Hello everyone,
As I start to get more involved with Esthers 8 steps, I am thinking a lot about how to get my feet back to a more natural condition. When I herniated my discs in my sophomore year of college two years ago, I was immediatly placed in orthotics. I feel SO much more comfortable in them now, but I realize that my feet have only gotten flatter and flatter with them and my gait without them worse and worse. I'd like to see if there is anyway I can build up the arch so that I can improve my balance and my natural gait. I know that nothing can substitute for the course, which I do plan on attending, but does anyone have advice about weaning yourself off orthotics and/or beggining a rigorous program to restructure the arches. Is this even reccomended?
-Si
As I start to get more involved with Esthers 8 steps, I am thinking a lot about how to get my feet back to a more natural condition. When I herniated my discs in my sophomore year of college two years ago, I was immediatly placed in orthotics. I feel SO much more comfortable in them now, but I realize that my feet have only gotten flatter and flatter with them and my gait without them worse and worse. I'd like to see if there is anyway I can build up the arch so that I can improve my balance and my natural gait. I know that nothing can substitute for the course, which I do plan on attending, but does anyone have advice about weaning yourself off orthotics and/or beggining a rigorous program to restructure the arches. Is this even reccomended?
-Si
1 hour 36 min ago
09/10/2008 - 8:36pm
For special occasions, when you can:
1. pay attention to what your feet are doing so you don't stretch your ligaments further
2. be on natural surfaces - e.g. walk on the beach, tree climbing, walking a dirt trail.
it is good to practice glidewalking barefoot.
In this case, keep your arch muscles engaged slightly at all times, including at footfall. Landing on a "short foot" puts your arch muscles in a position of mechanical advantage so they can work effectively at pushoff, when they really need to work to a) give you a little extra propulsion, b) prevent your foot bending backwards too much and possibly do damage to the plantar fascia, knuckles of the foot (meta-tarso-phalangeal joints like where bunions form), etc. and c) get the exercise they need to keep strong.