Foot Work
Your FEET are the foundation of your entire body. Walking (which is much of the time just balancing on one leg) depends on the ability of your foot to move through it’s prescribed range of motion - HEEL - BALL - TOE. As with any joint, if we don’t use it we lose it (have I said that before?). Yes, we walk everyday but that does not necessarily mean you are working the foot through it’s full range of motion and taking the best care for today and the future of your feet….which affects your back, your hips, etc.
SO, HOW CAN YOU KEEP YOUR FEET FLEXIBLE, STRONG AND HAPPY?
WALK BAREFOOT: I highly encourage walking barefoot as often as possible. Thick rigid shoe soles make the bottoms of the foot weak. A vicious cycle then gets created where it hurts to be on the feet or to walk for extended periods of time, making one dependent upon thick fluffy soles to mitigate achy feet. Take your shoes off when you are at home and walk in the sand at the beach or in the grass at a park. Walking barefoot in NATURE is good for the soul and the sole!
WEAR SHOES WITH A WIDE TOE-BOX: Feet were not built to be crushed together in skinny shoes. A happy foot is a nicely spread out foot that has space between the toes. Shoes that have plenty of space for the toes and ball of the foot to spread will help prevent neuromas and bunions.
WEAR SHOES WITH A ZERO OR MINIMAL HEEL LIFT: Most shoes have a lift in the back, somewhat of a heel - even athletic shoes. This lift in the back changes the regular orientation of the foot (naturally, our heel is not lifted) thus putting extra pressure on the ball of the foot which can lead to neuromas and also inhibits one from ENGAGING THE HAMSTRING which is essential in balancing the leg and creating speed and power.
DO FOOT STRENGTHENING EXERCISES AT HOME!!! These movements are so easy to do at home, I can hardly call them exercises. However this movement makes it very east build strength. After 4 months in a cast with a broken ankle, my ankle was completely atrofied! Once the cast came off I did the exercise below every day multiple times a day and eventually I gained my full range of motion back. Work works!
Check out the video below to see how the foot rolls through the heel, ball and then toe when walking.
Do your foot work when you are just relaxing on the sofa where you can have your feet up so you can easily see your foot and articulate clearly through the movement. Enjoy creating your happy feet!
