You might be wondering, why feet? Well, feet because they are one of the unsung heroes of the human body! They bare all your weight, get you where you need to go. They provide you with traction, balance, and power. They are highly sensory & provide vital information to your central nervous system. Our feet are so important. We need to take care of of our feet, so that our feet can take care of us!
First, Some Foot Anatomy
The human foot consists of:
five toes (phalanges)
five long bones (metatarsals) that connect to the phalanges
a collection of irregular-shaped bones, including the talus, which forms a joint with the lower leg bones (tibia and fibula)
three arches that allow the foot to support the weight of the body
tendons
ligaments
muscles
"A healthy foot [is] widest at the ends of the toes, possesses a strong and sturdy arch... and has straight, dexterous toes that are sufficiently splayed."
- Ray McClanahan, DPM
Foot Health
While the foot is designed in such a way that it can be compact and flexible when needed, this doesn't mean that we're able to jam our feet into any randomly shaped shoes without experiencing consequences. Unfortunately, most shoes today are not designed to allow our feet to develop or function properly. Instead, they hamper proper development and function. “Heel elevation, toe spring, tapering toe boxes, and rigid inflexible soles…[these] injurious design features are the product of misguided thought, of the belief that the human foot needs to be altered to remain healthy and strong" (McClanahan). Wearing overly tight shoes can also cause bunions, corns, hammer toes, and crossover toes. High heels force you to unnaturally bare most of your weight on the forefoot. Wearing them regularly can result in shortened calf muscles and compressed toes. They've also been linked to thickening tissue around the digital nerve (Morton's Neuroma), which can cause chronic burning pain and numbness. "Women have about four times as many foot problems as men; lifelong patterns of wearing high heels often are the culprit" (Illinois Podiatric Medical Association).
So what does this mean? Do we have to throw out all our cute shoes and spend hundreds of dollars on ugly ones? Not necessarily! When it comes to lifestyle changes, it's okay to take baby steps (pun intended) as we learn and grow.
Some Practical Tips For Footwear
Go through your closet and toss out any shoes that cause you intense pain or blisters (I know they may be cute, but at what cost?)
Be intentional & picky when buying new shoes. Steer away from pointed toes, high stilettos, and shoes that are overly heavy or stiff.
Shoes should feel comfortable the day you buy them. Don't rely on a "break-in" period to get them there.
The ultimate goal is a shoe that mimics the shape of your feet. Not a shoe that your feet can mold into.
Walking Barefoot
Walking barefoot outside is a great way to absorb negative ions from the earth, which helps reduce inflammation from the positive ions we're exposed to all day. This practice is called grounding/earthing. Try walking around barefoot, even if it's only for 20-30 minutes a day to start. This will give your feet some free space to stretch out and do their job.
For kiddos: Let them walk around barefoot as much as possible. Their feet may get dirty, but that's what baths are for! Walking around barefoot will give their feet and gait the chance to develop naturally and provide their CNS with important sensory information.
REFERENCES
Hoffman, M., & MD. (n.d.). Feet (Human Anatomy): Bones, Tendons, Ligaments, and More. Retrieved April 15, 2019, from WebMD website: https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/picture-of-the-feet
NRCBooklet-HealthyFeet.pdf. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://runforyourlifebook.com/pdfs/NRCBooklet-HealthyFeet.pdf
Resources for Patients: Podiatry Facts & Statistics - Illinois Podiatric Medical Association. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2019, from https://www.ipma.net/page/15
Rossi, W. A. (n.d.). Children’s Footwear: Launching Site for Adult Foot Ills. 14.
Tight Shoes and Foot Problems - OrthoInfo - AAOS. (n.d.). Retrieved April 18, 2019, from https://www.orthoinfo.org/en/diseases--conditions/tight-shoes-and-foot-problems/
Wallden, M. (2016). Toe-tal recall – What on Earth are our toes actually for? Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 20(2), 418–431. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2016.04.011
Photo by Nino Liverani on Unsplash
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