Let’s talk about Foot Function.
As a bipedal species, most of us experience life on our feet.
Relative to their size, the feet are one of our most sensory receptive body parts, meaning we gather an incredible amount of information from the feet that travels to the brain. But not only do we experience life on our feet, they’re also the foundation for our movement experience.
We’re movers by nature, so it’s fair to say having optimal function in the feet can improve our human experience. There’s no one right way to experience anything as a human, but there are some key elements of foot function to guide our efforts and attention.
Structurally speaking, we want our feet to be both rigid and mobile. As intricately designed structures, our feet have the ability to hold rigid shapes as well as move through a variety of different joint positions. Ideally, each joint of the foot has available ranges of motion that can be controlled and stabilized.
Similarly speaking, when the feet are adaptable and responsive to different environments, we can trust that our entire physical structure will be supported from the ground up. Our feet are constantly receiving new input based on what’s happening with the interface beneath them. When our feet are responsive, we optimize how those inputs, movements, and vibrations get expressed up the body.
Perhaps the most convincing tidbit comes from recognizing that everything in the body is connected. When we lean into the synergistic nature of our physical structure and look at that design through the lens of the feet, it seems very worthwhile to have a strong connection to our base. Structures of all kinds appreciate a solid foundation.
And let’s not forget that genetics, movement patterns, life history and more all influence our foot function (and every system in the body). However, our feet are adaptive structures, and we always have the opportunity to increase strength and capacity. Let’s honor your individual movement footprint by continually exploring different expressions in your body.