Is it safe to use toe shoes in the gym?

I would be uncomfortable with any of my clients wearing toe shoes. I don't think they provide adequate protection in a gym setting. You never know when someone is going to decide to throw down some dumbbells. As much as I might try to keep a client safe, I can't do much to prevent an accident of this kind. It's a risk, I prefer to minimize the damage if something were to happen.

Toes can't be replaced.

If you have the opportunity to use toe shoes in the gym, however, consider it! I think there are potentially some great benefits to barefoot, or nearly barefoot training.

For a similar conversation, see one of IDEA's partner websites http://www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/messageboard.asp?imboard=6&imparent=2...

Your not gonna get any more protection from direct impact occurances with tennis shoes. However, many gyms have a rubber floor over concrete and toe shoes do not absorb much shock. Your ankles and/or knees will pay the price on that kind of floor with any bounding (yes, even walking) so be careful.

I used to have reservations with clients wearing minimalist footwear while working out at the gym. Now I don't, but I still try to keep my clients away from heavier weights when they wear toe shoes for training sessions.

Some of the most common "foot-related" injuries that occur in a gym setting (and here I'm using the generic term GYM, meaning not just weightlifting) are (in no particular order), impact injuries like dropping weights on the foot, twisted ankles and slip and falls. The toe shoes that I'm familiar with may offer some help with slipping since they have rubber soles. While not offering a lot of top foot protection, I tend to agree that they may be no worse then regular tennis or even fitness shoes. But lastly, they don't seem to offer much (if any) ankle or lateral support if they're being used in more movement based activities (I'd hate to think of someone using them on a basketball court for example - which some gyms have).

So, I guess that my answer would be "it depends..." Sorry.

LaRue, CSCS
www.lecfitness.com
lecfitness@yahoo.com

Hi Gus, check out the latest article in IDEA http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/barefoot-training-guidelines?utm_... which is dedicated to that subject.

Great topic and answers. I'd agree that these shoes allow more proprioception but are not much more apt to protect a foot from falling weights as a regular shoe. I have seen many a gym goer lose a toenail or two after dropping 5 or 10lb weights on their sneakers. The main thing I have seen people do to hurt themselves in a Vibram type shoe is snagging their pinky toe on random equipment, walls or even when their foot rotates on rubber flooring and the shoes "stick."

Saw a pair on the head trainer at a big local gym just recently.I don't see anything wrong with them.. but I think they are kinda ugly.