Firm Foundations

A recurring topic of conversation I have had over my career is that of needing "<insert product> to fix <insert body part>". I will expand on the one that comes up most frequently in my practice as of late which is that people think they need better or more supportive shoes or orthotics to make their feet better.

What if I told you that you were born with exactly what you needed? The moment that you turn inward to find that it is YOU that has the power to change your body and not a product- you can unlock so many other elements of understanding about the systems that we currently live in within our current “healthcare” standard.

I understand this is a touchy subject that people feel very strongly about. The moment we threaten someones’s livelihood (aka. their income) by saying that what they sell is way less needed than advertised and could even lean toward being harmful- all backs go up. I am 100% not implying that the people who support or practice these professions have anything but virtuous intent.

The fallout is that they are simply masking the root problem and I ration, not even bandaging it effectively, let alone coming to a healthy and empowering solution for the person experiencing the discomfort and issues. I will start here- each foot is made up of 28 bones, 35 (including sesamoid bones) joints, 106 ligaments, 10 tendons, 19 muscles and the most fascinating and masterful system of fascia that connects them to the entire rest of your body seamlessly. The feet sense the ground beneath you and in order for them to do that, they have to be in contact with it.

Things to do each day to reclaim your feet for strength, flexibility and pain relief. Your current relationship with your feet didn’t arise overnight so, leaning into a daily practice of restoration and exposure is your best practice to start optimizing your precious foundation.

Here is a list of ten easy to implement ideas to start today!

1. Toe raise, point and curl

2. Big toe stretch

3. Toe Splay

4. Toe curls with towel

5. Marble pickup

6. Outdoor barefoot exposure start with lawn and soft sand and work to being a gravel expert

7. Toe extensions

8. Lacrosse ball roll

9. Ankle mobility stretch

Also, consider replacing your current footwear with minimalist varieties.