Road to Feet-ness! 3 Factors causing Foot Injury

By Guest writer; Mehret Hope, Pilates Instructor, Director and Founder of hopepilates.com

Football season!

Everyone is raving about the World Cup, and cheering on England into the quarterfinals, FINALLY! Surely, we all admire how the legs and feet of the players are able to endure such intensity not to mention mental preparation, endurance, and strength to fight off aggression from the opposition. With a sport as energetic as football, players are prone to injuries especially foot injuries. However, foot injuries do not happen only to football players or other athletes; it can also happen to you simply because of a freak accident or due to an imbalance in your foot muscles.

We give very little attention to the foot whenever there is hip or back pain, but little do we know that the improper foot maintenance can enhance or even cause more than just bunions, calluses, and much more imbalance. If you already are suffering from e.g knee pain due to flat feet, contact us Today and learn how reformer Pilates or more specialised Foot corrector sessions can help you. Here are things we need to learn for proper foot care.
 

1) Footwear

Shoes, slippers, and sandals. Heels or none. Open or close.

Every house needs a good foundation. As your feet support you, you need to give full support for your feet as well. The right choice of footwear needs to provide the proper comfort and size. Tight shoes and pointed shoes can cause deformities on your feet, while loose shoes can cause blisters and in-between toe slippers can encourage bunions forming. Be like Goldilocks and make sure your shoes are just right. 

After several months with your shoes, the heel wears off normally to the side and causes an imbalance in posture. This leads to hip and back problems. So once you’ve noticed these changes, you can get them re-heeled or have to change shoes. Insoles can help to additionally support fallen arches or plantar fasciitis. 

With it being summer and hot, hot, hot here in the UK, ToeSox Sandals offer a way to keep cool yet can help to aid bone alignment and reduce ailments such as blisters and athletes foot between the toes. The four-toe post design gently spread toes and helps to align bones for increased foot health and balance, while also anchoring foot inside the sandal for additional support and stability.

2) Pronate and Supinate

For those who have been to foot clinics, these are familiar terms. To remind you and let the people at the back know, pronation and supination are both positions of the foot normally made whenever we are walking or standing to balance our weight. Pronation is when the foot rolls inward after the heel lands. On the other hand, supination is the outward roll of the foot usually after a running start.

Both occur normally with walking and running. In excess, these become a biomechanical problem and may cause fallen arches and ankle sprains.
 

3) Fallen Arches

Fallen arches or flat foot are common amongst toddlers. As years go by, arches develop from the pulling of the tendons. The arches allow the foot to support the weight of the body in the erect posture with the least effort. With fallen arches, exertion increases which cause strain on the ankles, legs, hips, and back. People at higher risk include the elderly, pregnant women, and diabetic patients.
 

Foot/Toe Correction

Now that we’re aware of the causes of a foot injury, it’s time we find out the solution. Treatment of foot conditions includes; orthotic insoles, proper stretching, and foot correction. There is a way to incorporate these methods into one – Pilates. The founder, Joseph Pilates, himself has given emphasis to the feet – even calling it the foundation of the body. Foot corrector apparatus helps you in fixing the structure of your feet. Reformer Pilates incorporates footwork. This also utilizes other fitness apparatus such as massage balls on the feet.
 

Most people have never heard of Pilates and are not clear on their alignment/imbalances let alone ‘neutral’ stance. Never mind foot correction alone, some have been turning the legs in or out (Medially /externally rotating the femur) even worse, twisting the knee joint unconsciously. There are repercussions to long-term overuse and imbalance and the referral pain is rarely in the foot itself in most clients. Approximately, 99% of beginners in reformer classes are shocked by the level of strength and correction they have achieved during their sessions in Hope Pilates.
 

RSVP FREE Foot Workshop

By popular demand, FREE Foot Clinic returns to Hope Pilates on Wednesday, 18th July 2018 at 7PM (1hr). The hour will be broken down into sections of presentation, foot exercises/ foot/toe corrector demo, toe corrector exercises utilizing apparatus from Pilates Mad and finally a wonderful foot massage.

Get ready to learn, discover your body and appreciate the feet that carry you EVERY DAY!

This article was written by guest writer, Mehret Hope, Pilates Instructor, Director and Founder of hopepilates.com 

This post is tagged with Pilates, Foot Health, Fitness, Football