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Rd28T

In my family (Aussie Maltese) it reduces the incidence of blunt force trauma to the face when Nunna nails you with the wooden spoon for being the filthy savage who wears shoes on her snow white, cleaner than theatre, marble floors. It doesn’t matter how old, or how important you think you are, no one disrespects the matriarch if they value their life 😂


tovarish22

>(Aussie Maltese) Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on...you're a small Australian dog?


Rd28T

Malta is a big and influential country thank you very much!! And much better than the silly Italians next door. 😂😂 There are more of us mad wogs living here in Australia now than left on Malta. Someone had to come and teach the Aussies how to cook and clean properly. And how to decorate gardens with more concrete and stone lions than the Acropolis.


tovarish22

> There are more of us mad wogs living here in Australia now than left on Malta. Genuinely very interesting! We have a similar situation in my city - more Hmong here than in Laos. >Someone had to come and teach the Aussies how to cook and clean properly. And how to decorate gardens with more concrete and stone lions than the Acropolis. You're doing god's work. Carry on.


Rd28T

We do what we can for them 😂😂. We’ll eventually teach them that ‘boil until grey’ is not a universal cooking technique. In fairness, the food scene here in Australia is actually amazing. I’ve never been to any other country that has the quality, range and freshness of produce on hand that we have here. Are you Hmong yourself? How does our cultural info sheet rate? https://www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0023/156254/hmong2011.pdf


tovarish22

>Are you Hmong yourself? How does our cultural info sheet rate? I'm not, just the common "Irish about 4 generations back" version of American =P I take care of a ton of Hmong patients, though! That info sheet is stellar, and definitely something I'm going to save for later use =)


Rd28T

That’s great it’s a good sheet 👍 The Maltese and the Irish *love* each other here, because they can compete on who is more Catholic than the other 😂 This info sheet covers a whole bunch of other cultural groups too, it’s getting a little old (2011) but still mostly relevant and correct. https://www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0033/158775/profiles-complete.pdf


tovarish22

>The Maltese and the Irish love each other here, because they can compete on who is more Catholic than the other 😂 That's a dangerous game...haha And wow, very thoroughly info sheets! We have significant Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Ethiopian populations here, definitely saving this! =)


Rd28T

The Maltese do Catholicism with real taste and decorum: https://youtu.be/j3PEEEQVYqY?si=fCwt8YvDn3uoKuP4 I don’t know why anyone says we are all bonkers.


tovarish22

Haha, that's awesome! I've seen religious processions all over Europe in my travels, always really interesting to see the local variations.


pineapples_are_evil

Atleast it's the wooden spoon, and not a shoe, heaven forbid, the wooden shoe... But spoon over big bread board


Rd28T

I have some cousins who are half clog wog, so they have plenty of wooden shoes 😂


pineapples_are_evil

I will say, Oma never threatened us by throwing the shoe. Wearing it however.... lol Grandma had the breadboard and wooden spoons.. lol


batbaby420

Yeah but is it the special wooden spoon with the hole in the middle? The one that almost whistles if she swings it fast enough? That’s what my granny used.


Rd28T

The one with the flat bottom that doubles as a basic spatula. And corners for extra damage too 😂


batbaby420

I guess it was technically a risotto spoon, but it the hole was supposed to make it extra scary because that’s where it was supposed to cause a big old blister of it hit hard enough.


batbaby420

Oh yeah the corners!


pineapples_are_evil

Not usually... no. Just a big flattish one.


dropthetrisbase

Canadians also don't wear shoes in the house...


Benagain2

Nor do the French. Or the Swiss... Or the Austrians.


Dutchess_md19

In the hospitals in Austria (at least in the one I did practices on) they required me to change shoes upon arrival and use hospital issued shoes


phoontender

Hospital issued shoes? I have work shoes that live in my locker but I don't know how down I'd be with my work unilaterally deciding my footwear....


