Do I Need Orthotics?
Mmmmmm...Everyone seems to have this question. There are 2 camps:
One philosophy says that your feet are too weak and that they need extra support such as the support you find in orthotics. Over time, your pain will dissappear since you now how your orthotics to rely upon and your overall posture will line up much better. With this theory, you may need orthotics for the rest of your life.
The other philosophy says that because your feet are weak, you need to strengthen them, not give them any extra support. Orthotics and shoes can be thought of as a cast. When your leg is in a cast, it can't move and the muscles atrophy or become smaller and weaker. Why would you want to put your feet in a cast (that is, orthotics) and make them even weaker? Why not strengthen those muscles in your feet? Once they are stronger, your feet, your knees, your hips, and your back will probably feel better since your musculature/alignment is better. Of course, if you are beyond the beginning stages of foot/knee/hip/back pain or have a structural issue, orthotics may be your best option right now and you need to consult your doctor. If the problem has just started, however, you can try first to stregthen the muscles in your feet with these suggestions:
- Go barefoot as often as you can!
- Practice picking up things with your feet and toes such as pencils, marbles, or towels.
- While standing, locomote yourself forward with just your toes. Your feet will look like inch worms crawling across the floor :)
- On a stair with your toes on the edge, do calf raises and calf dips on a regular basis. Have a handrail nearby for support and see how many you can do!
- Roll your bare feet on a golf ball to self-massage those muscles. This doesn't strengthen your muscles, but it does get them excited, increases their circulation, and breaks up scar tissue.
***************** Next Steps & Events ********************************************
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Warmly,
Gail
