Plantar fasciitis, foot pain, fallen arches, flat feet, and bunions, oh my! These are just a few foot problems that affect so many people. I’ve got some pretty strong opinions on why this is and what we can do about it.
We can blame most of our foot issues on shoes! Now, you might be thinking ‘oh no not me I wear good supportive shoes’, and I’m afraid that’s is exactly the problem. The more support we have in our shoes, insoles, and orthotics, the tighter and weaker our feet become, and this can become a vicious cycle.
Our feet are sore and weak, so we get orthotics, insoles, and more supportive shoes, then our feet become weaker and tighter, and so on and so on.
Of course, occasionally someone actually needs orthotics or custom insoles because of an injury or a problem from birth, but this is very rare. Most foot issues are because our feet are weak and tight. We have been wearing thick shoes and walking on pavement. We are meant to be barefoot or very close to barefoot. We are designed to walk and run on the earth, which naturally keeps the muscles in our feet strong and supple.
So, if this resonates with you and you want to improve the health of your feet, I’ve got general stretches and strengthening exercises in the video below to help you. But don’t burn your orthotics just yet. This video addresses some of the common foot problems and because every case is different, if these don’t work for you I would recommend seeing a physiotherapist to get exercises specifically for you.
To happy healthy feet,
ox nyk
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