What if the missing piece in better movement and healthier feet isn’t your shoes at all?

Dr. Andrew Fix sits down with trainer and Aira Basics founder Rachel Ridgeway to unpack a surprisingly overlooked factor in foot health: socks. After switching to barefoot-style footwear, Rachel noticed less discomfort in workouts and a very different physical experience during pregnancy. One question kept surfacing. If shoes can reshape the foot, what role do socks play?

That curiosity led Rachel to design a sock that respects the natural shape of the foot without forcing people into toe socks. She shares the behind-the-scenes process of bringing the idea to life, from fabric blends to seam placement and durability testing. The goal was simple in theory but complex in execution: create a sock that allows the foot to spread and move without sacrificing comfort or everyday practicality.

Andrew adds the clinical lens throughout the conversation. The foot contains dozens of joints and muscles that influence balance, strength, and movement across the body. When those structures spend years compressed inside narrow footwear, what changes in the knees, hips, or back? This discussion invites a closer look at a small design detail most people overlook and asks a bigger question about how everyday choices shape long-term movement and health.

Quotes

• “Socks were kind of the next piece of that puzzle.” (06:17 | Rachel Ridgeway)
• “You got to look at your socks because socks can be just as restrictive as shoes.” (06:22 | Rachel Ridgeway)
• “I feel like this is a product that needs to exist. And I think it’ll resonate with people who are in the barefoot shoe world or not, that just want a sock that’s a little bit more comfortable, doesn’t feel like it’s restricting your foot quite as much.” (08:47 | Rachel Ridgeway)
• “It was really hard to not want to only wear those because I think once you feel that freedom it’s hard to go back.” (14:37 | Rachel Ridgeway)
• “I like that if it naturally mirrors the shape of your foot, it’s going to feel more comfortable.” (45:38 | Rachel Ridgeway)

Connect with Rachel Ridgeway:

Aira Basics

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Rachel’s Bio:

I am the founder of a brand new barefoot sock company called Aira Basics. The idea started because I was unable to find comfortable, non-restrictive socks that worked for my whole family. While plenty of toe sock brands exist, there are not many foot shaped brands. None of the brands at the time were in the US either, so I wanted to make an affordable and accessible option for people who wanted a better sock option for their family.

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The post 216. Built to Move: Why Toe Space Matters | Rachel Ridgeway appeared first on Physio Room.

“I’m trying to act brave and inspire other people too,” explains Evan Ritt, Owner and Founder of Tolos. After playing hockey in France and England and experiencing consistent sports-related injuries, Evan became very interested in his health. This passion led him to start a barefoot footwear brand, where his holistic designs enhance both podiatric health and athletic performance.

After a five-year journey, Evan has finally launched Tolos shoes. Highly driven, Evan wants his business to improve people’s lives through their feet. However, he also understands that most barefoot products are unattractive, a barrier to entry into the mass market. With his brand, Evan ensures that his shoes are aesthetically pleasing and something people would realistically wear. Once you switch to barefoot styles, you will be surprised at how comfortable they are and what a difference they make to your daily life. But style matters, which many companies fail to grasp. Understanding his greater mission, Evan strives to make barefoot footwear approachable, hoping to contribute to a healthier world.

We need to make barefoot footwear more desirable. One method for doing so would be to target athletes. If athletes try on this shoe and see its benefits, they will be more inclined to spread the message. Although athletic lifestyle brands like Nike and Adidas will be challenging to beat, Evan will find ways to champion the movement and inspire others to do the same.

Quotes

• “My goal is that the more time you spend in my shoe, it’s going to be the better for you.” (11:54-11:59 | Evan)

• “We can lower as many barriers as possible. And the biggest barrier in the barefoot world right now is the aesthetics of it.” (27:04-27:10 | Evan)

• “If I can make this a company for the people and by the people, I think it will resonate with many more people too, and that just lowers another barrier.” (29:31-29:44 | Evan)

• “If you truly want to maximize your human potential, you need to get yourself in physical, mental, and spiritual alignment. Those are separate boxes, and all encompassed under the laws of nature.” (34:13-34:31 | Evan)

• “If I can get my shoes in as many locker rooms as possible, athletes start to see them, feel the benefits, and preach and spread the message. And once athletes are wearing it, then that’s when the movement happens.” (42:54-43:11 | Evan)

• “I’m trying to act brave and inspire other people too.” (50:18-50:22 | Evan)

Links

Connect with Evan Ritt:

Website | https://weartolos.com/

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/tolos/

TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@evanaritt

Connect with Physio Room: 

Website | ​​https://physioroomco.com/

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Andrew’s Personal Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dr.andrewfix/

Andrew’s Personal Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/andrew.fix.9/

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The post 51. Tolos Bare Footwear | Evan Ritt appeared first on Physio Room.

