Why You Should be Incorporating Barefoot Training

As bipedal beings, our feet are the literal foundation for our movement. They absorb ground reaction forces, vibration from impact, and give us fine tuned perception of our surface. Our feet are absolutely vital in sensing our environment - so much so that they have 10 times the amount of sensory nerves than motor nerves! It is this sensation that is the literal gateway into navigating and functioning to our potential.

So how do shoes impact this gateway? First off, shoes dampen the vibrations that travel through our myofascial network and give us an altered perception of the ground. This altered perception affects how the sensory receptors function in our feet and calibrate our every movement. Depending on the type of shoe, this dampening drastically effects how we load the tissues in our lower extremities and how we sequence various movements. This may not matter if you are in and out of different types of shoes and spending time barefoot, but the majority of people tend to spend most of their days in the same footwear.

Shoes also tend to decondition our feet. A large percentage of people wear shoes with arch support because they tend to be more comfortable or were told that's what their feet needed. The main issue here is that the "arch support" decreases the demand of the 100+ muscles that act on the 30 joints in the foot. Just like how a brace or cast causes deconditioning and muscular atrophy in your thigh or arm, constant arch support causes weakness in your feet.

Who needs foot strength anyway?

Your feet are your foundation! A weak foot generally corresponds to dysfunction up the chain. Inefficient utilization of the gluteals, medial knee pain, low back pain, plantar fasciitis - these are just a few common issues that often coincide with weak feet. The foot is our platform where all potential energy is stored and utilized up the chain. If the foot is dysfunctional, we will fall far short of our movement potential.

Here are 3 things to work on to help improve your foot health and overall function:

Spend time on one leg

It's that simple. Spend time on one leg to work all of the muscles that stabilize the hip and ankle. Tie in single leg stance into daily activities and work on programming 1-2 days per week of intentional single leg exercise. Your feet, knees, and hips will thank you.

Learn to control both pronation and supination

Pronation and supination are both natural motions that make our foot adaptable to our surroundings, creating stability when we need stability and suspension when we need suspension. It is vital that we learn how to strengthen and control these motions to create a sturdy foundation for movement.

Learn to maintain center of pressure through the foot

It is imperative to learn how to stay "rooted" with your foot in order to efficiently transfer energy up the chain. Firmly dig the ball of your big toe, your 5th metatarsal (outside of your foot), and your heel in the ground and try to maintain these three points of contact. This helps keep a loaded arch and helps transfer energy efficiently up the chain.

Have foot, knee, ankle, hip, or low back pain? Let's find out what the origin of your pain is! Book your session HERE or call 205-304-1181.

Move Better. Live Well.