CIUDAD DEL ESTE — In a column published May 12, 2026, by Noticias CDE, writer Esteban Ross calls modern footwear an “anatomical scam,” claiming the industry has convinced millions that feet need arch support and stylized shapes to be fast or elegant. Biologically, he argues, this is a structural distortion.
Ross explains that the foot is the body’s anchor and the big toe its main stabilizer. When walking, toes should splay to absorb impact and propel weight, but conventional shoes block that natural movement. Two design features are especially harmful: narrow toe boxes, which crush toes inward and misalign the big toe, leading to bunions, plantar fasciitis, and ankle pain; and elevated heels—even in athletic shoes—which permanently shorten the Achilles tendon and tilt the pelvis forward, causing lower back pain. Many knee or back complaints, Ross says, stem not from age but from feet trapped in shoes that hinder their evolutionary function.
The proposed solution is a gradual transition to minimalism. Ross recommends silicone toe spacers to help regain natural foot width and stretch tendons. When buying new shoes, he advises seeking wide-toe “barefoot” models that allow freedom of movement, and most importantly, choosing zero-drop footwear where the heel sits at the same height as the toes to restore natural posture. “Freeing the feet is recovering the foundation of bodily health,” Ross concludes.