A new analysis of toe bones suggests that ancient people from Europe and the Middle East were the first to adopt supportive footwear—most likely primitive sandals—around 30,000 years ago. Humans at the end of the Old Stone Age had weaker small-toe bones than their ancestors but no corresponding loss of leg strength. Humans from the far north are thought to have begun insulating their feet from the snow around 50,000 years ago. The first forms of protective footwear probably evolved from simple wrappings used to insulate the feet from snow and freezing temperatures, experts say. The oldest preserved shoe remains, dating to roughly 10,000 years ago from the western United States, are simple sandals woven of plant fibers. The main feature of using shoes for martial arts is that they come without laces and so do not impair movement and thus are prone to fewer accidents caused by entanglement. Also, shoes specially created for martial arts are padded at the right places so that you can use the optimum force in your kicks and thus enhance your art rather than impair it. The soles are also specially designed so that you get a good grip on your feet and enable you to spin on your feet efficiently. Spinning is a part and parcel of martial arts unlike any other sport and thus using shoes for martial arts is an advantage to martial art enthusiasts.
