Feet: Sensitive, despite the thicker corneal?

Cornea is used our feet as a protection against injury. You might think that the same time, the sensitivity of the soles of the feet decreases. Not true, found an international team of researchers now.

In theory, the horn is the skin between the ground and the Sensors of the sole of the foot, to perceive, for example, the nature of the soil. Therefore, the logical conclusion would be: a thickness of the cornea, this perception would have to be muted when you Go. To investigate the hypothesis that travelled researchers at the Technical University of Chemnitz and the American Harvard University, Kenya. There, they tested using an ultrasonic device, the thickness of the soles of the feet skin of 40 barefoot running people. With a vibration sensitivity of the soles of the feet was also measured. As a control group of Kenyans, the wear regular shoes were used.

The astonishing result of these studies, Despite a 30-percent thicker cornea, the feet of both groups were equally sensitive. The researchers conclude that corneal fulfilled their protective function without the underlying Sensors to be restricted in their function. "Not that our feet evolution provided biologically for shoes sind", study author Prof. Dr. Thomas Milani says. To conclude, to run basically barefoot and forego shoes, however, in view of the paved roads is also wrong.

NK