, which reduces strain on your feet if walking all day.
Pro:
- High-quality leather construction
- Copper grounding capsule
- Handmade
- Returnable
Con:
- Only meant for warm seasons
9. Men’s Barefoot Grounding Slip-on Shoe
If you’ve never treated yourself to a premium pair of shoes, then these Earthing shoes are worthy of splurging. The traditions of European cobblers inspire the minimalist style. Artisans hand stitch the sole to the upper with heavy cotton thread rolled in beeswax.
A luxurious experience awaits your feet as they slide into a sheepskin lining. The shoes let your feet breathe even if you wear them without socks.
A piece of pure copper is located in the sole, where it will connect with the KD1 acupuncture point beneath the ball of the foot. This strategic placement aids energy flow between your body and the ground.
Pros:
- Vegetable-tanned leather
- 100% copper grounding rivet
- Soft sheep fleece lining
Con:
- No arch support
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People frequently went barefoot and grounded themselves for most of human history without ever thinking about it. Modern times, however, eliminate grounding from our daily life.
Now that you know the problem, you can restore balance to your body by shedding excess positive electrons to the Earth that is waiting to receive them.
