The other day, my back was bugging me.
It was a familiar feeling- a tight, restricted feeling on the right side of my low back, near the top of my pelvis.
It hurt when I bent forward, twisted, or stepped the wrong way.
And I knew it would escalate into a much bigger problem if I didn't take care of it.
Of course, I was tempted to stretch my back...
Or try to "pop" it.
That's usually my first instinct.
But I knew from experience doing those things probably wouldn't help...
And had a good chance of making it worse.
Instead, I paused and thought for a moment...
And took off my slippers.
I had been wearing my cushy, sherpa-lined slippers for the last few weeks.
(My awesome sister gave them to me for Christmas a couple of years ago).
And while I love them for being so warm and cuddly...
My back felt about 50% better as soon as I took them off.
This moment of relief reminded me of something important.
And I want to share it with you today:
Your feet are the most underrated resource you have in your body.
And because of their tremendous impact...
And, I'd even say, intelligence...
Investing effort in helping your feet move well...
Will contribute more to your ability to move and exercise without pain...
Than ANY pair of shoes ever could.
Your feet are chock full of movement-ability.
In each foot you have...
26 bones.
33 joints.
And 100+ muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Plus, you have somewhere around 400,000 proprioceptors in your feet, too.
(Proprioceptors are nerve endings that detect movement).
I think it's fair to say that how, when, and how much your feet move...
Is really important.
Best of all, your feet respond to challenges.
When we cushion and protect them too much,
Their ability to sense and respond to movement diminishes...
And they get weaker.
When we help your feet move successfully...
With appropriate and progressive challenges...
They get stronger, more responsive, and more able to contribute to healthy movement in the rest of your body.
In other words,
You are already the proud owner of the BEST pair of footwear you could ever own:
Brilliant, responsive, strong, and adaptable... feet.
That's why my back felt better almost immediately....
And continued feeling better when I kept moving without my slippers on.
My body needed the support that only my FEET could give it.
What’s more, many of my clients tell me that they are more comfortable in their shoes...
And out of their shoes...
When they have been training up their feet.
And when their feet feel better...
So does the rest of their body.
As the old saying goes...
"Take care of your feet.
And they will take care of you."
Best regards,
Melissa
P.S.
WHENEVER YOU EXERCISE, remember this rule: "Movement begets movement. Success begets success."
Move MOST in directions and ranges that are 100% comfortable and easy for you... and avoid movements that are restricted, painful, or uncomfortable.
If you’re having trouble finding “comfortable and easy” in your movement, physical therapy can help.
Head over to kinesipt.com/talk and book a free discovery call to see if movement-based physical therapy might be right for you.
Photo by Michał Parzuchowski on Unsplash