There are 52 bones in your two feet altogether. There are also 33 joints, 107 ligaments, 19 muscles and some tendons that hold everything together. It is beautifully designed to be very mobile. This allows us to absorb shock when we run and allows our feet to adapt to the surfaces they are on. (Unless we restrict this ability with overly supportive shoes...but I digress)
Many are familiar with the term stability. Our core needs to be stable in order for us to lift heavy things. If our “core” is not stable, we lose our neutral spine position which can result in decreased performance and increased risk for disc injuries and facet joint issues. Our shoulder needs stability in order for us to throw, climb, and carry. If our shoulders aren’t stable, the ball of the humerus isn’t positioned well on the socket and it can lead to rotator cuff injuries, labral tears, tendonitis. Today, we will discuss the need for stability in our feet, which one may argue is where stability should begin as it is the place we first interact with our environment.
That being said, many foot, ankle, knee, and even hip issues arise when we don’t have the ability to stabilize this very mobile area.
Just as the spine and the shoulder have best position, the foot has its own happy place as well. We call this position sub-talar neutral. Below is a video of how to find a sub-talar neutral position for your foot.
How do we maintain this position?
Our arch structure of our foot along with the intrinsic and extrinsic muscles that support the arch provide much of the dynamic stability of the foot. Below are two videos of exercises to help train the muscles that support that arch structure.
If foot pain, ankle mobility or, unstable feet are limiting how well you move and perform, contact me via the contact tab above to discuss how I can help you return to the things you enjoy!
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