Transform how you move, feel and live

How often do you think about your toes? 

Are you someone who takes care of their feet, or are they too far away to think about? 

Feet are the some of the most underrated parts of our body. Your feet working well is crucial for our movement health.

How movable your feet are affects whether you’ll be walking easily in later life.

The foot is a piece of engineering art . When you stand, the whole length of the toes spread forwards and outwards to take your body weight. Ideally, your weight can spread across the full width and length of the foot. This is in three main directions: the heel, the base of the little toes, and the big toe.

The back of your foot is just as important as the toes. That’s where your foot moves in a way so it can negotiate uneven surfaces. When it can’t do that you’re more likely to twist, sprain an ankle, or fall.

So how supple are your feet?

Let’s find out!

Put one foot standing (you can do this in sitting, or lying on your back).

Lift the big toe towards the ceiling, including the ball of the toe, and release it back. Repeat this movement a few times, to give you time to feel what’s happening. Where’s the hinge of this movement for you?

There are a few options:

• The bones of the toes – including the metatarsals- the long bones of the toes that make up part of the forefoot.
• The back of the foot. Sometimes people think this is the ankle joint, as it’s just below the ankle. The subtalar joint of the heel is very important moving area for the foot. It allows rotation of the foot. (Both the ankle and knee are simple hinge joints. They only allow an opening and closing front-to-back).
• The hip joint: It’s a ball-and-socket, where the thigh bone inserts, towards the bottom of your pelvis. It’s tricky to locate, but is close to your sitting bones.
• Or a combination of these.

A few clues: Do you hold the knee or allow it to move? If the knee moves left and right, your hinge is in the ball-and-socket of the hip joint. Can you feel it?

Keep your knee still. If the knee isn’t moving in space, can you feel what is moving now? (Put your hand on your thigh so you can feel the knee is still). Bring your attention to the area below your ankle joint. . Can you feel this area lengthening and shortening towards and away from the floor? If not, not much, or not smoothly and easily, this is something to improve.

Underwork in one place means overwork elsewhere.

If the feet and toes aren’t supple, its likely that you are overworking elsewhere. If the foot isn’t acting as the shock absorber, or able to shift its shape to adjust to the floor, you’re likely to be compensating in the knee and hip. Often leading to pain or injury over time.

So whilst far away, and unassuming, we need to pay our feet and ankles regular attention.