“Human beings have been making footwear and wearing footwear for 99.9% of human history,” explains Steven Sashen, CEO of Xero Shoes. A long-time entrepreneur, Steven has never had a traditional job. After realizing he had a form problem after taking off his shoes, Steven made his own sandals, leading him to start his next venture, Xero Shoes.

For the past fifty years, the footwear industry has misled the public that there’s something wrong with our feet. These businesses are selling false outcomes to their customer base by convincing people they need arch support and cushioning to keep their feet uninjured. Our feet’s job is to gain a sense of the world around us, so natural movement footwear, like Xero shoes, is a more legitimate, performance-driven fit.

Although we’re used to wearing traditional shoes, sometimes it’s better to live life feet first. Learn more about the minimalist barefoot approach, the lies of the footwear industry, and Steven’s entrepreneurial journey.

Quotes

• “Human beings have been making footwear and wearing footwear for 99.9% of human history.” (4:28-4:34 | Steven)

• “There’s a value for just wearing our shoes for everything else you’re doing.” (9:08-9:11 | Steven)

• “There’s no reason to have another shoe company in the world. There’s enough of them unless your shoe changes people’s lives.” (29:36-29:40 | Steven)

• “People put on our shoes, and they have these life-changing experiences and don’t want to go back.” (32:40-32:45 | Steven)

• “Why are you listening to these big footwear brands telling you to need to put your foot in a shoe that doesn’t let it move or bend and flex and feel.” (43:45-43:53 | Steven)

Links

Connect with Steven Sashen:

Website | https://xeroshoes.com/about-us/

Website | https://xeroshoes.com/

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/xeroshoes/

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/xeroshoes

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Andrew’s Personal Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dr.andrewfix/

Andrew’s Personal Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/andrew.fix.9/

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The post 37. Live Life Feet First with Steven Sashen appeared first on Physio Room.

“The critical measure for foot function is toe flexor strength,” explains Dr. Emily Splichal, Podiatrist and Human Movement Specialist. As a functional podiatrist and lover of fitness, Dr. Emily holistically looks to the feet to improve one’s movement. With her minimalist footwear company Naboso, Dr. Emily strives to enhance sensory nerve function in the foot and improve lives.

According to Dr. Emily, our feet are connected to the deep core of our pelvic floor, which affects our posture, movement, and overall performance. Although traditional podiatry focuses on the mechanical side of the practice, Dr. Emily also promotes sensory solutions. Since our feet contain multiple nerves that get activated every time they touch the ground, finding feasible ways to strengthen this area is vital.

Podiatry is much more than corrective footwear, especially when you focus on functionality. Learn more about Dr. Emily’s perspective on the field, the problems with the medical system, and the benefits of toe spacers.

Quotes

• “I love feet because they connect to movement.” (3:04-3:08 | Emily)

• “Movement is my therapy. If there’s stress, anxiety, a big change in life, if I go to the gym, or the studio or space and I move and I connect to my physical body again, it grounds me.” (8:56-9:10 | Emily)

• “If I have an hour, I’m going to really listen to the patient and what their concerns are.” (18:27-18:34 | Emily)

• “​​Your feet are very fastly connected to your deep core pelvic floor. So from a performance, movement, and posture perspective, we optimize how we control this physical body by connecting our center of mass.” (27:16-27:34 | Emily)

• “The critical measure for foot function is toe flexor strength.” (37:54-37:58 | Emily)

• “Most patients come to me because they’re looking for an out-of-the-box perspective. I can treat almost everything, and people are quite surprised.” (49:27-49:38 | Emily)

Links

Connect with Dr. Emily Splichal:

Website | https://www.naboso.com/pages/founder

Website | https://www.dremilysplichal.com/

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/thefunctionalfootdoc/

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/naboso_technology/

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Andrew’s Personal Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dr.andrewfix/

Andrew’s Personal Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/andrew.fix.9/

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