Fit Feet!
Did you know that your feet are part of your whole wellness and a healthy Lifestyle? !!
Let’s start with a little anatomy lesson. Did you know that each foot has:
🦶🏼 26 bones
🦶🏼33 joints
🦶🏼19 muscles
🦶🏼 10 tendons
🦶🏼107 ligaments
🦶🏼Over 8000 nerves
🦶🏼250,00 sweat glands
🦶🏼A complex network of blood vessels
You might already know that there are about 200 bones in the entire human body. That means that 25% of all your bones are in your feet! Plus the soles of your feet contain more sweat glands and nerve endings per square inch than anywhere else on your entire body!
All those intricate parts in the foot work together to provide your entire body with stability and balance. Everyday movement does not happen without your feet.
When your feet are not healthy, it can lead to:
🦶🏼back pain/issues
🦶🏼hip pain/issues
🦶🏼leg pain/issues
🦶🏼knee pain pain/issues
🦶🏼posture
🦶🏼balance issues
🦶🏼foot weekness is related to increased fall risk
🦶🏼and even impaired organ function.
Yet only 2 out of 10 people in the U.S. report that they regularly pay attention to their foot health. Time to change that! Who knew there was so much to appreciate about our feet?!
Here’s a foot fact for you. Women are 4 times more likely to have foot problems than men. It’s mostly attributed to the fact that women tend to pick shoes based on how they look. They are more likely to wear high heels, ill-fitting boots, etc. In contrast, men tend to wear mostly tennis shoes, work boots or dress shoes that are more comfortable.
However, whether it’s tennis shoes or a stylish boot, most of the shoes on the market are more fashionable than functional, both for men and women. Even shoes specifically designed for comfort, for work or for running are more about what looks good, and not about being properly designed for our feet. Standard tennis shoes elevate the heel and pinch your toes together. You’ve probably noticed shoes come into a point at the toes, some more extreme than others. But that is not even the natural shape of our foot!
Your foot functions best when it is bare, in its natural state. That means your heel and front of your foot (the ball of your foot) are level and your toes can freely move. If you’re wearing shoes right now, wiggle your toes. Can you flex them? Extend them? Spread them apart? Probably not.
While walking barefoot or using barefoot minimalist shoes provides an opportunity to build foot strength, just like all the rest of our body, we need to train our feet, build the strength, and increase mobility.
I switched to Barefoot shoes about two years ago and the biggest changes have been relief from knee pain and lower back pain. Note!!! I didn't just start wearing barefoot shoes but did and still do foot exercises to build my foot strength and practice one leg standing for balance and to activate all of my toes in the process.
Findings show that flat, wide-in-the-toe shoes are optimal for foot function. (This is obviously for the general population, and of course there are specific and unique circumstances for some people.) More and more Barefoot minimalist shoes are being created, this is the best option, but unfortunately, it’s the most expensive. Most of these companies are startups without huge capital behind them. They are certainly worth looking into and you can make your own decision based on your budget.
Sompe popular brands are Vivobarefoot, Xero, Flux Footwear, Belenka, Saguaro and my favorite is Wildling Shoes. In Sandals I like Shama, Luna, and Earth Runners.
It is time to give those feet the care they deserve after all that heavy lifting! Here are some ways to keep your feet nice and fit, especially for all those extra steps you’re taking this month.
👣 Go barefoot whenever possible (at home, in your yard) to promote proper foot shape and function. Unless medical conditions prevent it.
👣 Expose your feet to more elements to use those nerve endings. If you don’t use them, you lose them! Walk on colder or hotter surfaces (safely), walk on rocks or uneven terrain and even tickle your feet. Ask me about Grounding! lwburbach@icloud.com
👣 Move more in general to keep the blood circulating. Feet are usually first to lose proper circulation.
👣 Start using toe spacers a few minutes a day. You can buy them specifically, or just use your fingers to interlace between your toes and give them that natural spread after being scrunched in shoes for so long. Or if you have one of those at-home pedicure kits with the spacers, those will work too!
👣 Massage your feet. Yup, full permission to get a pedicure or ask your significant other for a foot massage. It’s so important for relieving tension in the muscles and tendons and for waking up those nerve endings and blood vessels.
👣 Regularly exercise your feet. This is most important,
Even if barefoot and barefoot shoes aren't for you it is important to prioritize your foot health for fit fit and a fit
Adapted with permission from Coach Content Collaboration (affiliate link)
This Week's Wellness Challenge!
We’re finishing off the month with a 10,000 steps per day goal! By now, you’ve been working your way up to it and it should feel doable. You’ve totally got this!
My final tip for your step challenge is to just enjoy and embrace it! Yes, I want you to challenge yourself to move more and we need to have a number to push for that. But this week I encourage you to think of it more in terms of how much you can get out of movement, instead of how many steps you can take. When you focus on the enjoyment and fulfillment first, you will naturally reach your goals!
👟 Walk to connect with others. Invite friends, family or just your spouse to walk with you. You will be able to create conversations and connections while moving your body.
👟 Walk to connect with nature. Get outside and feel the sunshine and fresh air. Enjoy the sounds of birds chirping and the beauty of blooming flowers and trees.
👟 Walk to connect with yourself. Use your walking time to reflect and think about your future goals and vision. Get in tune with your thoughts and emotions and get to know yourself better!
Embrace each step you take, enjoy the journey, and you will reach your goal with even less thought and effort.
Basic H2 dominates grease, grime, and dirt in a thousand different ways. One 16-ounce bottle makes 48 gallons of powerful cleaner. Made with sustainably sourced ingredients.
Comments