Thanks to contributor Kandice Davidson
Feet. Most of us neglect to take proper care of them. Yet they are the foundation to most of our movements. Think of the mileage we put on them & the repetitive impact we stress them with. Our vehicles won’t go for long without regular maintenance, our feet will break down too without mobility & strengthening. Then what? We’re without transportation.
There are 26 bones in the foot & they are responsible for balance and force. The bones in our feet support the weight of our body, which makes doing activities such as walking, running and standing, and providing both flexibility and strength possible. There are many ligaments that hold the bones of the foot together & provide further flexibility to the bones.
Today we’re going to focus mostly on shoes. Do the shoes you wear support good foot health? The two worst culprits that come to mind is high heels & flip flops. As far as high heels go, I’m not only talking about the crazy footwear that some women wear but also in our athletic shoe (runners) that have a heel that brings the heel higher than the forefoot.
Recommended shoes are ones that keep the heel & forefoot at the same height.
Toes of shoes should not be narrow or pointed, but rather wide to give your toes can spread & have enough room to wiggle.
Sole should be able to bend so you can flex the big toe.
Shoes should have contact with ankle. If not, such as flip flops, the toes grab with each step to keep them on which can lead to injury over time.
DO NOT make the change immediately, you will need to take the transition(s) slow! If you make changes too quickly, you will end up with an injury.
First, you need to start improving the mobility & strength of your feet. The more strength & mobility you have in your feet, the less support you will need from your shoes. Again, you will need to start gently & slow! If you do too much too soon, you will end up with an injury.
To get going on transitioning:
1) Wear your shoes a little less every day. Start with 1 minute of barefeet 5 times a day. A bit of a hassle but it’s better to do the 1 minute 5 times a day to start rather than 5 minutes at once.
2) Strengthening & stretching your calves, ankles & feet. There are many mobility & strengthening exercises you can do. Here are a few that are easy to explain & simple to do to get you started in your journey to healthy, happy feet.
* Pick up a washcloth, towel, or marbles with your feet, which helps build arch strength
* Stand on one foot for 10 seconds, which helps build core strength
* Spread, point, and individually lift your toes
* Roll a tennis ball under your foot (I prefer a lacrosse ball)
* Stand on tiptoe, which helps strengthen your calves
3) When you’re ready to buy another pair of shoes, look for something that is slightly different from what you wear every day. It may be a slightly lower heel, wide toe, more flexible sole or a strap to your ankle. Keep in mind that everyone is different, what will work for one person may not work for another. So don’t just go out & buy what your friend has. Take into consideration your personal needs & work from there.
Healthy, happy feet will result in less pain, better posture, improved balance & increased stability.
Disclaimer: It is my pleasure to answer your questions regarding exercises. I am not however able to help you if you’ve recently had an injury or surgery & have not yet received your doctors approval to exercise. You must have the green light to start an exercise program before I can recommend appropriate exercises for you. I am all about safety first!
Move more to feel better.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way & I can find a way that works well for you :)
kettlebellkandice@gmail.com