The Barefoot Podiatrist

07/04/2026

07/04/2026

I’m often asked what the best shoe is for plantarfasciitis and other foot and lower limb pain, so here it is!
Let me know below 👇 what it is you are dealing with at the moment.

16/03/2026

16/03/2026

Most foot pain isn’t actually a “foot problem”.

People stretch it.
Strengthen it.
Even get orthotics.

But the pain keeps coming back.

Because the real issue is usually the stability system switching off.

When that happens the body starts compensating, and eventually something overloads.

I’ve filmed 3 quick movement checks you can do at home to see if this might be happening to you.

Comment “CHECK” and I’ll send them through.

26/02/2026

Most people think foot pain and plantarfasciitis is about tightness or weakness.

It’s not.

When your environment changes ( shoes, surfaces, sitting, stress,) your gait adapts.

You start off-loading.
You shorten your stride.
You lose hip extension.
Your foot stiffens.
Your big toe stops propelling you properly.

Over time, your foot and hip stop working as a connected system.

That reduces load tolerance.

And when load tolerance drops, normal walking starts to hurt.

Stretching doesn’t restore coordination.
Padding doesn’t restore control.

You don’t fix chronic foot pain by doing more.
You fix it by reorganising how you move.

Change the pattern.
Change the load.
Change the outcome.

If your pain has been hanging around for months, there’s a good chance your walking pattern changed and never changed back.

Most people don’t realise it until they see it.

If you’re curious what your gait is actually doing, comment “WALK” or send me a DM.

27/01/2026

Still rolling your feet forward and back?
Try going side to side instead.

Side-to-side rolling wakes up those deep foot muscles, gets your midfoot moving better, and boosts your foot’s sense of balance. It’s way more effective than just forward and back.

Rolling your feet regularly helps with plantar fasciitis, tired or stiff feet, weak arches, and ankle mobility.

Try rolling out your feet before sport to fire up your nervous system and get your feet ready for action, or after to release tension and help recovery.

Strong feet = a strong body. Don’t skip the foundation work.

20/01/2026

Foot pain isn’t a support problem.
It’s a coordination problem.

When the foot, ankle, hip, and trunk aren’t sharing load properly, something ends up doing too much work and that’s usually where pain shows up.

Insoles can quiet things down.
They just don’t change the pattern.

If you’ve tried orthotics, stretching, rolling, or rest and you’re still stuck, there’s likely a movement issue underneath it.

If this resonates, send me a short clip of you walking barefoot and I’ll help you spot what might be driving it.

13/01/2026

If stretching fixed plantar fasciitis, it wouldn’t be a chronic condition.

Tightness isn’t the villain.
It’s the body compensating for something it doesn’t trust.

Change the pattern → change the load → change the pain.

02/01/2026

Your stance reflects how your system is organised.

When the feet are splayed out, it often breaks the connection between the feet and the hips.
That loss of connection means:
• less torque through the leg
• glutes not really contributing
• the foot collapsing to find stability
• an unstable big toe
• the ankle taking on extra work

Over time, that change in load sharing can show up as things like
plantar fasciitis, Achilles pain, knee issues, or bunions.

It’s not about forcing your feet straight.
It’s about restoring connection so the system can organise itself again.

When the feet and hips reconnect,
load is shared better and those tissues don’t have to work so hard.

Posture isn’t corrected.
It’s rebuilt from the ground up.

Are your feet straight or splayed?

28/12/2025

Foot pain isn’t always a tissue problem.
Often, it’s a movement and connection problem.

For many people, pain has less to do with damage and more to do with disconnection.

One common place that shows up is reduced mobility through the midfoot. When the midfoot stiffens, the foot stops absorbing force efficiently and load gets pushed elsewhere in the system.

That’s why symptom-based approaches can help temporarily but don’t always last as they often don’t change how the foot is moving or sensing during everyday walking.

Gentle midfoot mobility and the introduction of texture aren’t a fix on their own, but they can be a useful way to restore movement, sensation, and better load sharing through the foot.

Change how the foot moves and senses,
and pain often has less reason to stick around.

18/12/2025

For a lot of people, the missing piece in foot pain isn’t strength, flexibility, or more treatment.

It’s hidden in their gait pattern and how the foot is loading, timing, and connecting with the rest of the body during movement.

If you’re dealing with ongoing heel pain, plantar fasciitis, arch pain, Achilles pain, or foot pain that just won’t let up, there’s a good chance this is what’s being missed.

DM me a short barefoot walking clip with a bit of info about the pain you’re trying to solve, and I’ll give you some feedback.

16/12/2025

A foots arch can look “flat” but still function beautifully.
A foots arch can look “high” but be completely unstable.

The issue isn’t shape.
It’s control, timing, and connection.

If your foot can’t adapt, load, and re-stiffen when you walk, and move then something else will compensate.

And that’s where pain shows up, along with lost force, reduced drive, and less power.

Are you lacking control?
Have you ever had your gait assessed?