The feet have to make fine adjustments to keep you balanced and if they are not flexible and strong, then this reduces their ability to keep you steady. There are 26 bones, 33 joints and 19 muscles that originate in the feet and 10 muscles that pass from the lower leg and then end in the feet. It is very complex engineering. With a normal footfall, you land on the heel (heelstrike) , the weight is then distributed towards the outside of the foot and then you roll across towards the inside of the foot to push off from the big toe (toe off). You need 45-65 degrees of big toe extension to be able to effectively push off from the big toe to generate good forward motion. If the big toe is stiff, then other joints have to compensate for this.
Common problems with the feet
Overpronation (collapsed arches) is the most common problem and can have an adverse effect on the biomechanics of the body higher up, especially the knees. Exercises -see below - to strengthen the arches and stretch any tight calves are recommended, along with orthotics from the Podiatrist to support the arches. You can buy trainers that are specially designed for overpronating feet, so that you don't need to put orthotics in them. Skechers do Archfit leisure shoes, but they are not designed for serious running.
Underpronation ( high arches) these feet tend to strike the floor hard and on the outside of the foot, instead of rolling towards the big toe . Underpronated feet can't absorb the shock of impact, so need orthotics in the shoe to redistribute the forces. They also need a lot of cushioning in the sole of the shoe to absorb the impact that the high arches are not absorbing.
Plantarfasciitis. The plantar fascia is the thick ligament that connects the heel to the toes underneath the foot. Both overpronation and underpronation can lead to inflammation of the plantarfascia. Treatment includes:
Wearing orthotics prescribed by a podiatrist to correct the foot position and reduce strain on the arch.
Stretching -
Stretch the Plantarfascia - sit and cross the leg and pull the toes backwards from where the toes join the foot.
Stretch the calves ie stand on a stair, hold the bannisters, keep the balls of the feet on the step and hang your heels off the step for 30 seconds.
Standing rolling your foot over a plastic bottle filled with iced water.
Shockwave therapy
Bunions. (see photo above) These are genetic, but made worse by tight footwear and also by having an overpronated foot, which puts excess strain through the big toe. You can't cure bunions but you can slow the deterioration by exercising the feet and toes, wearing the correct wide, cushioned footwear and wearing orthotics if the problem is being made worse by overpronation of the foot. It is also important to rest bunions when you have been on your feet a long time, or they become inflammed. The final resort is surgery to correct the bunion if the pain becomes unbearable.
Happy Feet
Good = walking without shoes on carpet or grass as long as you don't have arthritis or bad bunions.
Bad = walking on hard floors or ground without shoes
Good = if you have arthritis or bunions then don't walk without shoes, instead wear very cushioned shoes and slippers to reduce the impact on the feet.
Good = wear shoes that have the following features:
Enough width
Have one thumbs width between the end of the longest toe to the end of the shoe
Have a deep toe box so that the feet aren't compressed from above
Allow the feet to breath
Good = exercise the feet
Balance on one leg, thinking about the arches lifting and string out of the top of your head. This will strengthen your arches and core and improve your balance.
Do the following exercise sitting at first and eventually progress to doing it standing:
Lift the big toes up and keep the other 4 toes each side on the floor and then do the opposite - lift the 4 toes both sides up and keep the big toes on the floor.
Sitting
Spread your toes as much as you can, then relax
Circle the feet making sure to point them right down and pull them right up during the movement.
Lumbrical (so called because they are worm shaped) muscles in the feet are vital movers of the foot. Exercise these by sitting gathering a piece of string or paper towards you using the foot.
Take hold of your big toe and flex it down one way and then extend it back the other way. Then take hold of the other 4 toes and do the same. Do not force the toes into any pain.
Good = Massage your arches.
Interesting
Barefoot shoes have a toe box that is foot shaped which is good. They have thinner and more flexible soles which you are told makes you more grounded to the earth (no scientific evidence for this). By having more flexible soles they will allow your feet muscles to be more reactive and to flex more at the toe joints, which is true. They would therefore be fine for indoors and pottering around (they do VANS-style shoes). However because we run on hard country tracks and roads and not cushioned thick grass, they are not good for running, or for prolonged walking on hard surfaces, as they do not absorb the impact. People with arthritis in the feet or bunions should not wear these shoes, as they do not have enough cushioning in the sole.
Comments