The how and why of strong feet

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 28/06/2017 (3099 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

How often do you think about your feet when you exercise?

I’d be willing to bet that it’s not nearly as often as you think about your abs, your arms, or your thighs. Even in the context of technique, we might focus on maintaining good posture, but that usually means keeping the back straight and shoulders back.

I don’t run into many clients who ask me how they should distribute the weight in their feet when they run, what their toes should be doing when they lift weight, or what they can do to keep their arches strong. These would be great questions to ask because the feet are the foundation upon which everything else is built.

It’s surprising how many people come to see me with foot problems, everything from flat feet to tight ankles, to plantar fasciitis. Often, the same clients have other problems upstream, in the knee, hips, and back. This isn’t surprising if you consider the earlier analogy of the feet as a foundation for the entire skeleton.

The muscles around the back and hips must keep the spine and pelvis stable, and the position of the pelvis is determined by how the leg bones sit on the foot bones. The muscles of the legs and feet play a role as well, but the entire process starts with how the feet contact the ground.

Sadly, we often choose to treat the symptoms rather than attempt to get to the root of the problem. Orthotics, for example, help ease the symptoms and are easier than taking the time to strengthen the feet and hips over the course of weeks or months.

My job as a trainer is to help my clients become healthier and stronger. Why not approach this task from the ground up? The foot, like any other part of the body, can be mobilized. This is evident when looking at the healthy feet and arches of barefoot walkers and runners as well as athletes who practice their sport without footwear, such as gymnasts and yogis. There are simple things we can do to strengthen the muscles and increase range of motion.

Start by noticing how you walk and stand. When toes are turned  out, we tend to shift the weight to the inside of the feet, which affects how the leg bones and hips stack up over our feet, and keeps us from properly engaging the gluteal muscles and other important hip stabilizers.

Strengthening and stretching the foot and lower leg muscles with exercises such as toe lifts, ankles circles, calf stretches and letting your feet breathe in their natural shoeless state can work wonders.

Feet love walks, rubs, movement, and attention. Your body reflects the health of your feet — and happy, healthy feet result in a happy, healthy body. Treat your feet well and your body will appreciate you.
 
Tania Tetrault Vrga is owner and head trainer at CrossFit Winnipeg. Send questions to her at www.crossfitwinnipeg.com.