Do heeled shoes impair proprioception?

Proprioception. It is the sense that allows us to know the relative position of neighbouring parts of the body. With it you can run, throw a ball, open the refrigerator, turn off the alarm clock in the morning, and play the piano with a blindfold on. Well, at least a few of those things hopefully.

I was talking to a classmate of mine today about his preferred foowear of choice while he works out. After reflecting on our conversation I came across a thought that needs to be explored further. Does a heeled shoe impair our propriorception? We can impair our other senses in a number of ways right?

My classmate was relaying a previous disscussion he had with a podiatrist about the possibility of vibram five fingers limiting proprioception. His hypothosis (the podiatrist) - that because your toes are indiviually covered and can not feel each other that it would impair you. So he went on to recommend wearing shoes instead. His first thought about the vibrams could be accurrate but I don't see how it could support the second.

Since taking up barefoot running I recognize that there is a difference when running in a heeless shoe when compared to a normal running shoe. I also recognize a difference in a heeless shoe and running with nothing on your feet at all. With a heel your body knows its location by the feel of gravity and tries to compensete for your unnatural body position. Could this be the cause of so many chronic physical ills that plague us in modern society today. Knee problems, Calf problems, hips, back, and neck. The list is a mile long and the problems seem to be getting to us younger and younger.

I wish I had a staff and some money in which to research (oh yeah and some credentials) this notion. For know I guess I will feel fortunate to be a barefooter and know through experience (also called opinion) what I can not prove.