Island of Migration
Inspired by nature and science.
The true cost of civilization
“Natural gait is biomechanically impossible for any shoe-wearing person,” wrote Dr. William A. Rossi in a 1999 article in Podiatry Management. “It took 4 million years to develop our unique human foot and our consequent distinctive form of gait, a remarkable feat of bioengineering. Yet, in only a few thousand years, and with one carelessly designed instrument, our shoes, we have warped the pure anatomical form of human gait, obstructing its engineering efficiency, afflicting it with strains and stresses and denying it its natural grace of form and ease of movement head to foot.” Pandering to human weaknesses, many producers of consumer goods have lost touch with nature. Shoes, a flat surface underfoot, physical inactivity slowly but surely deform and weaken our feet, compromising foot health and natural movement ability. Podiatric researchers admit that even the well promoted state-of-the-art shoes are unnatural for the body. They are rather a necessity that will never substitute going barefoot on an relief surface. How to compensate for the shortage of natural walking?
Back to the roots
In the city, especially in wintertime, you won't go barefoot far :) What's more, for the most part, there is no time to look for safe rough surface without broken glass or even disposed syringes around. From a practical point of view, it is hardly possible to create an area for regular natural walking barefoot on relief surfaces anywhere but home.
Floor relief rugs or "Barefoot Isles" have become the new standard of walking in my home. They combine a unique design with healthy lifestyles for all family members: children, parents, and grandparents. This is the result of many months of designing, experimentation and testing with molding, painting, varnishing, walking, constantly thinking about giving my family, friends, customers the best version of creativity and originality. When creating the Barefoot Isles, I am inspired by nature, people and movement, but I am guided, at every step of the journey, by Science and facts. From the point of view of evolutionary biomechanics, our body is programmed to be healthy, subject to regular walking barefoot on an uneven surface. The feet should be shoeless to open 200,000 nerve endings in the soles. A large number of open plantar nerves play the same important role in the proprioception of the body as in the motor skills of the hands. Scientists, podiatrists and movement experts agree that pebble surface walking helps duly develop muscular-ligamentous system and the skeleton of children. For adults, it helps to keep fit and prevent problems in the musculoskeletal system, for example, dislocations, flat feet, compensate for the negative impact of shoes. It can help reduce blood pressure, train the vestibular apparatus. According to Dr. Arthur Kramer study, one of the best workouts we can give our brains is walking on uneven surfaces. It's an equivalent of taking our brains to the gym to lift weights all day long. The role of cognitive abilities, developed vestibular apparatus and fit muscles is very important in advanced age. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one-third of Americans aged 65 + fall down each year. Falling down is the leading cause of fatal injury and the most common cause of nonfatal trauma-related hospital admissions among older adults. Falls result in more than 2.3 million fall injuries treated in emergency departments, including over 650,000 hospitalizations and more than 20,000 deaths. Balance disorders and weakness are common causes of falls in the elderly. Cobblestone walking paths are one of many, simple, effective methods Chinese people use to massage their feet for improved health and well-being.
The unique features of Barefoot Isles:
(a) they have blunt pebbles, with an expressed level difference to better train foot muscles, toe muscles and legs in general.
(b) they are equipped with a cushion base that can sufficiently absorb some pressure on the joints and makes your walking feel like stepping on the ground;
(c) they ensure regular impact that works in all seasons, in all weathers, and in busy schedules;
(d) they improve your coordination due to three-dimensional perception. In addition to visual and vestibular information, bulges help the brain get more diverse signals from proprioceptive sensors, rather than in shoes, or barefoot on flat surface.
(e) they are more natural and accessible in use as compared to special training devices. They are an integral part of exercises. It saves time and parents' temper.
(f) they contain important elements of art therapy - play of imagination, captivation, and color therapy.
(g) eco-friendly, base cover is made of natural jute or flax, artisic pebbles are made of gypsum painted with water based paint and varnish
(h) they are handmade - sewing, molding, painting, etc.
The carpet islands are not a magic pill for all diseases. But they can surely help prevent problems.
Art at your feet
Look at Barefoot Isles as a great way to enhance the decor of your home. Barefoot Islands can be the centerpiece of your room or you can use them to compliment the rest of the home decor. Pick Barefoot Islands that best suit your personality and design tastes.
The floor islands can be ordered in two sizes: large and small. The size of the large island: 85 x 47 cm ~ 33 15/32 x 18 1/2 in; the size of the small island: 47x47 cm ~ 18 1/2 x 18 1/2 in. Weight: 3.3 kg ~ 7.3 lb or 1.7 kg ~ 3.8 lb. Materials: natural jute fabric, gypsum, non toxic paints, non toxic waterborne finish. You can group any number of large and small islands to create an incredible walking area. The islands also are adapted for hanging on a wall.
Walk at home as nature intended!