The Joys of Good Feet:

I talk about feet a lot in clinic.  Much of the discussion is about how we neglect keeping our feet strong.  Other discussions focus on how our hip or knee problems can actually start from our feet.  There is also the discussion about how if you injure your feet or ankles, that it can be 12-15 weeks before they are sufficiently recovered, and need to be really rehabilitated well, so that you don’t re-injure yourself.  As I said, much discussion..

The big points to note here are:

Be kind to your feet:

• Your feet absorb around 1-1.5 times your body weight, when just walking.  When running, this force increases to around 2-3 times your body weight, although can be up to 5 times, if you are a heavy heel striker.  
• Your feet are highly sensitive – each foot contains around 200,000 nerve endings, which is more than any other part of the body, including the hands.
• A pair of feet contain 52 bones – which in context of the whole body which has 206 bones, means that the feet has one quarter of all the bones in the body.
• The bones in the feet are soft as a baby, and harden as we grow, with full ossification occurring by the age of around 21. This gives a good sense of perspective as to trying not to ruin your feet until this age.
• Your feet need to be strong, and wearing built up, heavily cushioned shoes does not allow the proprioception of the feet to be utilised to their fullest extent.  Consider building up strength in your feet by slowly introducing flatter, more minimal shoes to develop more intrinsic strength.  

If your feet hurt, please take this seriously:

• an ankle sprain will take up to 6 weeks to heal for a mild sprain, but can take out to 6-12 months to complete healing.  
• If you have plantar fasciitis, you can support this with ice, exercise, strengthening, but you may need to get orthotics.  If so, please get some specifically made for your feet.  Plantar fasciitis is more common after menopause, so take note of issues as they will probably not go away by ignoring them..
• Confirm that you have plantar fasciitis or a stress fracture, as the treatment and recovery will be different

Shoes:

• change your shoes every day:  if you wear the same shoes every day, your feet will not get stronger, and will also potentially not allow your shoes to dry out, creating issues with damp and fungal growth, particularly in work boots.  Have two pairs of boots, and alternate them.  
• If you are running, have multiple pairs of running shoes.  This is not a fashion statement, this is to allow the feet to exercise more fully.  Use more minimalist shoes for short training sessions, slightly more built up for medium term distance, and keep the big built up cushioned shoes for the race events.  

Home care:

• if your feet ache, soak them in a large silicon bucket of hot water with half a cup of epsom salts.  This will help the muscles to relax, and potentially allow the tendons and ligaments to release.  
• Apply Arnica cream (see me in clinic for a 20% herbal Arnica cream, which I make) for help with bruises, strain and sprains
• Work on strengthening your feet – whilst standing at the kitchen bench, with your feet hip distance apart, lift your heels, hold for two, then lower.  Repeat 10x.  Doing this every other day.

It can definitely be worth getting a foot massage, if your feet are painful.  I usually include a foot massage in the remedial massage at my clinic, as I believe in the benefits of looking after your feet.  Let me know if you need more help with your feet, when you book in.   

I have a handout which I can give in clinic, which has several more tips, and some useful podcasts on good foot health.

EA