Everything I’ve learned about fixing your feet

Do your feet ache and cause pain that radiates up your legs and back? Or perhaps they just don't feel as springy and energetic as they used to. Many people suffer with foot pain and mobility issues that stem from years of cramming our feet into restrictive shoes. But the good news is there are simple things you can do each day to bring new life back into your feet!

"The foot is one of the most important things that you can focus on in your body. If you have pain in your foot, if you have pain in your ankles your knees your hips your lower back one of the most important things is to start with the foot because what you're doing with your foot on the ground can affect everything upward from there."

One key place to start is working on flexibility and spacing between the toes. Over time, many people's toes start to overlap resulting in bunions, corns and inflexibility. "We should be getting into shoes with wider toe boxes to create more space but one of the things we can do every single day is we can stretch our toes." I recommend gently pulling each toe up and down to regain extension and flexion. Doing this nightly helps wake up the feet.

Additionally, using spacers between toes "like you’re getting a pedicure" spreads the toes bringing added relief. "If you guys need to stretch your toes out if they're clumped together make sure you do that every night stretching the toes up stretching the toes down and stretching the toes sideways."

Many people also struggle with "flat feet inactive arches or weak feet." But arches are meant to act as springs, absorbing impact. So it's vital to retrain proper arch activation. "I’m going to put my foot down on this piece of paper nice and flat. From there I’m going to lift my toes toward the sky and I'm going try to scrunch the paper...I can stick my finger underneath." This lifts the arch while gripping the floor with the toes, working on that mind-body connection with the arches.

Adding this type of focused arch training nightly builds back springiness and balance. "By doing this we're building a really solid mind muscle connection with the arches of our feet and this is going to come in handy...when we start to bring the foot and the ankle together."

Finally, scraping the arches with a spoon and lotion boosts blood flow. "We can bring blood flow to the feet and that's a really great way to start doing Rehabilitation of the feet especially if we have Planters fasciitis." Just be gentle and listen to your body. Increased circulation aids recovery.

Prioritizing your feet pays dividends through reduced pain and maximized mobility. Your feet support everything you do, so show them some love! Stretch toes nightly, spread them with spacers, activate arches over paper, scrape gently to increase blood flow. Then watch your feet come back to life!