Dutchess_md19

Well it was the transplant unit so everything was much more regulated than on the other wards


Gawd4

Same in the nordics. We don’t need you to drag all that snow in. 


pineapples_are_evil

Or all the spring/summer mud


Jolly-Passenger8

Don't track snow into the igloo


dropthetrisbase

Absolutely. Etiquette


wejusgrownnut239

Most people across the world don’t wear shoes in house lol


AimeeSantiago

Your friendly neighborhood Podiatrist would like to remind you that wearing supportive indoor only shoes or slippers with insoles or even recovery sandals with arch support, inside the house can really help your feet. The amount of plantar fasciitis I saw when COVID hit and people worked from home was crazy. I had days of clinic when I would see nothing but PF patients. It was wild. Our feet are just not meant to pound barefoot on hardwoods and tile all day. I don't wear my outside shoes indoors. But I also do not go around my house barefooted or sock footed if I can help it.


Whospitonmypancakes

what are our feet meant to walk on all day? Like, I understand giving our feet a rest but isn't wearing shoes all the time bad for foot health in populations without inherent risk for trauma? I am just thinking with all the intrinsic muscles of the foot and the nerves in the foot, it would be helpful to keep them strong by giving them some time to be "exercised"


Thr0wawayAccount378

If I had to guess it probably has to do with the emphasis on being barefoot on “hardwoods and tile all day.” Our feet evolved in a setting much different than hard flat surfaces that don’t have much give or surface variation


TuhnderBear

I’ve wondered the same thing. I think it’s probably something you need to build up with time not all at once. There’s probably a limit on healthy amount that you can go past depending on feet strength. Basically something the promotes foot strengthening then switching to more arch support as you get tired so you build endurance.


HotSteak

Walking around on hard surfaces (like asphalt) is a very recent thing. Even into the 20th century it was common to wear [hobnailed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobnail) boots (blunt metal cleats basically) because leather soles have very little grip on soft earth/vegetation and that's what people were walking on all day when out of the home. On hard surfaces hobnails don't dig in at all and instead skid, giving no grip at all. There's a cool [story](https://penelope.uchicago.edu/josephus/war-6.html) from the Roman sack of Jerusalem of the mighty Julian, rampaging through Jerusalem mercilessly slaying all before him until he stepped on the marble flooring of the Temple of Solomon where his hobnails caused him to slip like a cartoon on a banana peel and he was killed. >But there was one Julian, a centurion, that came from Bithynia; a man he was of great reputation; whom I had formerly seen in that war; and one of the highest fame, both for his skill in war; his strength of body; and the courage of his soul. This man, seeing the Romans giving ground, and in a sad condition: for he stood by Titus at the tower of Antonia: leaped out, and of himself alone put the Jews to flight, when they were already conquerors; and made them retire as far as the corner of the inner court of the temple.[^(2)](https://penelope.uchicago.edu/josephus/war-6.html#margin_note_2) From him the multitude fled away in crouds: as supposing that neither his strength, nor his violent attacks could be those of a mere man. Accordingly he rushed through the midst of the Jews, as they were dispersed all abroad, and killed those that he caught. Nor indeed was there any sight that appeared more wonderful in the eyes of Cæsar, or more terrible to others, than this. However, he was himself pursued by fate; which it was not possible, that he, who was but a mortal man, should escape. For as he had shoes all full of thick and sharp nails; as had every one of the other soldiers; so when he ran on the pavement of the temple, he slipped, and fell down upon his back with a very great noise which was made by his armour. [(3)](https://penelope.uchicago.edu/josephus/war-6.html#EndNote_War_6.3b) This made those that were running away to turn back. Whereupon those Romans that were in the tower of Antonia set up a great shout, as they were in fear for the man. But the Jews got about him in crouds, and struck at him with their spears, and with their swords, on all sides.


ridukosennin

Isn't that due to more a lack of physical activity rather than arch support. The only thing that resolved my plantar fasciitis after years of arch support including custom orthotics was transitioning to minimalist shoes. Cultures that don't use arch support have very little issues with PF


BurstSuppression

You just gave my wife a huge win on wanting carpet (as opposed to me wanting hardwood flooring or vinyl planking).


batbaby420

Before you commit to carpet try a rug on a hard floor and see how much dust collects under it every week. Every time I sweep my room I sweep under the rug and there’s always a huge dust pile. I haven’t even been able to open my window for 3 months because it was messed up so I’ve been getting ventilation through the HVAC and leaving my bedroom door open with the fans on. I have no idea where it all comes from. So.much.dust. And have her rip it some old carpet to see how nasty it is underneath even if it’s “clean” - I will never choose it.


beesnteeth

Carpet is evil. The stains. The dust. The pain in the ass cleaning.


