Yoga Socks

Gloves to keep your feet firmly on the ground

Although yoga doesn’t require shoes or socks, some practitioners wear socks to keep their feet warm, clean and free of blisters. Regular socks, like the socks that we wear on a daily basis, are like the mitts for our feet; while yoga toe socks are more like gloves, because they allow the toes to separate.

Yoga socks are typically designed with 100-percent cotton, and they have a non-slip sole that provides superior grip on yoga mats or any other surface for maximum comfort and safety. Yoga toe socks also offer the hygienic benefit of athletic socks, by reducing moisture and friction between the toes.

You might not have noticed that yogis tend to have broader feet than most non-yogis. This is because those that practice yoga spend the majority of their time practicing in bare feet. The skillful postures that yogis perform with their bodies are particularly rooted (or stabilized) in their feet and legs. For instance, when performing a mountain pose, the core, or torso, is stretched and the spine straightens and lengthens creating space between the vertebrae. A core posture such as this requires stable support from legs and feet on the floor. When you stretch the legs hard and press down evenly through your feet, you naturally create a lengthening of the toes and a broadening of the feet.

Throughout the day our socks and shoes bind our toes together and prevent the independent movement of each individual toe. For any exercise that recommends you practice bare foot, such as Yoga and Pilates, toe socks can be worn as an alternative. They won’t hinder your freedom of movement and they act like second skin to cushion your feet. Toe socks have a fitted heal to increase your comfort, control, flexibility, balance and performance during yoga workouts. Another benefit of yoga toe socks is the five-toe construction can reduce moisture and stress between toes, eliminate foot sweat and arch stress.

Yoga toe socks typically come in ankle length styles. One pair costs around $12 online.