When I do foot work in class, the reason is not what most of you think “to give me a laugh” although I must admit watching people try and lift their toes one at a time is nothing short of hysterical.
I do it because healthy feet are vital for good health.
Together, your two feet contain more than 50 bones, more than 60 joints and 200 muscles, tendons, and ligaments that hold them together and help them move The bones of your feet are designed to move with every step you take and this foot mobility actually influences how your ankles, knees, hips and spine all move and align with one another.
Most of us have foot pain at some point in our lives. The major cause of foot pain is shoes that do not fit properly or that force our feet into unnatural shapes.
Our feet are very small compared to the rest of our body so the impact of each step we take exerts a huge amount of force. This force is about 50% greater than our body weight. On average we take between 3,000 to 4,000 steps per day, this means that our feet support a combined force equivalent to several hundred tons every day!
The foot has many jobs:
• Supports our body weight.
• Acts as a shock absorber.
• Serves as a lever to propel our leg forward as we walk.
• Helps us to maintain our balance by adjusting the body to uneven surfaces.
As we age our feet experience major changes. These changes in the feet can affect our whole body if we do not do things to correct and keep them strong and flexible.
1. Women have more foot flexibility due to varied heel height throughout their lives.
2. Men’s feet become more stiff and rigid due to stiff soled shoes and less movement in the foot over time.
3. The soles of our feet lose padding.
4. Arches can drop.
5. Circulation weakens
6. Decreased balance.
The foot has many jobs:
• Supports our body weight.
• Acts as a shock absorber.
• Serves as a lever to propel our leg forward as we walk.
• Helps us to maintain our balance by adjusting the body to uneven surfaces.
As we age our feet experience major changes. These changes in the feet can affect our whole body if we do not do things to correct and keep them strong and flexible.
1. Women have more foot flexibility due to varied heel height throughout their lives.
2. Men’s feet become more stiff and rigid due to stiff soled shoes and less movement in the foot over time.
3. The soles of our feet lose padding.
4. Arches can drop.
5. Circulation weakens
6. Decreased balance.
The foot has many jobs:
• Supports our body weight.
• Acts as a shock absorber.
• Serves as a lever to propel our leg forward as we walk.
• Helps us to maintain our balance by adjusting the body to uneven surfaces.
As we age our feet experience major changes. These changes in the feet can affect our whole body if we do not do things to correct and keep them strong and flexible.
1. Women have more foot flexibility due to varied heel height throughout their lives.
2. Men’s feet become more stiff and rigid due to stiff soled shoes and less movement in the foot over time.
3. The soles of our feet lose padding.
4. Arches can drop.
5. Circulation weakens
6. Decreased balance.
Exercise for the feet
Foot wave front/side
Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Breathe naturally throughout.
Lift your big toes off the floor, then try to lift one toe at a time off the floor.
Replace your toes down in sequence continuing one toe at a time, starting from the little toe. Make the exercise more challenging by standing your feet hip width apart.