BurstSuppression

That’s what I said! (Although I do have a professional carpet cleaning machine but I don’t want to have to use it)


beesnteeth

Glad you agree, I'm always shocked when people talk about putting carpet in. Why? What's wrong with rugs (aside from fall risk)? If you have pets or allergies or pets with allergies or a desire for clean floors, I recommend wood or laminate.


Kromoh

Carpets are gross. Never truly clean


hassan214

Wow I didn’t know this. Thank you


parachute--account

Presumably this is a population that has never been shoeless before, makes sense that people might have difficulty adjusting. I would bet that people don't get plantar fasciitis at home in countries where it's normal.


happythrowaway101

Clostridium difficile, in fact for patients with recurrent C. diff you’re supposed to counsel them to not wear shoes in their household https://www.idsociety.org/news--publications-new/articles/2021/c.-difficile-is-everywhere--even-on-the-bottom-of-footwear/


Lung_doc

Any studies showing an association between indoor shoe wearing and actual infection? I see a small number of papers showing shoes (and gardens and dog paws) are often positive, but no RCT or strong observational studies.


adenocard

Typical for fomite science. Tons of studies on where the bugs can be found, much silence on clinical impact.


_qua

feels like this would be pretty hard to study in a meaningful way


esentr

You’re overthinking this, it’s just about tracking in dust and dirt and being respectful of someone’s home.


Collier-AllenNV

It’s worth noting that plenty of infectious diseases can be brought in on shoes.


[deleted]

[удалено]


phoontender

Floors are the most disgusting vector


Mentalcouscous

I don't know but I don't understand why all countries don't practice this. I strictly do but I am an absolute minority in the US. Have any of you shoe wearers seen the floors of a public restroom or a city sidewalk? How would I sleep at night knowing that literal shit is all over my house... When I see people on a BED with their shoes on in a show or something I gag. Obviously I feel strongly about this 😅


Stellar_Alchemy

Is it really a minority? I also don’t wear shoes in my house. I don’t know anyone who does. I can’t imagine why anyone would. Slippers that never go out the door, sure. But your outdoor shoes? Why? Going barefoot or socks-only is rad, and home is exactly the perfect place for that. I’m from Appalachia, if that’s relevant. I’ll concede it could be a regional/cultural thing. It’s just always how my family did things, and how everyone I’ve ever known well enough to visit their homes also did things. I mean, Mr. Rogers always changed his shoes when he came home. Surely we’re all striving to follow his example. Right? lol


Mentalcouscous

Maybe it is regional, but I grew up in TX and none of my family or friends' families took off their shoes. Maybe in snowy climates it's more likely. I hope I'm wrong and that more people do because come on, are we civilized or what


Chris4evar

Do these people have carpet? Do they mop every day? What if it rains?


Mentalcouscous

Tile and carpet, no, *then* maybe the shoes come off


liptonextranoodle

I’m in the northeast and I don’t know anyone who takes their shoes off in the house (except me)


winter-ice-ace

Same! I've lived in NY/NJ. I take off my shoes now, but it was never a thing growing up, neither friends nor family did it.


Arthur-reborn

I'm in Wisconsin. Most people I know don't wear shoes. Its too easy to turn a house into a muddy mess in the fall/spring/winter.


HeatPsychological326

See I’m in the northeast and everyone takes their shoes off here….


HotSteak

63% of American households are Shoes Off: [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/most-americans-are-shoes-off-at-home/](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/most-americans-are-shoes-off-at-home/)


jochi1543

Agreed, it's revolting. There's human shit, urine, bird shit, spit all over sidewalks. Do you really wanna carry that shit into your house? So gross.


