01/20/2020
Beautiful feet! Their complexity is their draw & why they are the foundation of the body. Get your feet right and the rest will follow. Do some Earthing today, take a walk, or get those toe shoes I may have suggested a million times!!!
💗👣🐾
https://www.facebook.com/1881118655509581/posts/2536585219962918/
The Foot (and foot pain):
The human foot is a strong and complex structure containing 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
The foot is capable of repeatedly absorbing and redirecting huge forces.
The Saucony shoe company reports that a force of up to three times body weight can be exerted on the human foot while running.
For example, a person weighing 200 pounds can experience forces of 600 pounds in their foot during a stride.
The greatest force is experienced on the forefoot phase of a stride when the whole width of the forefoot absorbs the surge of power that propels the foot off the ground.
What about the maximum amount weight our feet can handle.
Well, the current record is held by Patrik Baboumian. He walked with 1216 pounds for 10 meters.
Your feet are amazing pieces of anatomy.
Foot Pain: Two Main Culprits
The plantar fascia is the thick aponeurosis which acts more like a ligament than a tendon in the foot. It runs from the tuberosity if the calcaneus forward to the heads of the metatarsal bones.
This structure is home to a condition called plantar fasciitis. Although that term is a misnomer because recent studies have shown that inflammation of the tissue is rarely present and is not likely a cause of pain.
Plantar fasciosis is a more accurate and denotes a degeneration of the tissue. This may be caused by a combination of repetitive stress and healing intervals (rest) that are too short.
Diet, genetics, and other factors may also play a role.
Consuming vitamin c, zinc, complete proteins, and other micronutrients involved in collagen production may play a roll in relieving this issue in stubborn cases.
The average stretch routine will not generally correct the underlying issue. The first step is to rest and give the tissue a chance to rebuild and heal.
Then it’s time to move on to a stretch that may look familiar, but differs in one key point.
You will be facing a wall, leaning into it at an angle, one for forward, on foot back (tension will be felt in this leg). Now INSTEAD of just a static hold, you will be moving the forward leg across the body.
Make sure it crosses the body and goes beyond the foot that is being tensioned. You will feel the difference immediately. This not only engages the cal in a new way but it also changes the position of the heel bone (calcaneus).
That’s not the end of the story though...
The gastroc and soleus complex (your calf) play a major part in the mechanics of the foot even though they are technically leg muscles.
Often “tightness” is cited as the problem in the calf, but again, research shows that tightness is a subjective sensation and does not correspond to tissue hardness, shortness, or flexibility.
I find it helpful to think of tightness like itching. It’s annoying, it pulls your attention, but it doesn’t always mean there’s a problem.
I know that is hard to believe, but it’s true.
The calf causes issues through weakness and often needs strengthening via a combination of functional movement as well as a targeted weight training routine.
The calf muscles act as both a force producer and a shock absorber. The calf also exerts direct control over the ankle and foot via the Achilles attachment at the calcaneus (your heel bone). This structures are pictured at the far left of the picture.
A weak or misfiring calf can cause undue stress on the plantar fascia which can lead to breakdown of the tissue. This is especially true for people who are walking or running long distances all the time.
Where does massage fit in?
Massage can relieve pain and supply a valuable window of healing for the body. Massage can also help pinpoint where the issue may be.
A good therapist will be able to test and assess foot and ankle motion and help determine if the problem is in the foot or in the leg. Or both.
Massage can also increase range of motion and make the foot and ankle feel leas restricted and even help with smoother motion of the joints.
Tools such as cupping can provide novel input for the nervous system and physically lift and separate superficial tissues that are generally compressed.
Massage in the calf can alleviate the sensation of tightness and prepare the muscle for strengthening.
Cupping can also be used up into the calf but care should be taken to avoid bruising as this is damage and that is not ever a god thing. We want the pill and the separation without all the busted blood vessels.
And massage just feels damn good. And sometimes all we need is a break in the pain cycle to help us get back on track. 😀
Other Tips:
This is a good time to mention that a good pair of shoes, insoles, and socks are worth their weight in gold.
More than one of my clients has been “healed” of foot and ankle pain by replacing their dead ass shoes with a new model.
And don’t just buy the same old pair or brand. Sometimes you need to expand your horizons to fix the problem.
That leads us to surface change. This is another change that has allowed clients to be “healed” of foot pain.
If you are always walking or running on hard surfaces it’s time to get you butt (and feet) onto some grass or sand.
Soft surface running offers variation and challenge. It reduces impact forces and will strengthen the foot and calf by increasing the amount of stabilization muscle being utilized.
Got questions? Leave them in the comments. Follow us on Instagram and on YouTube
Photo Credit: McGill University
Resources: 3D4 Medical, Athlean X, Seely’s Anatomy and Physiology
Westminster, Colorado Fit Hyland Hills Broomfield, Colorado
