Consider this-the feet are the beginning of the foundation for the human body.
The foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints, and over 100 tendons, muscles, and ligaments. This may sound like overkill for a flat structure that supports your weight, but you may not realize how much work your foot does.
The foot is responsible for balancing the body’s weight on two legs – a feat which modern roboticists are still trying to replicate. This requires strong, subtle muscles which can keep the foot standing firm even as we move our body’s weight around at different positions and angles.
The many bones work together to allow to allow this fine, delicate movement by subtly shifting inside the foot. They also allow us to perform intricate actions such as standing, climbing, and “grasping” at the ground with our feet on moving or uneven surfaces.
More often than not, feet are encased in some type of foot ware on average for 12 hours per day. Which compacts, restricts, limits and controls how the foot functions.
If the feet are not supple, and strong, their function becomes compromised, which will ultimately cause imbalances in the strength and integrity of the ankles, knees, hips, back, etc..
Practices for healthy and fit feet: Shoes off..
- spend time walking without shoes on
- standing or seated-spread your toes and grip
- weight and unweight front and back-side to side
- in bed or seated-foot circles-curl your toes
- walk on grass or the beach-(soft sand is best)
- get a foot massage or pedicure
- use a small soft ball and roll under your foot
- self foot massage
Every morning and before bed I do a few nourishing practices for my feet, and I must say my walking is much more congruent, and ‘my feet have never been happier’.