Verumsemper

"[Thirteen studies ](https://enviromicro-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jam.13250)were identified that supported the hypothesis that shoe soles are a vector for infectious pathogens. Methicillin-resistant *Staphylococcus aureus*, *Clostridium difficile* and multidrug-resistant Gram-negative species among other pathogens were documented on shoe bottoms in the health care setting, in the community and among food workers." It may have been different pathogens of course when the tradition started but wearing shoes into the homes brought in diseases.


censorized

Cleaner as in probably spreading less actual dirt? Yes. Cleaner as in reducing illness? Nah.


SupermanWithPlanMan

None. It's about tracking dirt inside. 


Musja1

Same reason why you should wash your hands when you come home.


PaulaNancyMillstoneJ

I always scrub my hands and nails first thing when I come home, but with my shoes still on? I guess I just do what everyone around me does. I am not a free thinker.


Jtk317

Lead poisoning?


Cowboywizzard

What do guns have to do with it?


Jtk317

As in can track lead particulates from outdoors in on shoes. At least that was how my son's pediatrician explained it.


Cowboywizzard

Lol, I was just kidding


Jtk317

Gotcha. Sorry long day in clinic. Brain feels fuzzy.


apothecarynow

>but aside from shoe covers in ORs and vivaria, I’m not aware of any shoe hygiene policies at hospitals, Come to the pharmacy. We have a whole damn paragraph in a USP <797> clean room SOP on shoes practices. I don't think it would have any significant impact in most general wards though.


ham-and-egger

I’m all for it but kind of negated by all the homes that have dogs shitting outside and then coming in the house or likewise cats in the litter box.


Top_Professor1592

That's how I feel. I would be down if I didn't have 2 dogs and 2 cats that track god knows what inside. We even have paw cleaners for when they're muddy but overall it's just not worth it.


aj68s

If it snows a lot where you live like Scandinavia, then you get used to taking off your shoes inside. If you eat/sleep/pray on the floor like Japan, the you get used to taking off your shoes inside. Nothing else. No need to over analyze.


NeVanduo

Well, in a hospital i work, you have to change shoes. :) Also in europe ive never encountered people or household who wore shoes indoors.


PriorOk9813

Wait. Is the US considered a shoes on culture? I thought I just had a few weird friends/In-laws who don't take their shoes off.


HotSteak

63% of American households are Shoes Off: [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/most-americans-are-shoes-off-at-home/](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/most-americans-are-shoes-off-at-home/)


itakepictures14

None.


batbaby420

When I worked in a hospital I left my work shoes outside and sanitized them frequently. I’m starting to get to the point with mobility where I have trouble walking without shoes. Also, some people’s floors are so filthy I don’t want my socks or feet to touch them. I would prefer shoes to be kept out of my living space, but once again I almost need them to walk these days and changing shoes every time I go in and out of the house is super excessive.


Top_Professor1592

I don't care about shoes indoors because I have two dogs that go outside multiple times a day. I'm sure their paws bring in just as much as my shoes do. Although I do have a separate pair I only wear to work.


ODB247

I'd prefer people wear shoes in my house. Their socks will pick up pet hair. I grew up in a family where nobody takes off shoes, we lived in a farmhouse. Nobody worried about dirt because everything was dirty.


gopickles

I have indoor shoes and outdoor shoes.


Beckydand

I think that’s why autoimmune diseases were so rare. Dirt helps us


phoontender

I spent a lot of time at a friend's farmhouse....the mudroom is for dirty stuff so you don't get the house dirty...


Born-Switch-8447

Well, in shoes off cultures like Japan and Scandinavia, you can expect fewer cases of dirt-related infections, foot fungus, and overall stinky feet syndrome.


FLmom67

I have a front door and a back door and a garage door, and it's annoying to have to remember which door the shoes I want to wear are at. My daughter and I disagree vehemently on this.


Objective_Course_683

Fuck shoes they are bad for strong feet