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September, 2010, Vol. 10, Issue 09 What About My Feet?By Sharon Puszko, PhD, LMT During a recent session with a regular client of mine, we ended up having a conversation about feet. I cannot remember how the topic came up - maybe he was having particularly bad pain in his feet that day - but we ended up discussing what kind of shoes we wear the majority of the time. The conversation made me realize that for as much time as I spend working peoples' feet, I have not yet written exclusively about feet and massage, or self-care of feet for practitioners. Massage therapists are one of the groups of professionals who spend most of their time working on their feet; in addition to pulling, pushing, bending, leaning and lifting. We have a rather "physical" job, and after giving five to eight massages in one day, I know my feet have frequently felt the effects of this. I can also admit I rarely do anything more than stretch my feet out and give myself a mini-pedicure before I go to bed. The following morning, my feet seem to recover, and I go about my day as usual. However, after the aforementioned conversation, I started discussing footwear and lower body pain with colleagues, and I decided this topic would be extremely useful to write about.
There is one category of shoes that is so controversial I feel like we need to address it all on its own: flip flops. Just mentioning them in front of physical therapists and orthopedic doctors elicits snarls and frowns. At first, I was amused by the reactionary tendencies these summer shoes evoked in the health care community. But after reading up on them, it is clear that frequent use of flip flops can cause long-term foot problems for people, such as tendonitis, blisters, plantar fasciitis and sprained ankles. The more immediate consequences of wearing flip flops in place of other shoes include cuts, bruises and injuries because they do not offer your feet good protection or support. Visit the APMA Web site for their recommendations on finding a good pair of flip flops for the summer. I stress this, because all current research says they should not be worn for work, and should not be worn on a daily basis. Strength & Flexibility Exercises Now that we've discussed footwear, I would like to share some stretches with you that I came across on Runner'sWorld.com. They focus on your foot, ankle, and lower leg, and if done daily, will increase your strength and flexibility, which can help prevent injury in the future. The Monopoly Game: Put 10 small objects on the floor (i.e. marbles or Monopoly pieces) and place a small cup nearby. Using your toes, pick up the pieces one at a time and put them in the cup. Do two sets of 10 with each foot. Compete with your spouse or kids to see who can do 10 in the fastest time.
Toe Tug: Loop one end of an exercise band around a sturdy table leg or bedpost. Sit with your legs straight in front of you, and loop the other end around the top part of one foot. The band should be anchored straight in front of you, and it should be taut when your foot is pointed away from you. Pull your toes toward you, keeping your leg straight. Go as far as your ankle will let you. Release slowly, returning to the starting position. Do two sets of 20 on each leg. Bent-Knee Wall Stretch: Runners often forget to stretch the soleus - a muscle deep in the calf that attaches to the Achilles. "Doing a calf stretch with a straight leg hits the gastrocnemius, but that's only half the battle," Schneider says. Here's how to target the soleus: Stand with your palms against a wall, one leg forward, one leg back. Lower into a "seated" position with legs bent. Lean into the wall until you feel it in your back calf. Hold 30 to 45 seconds then switch legs. Negative Calf Raises: Stand on a step with your toes on the edge and your heels hanging off. Push up with both feet into a calf raise. Lift one leg off the step, and lower your other leg so that your heel drops below the step. Take at least 10 seconds to lower it all the way down - that's the eccentric part of the move and has been shown to help prevent Achilles tendinitis. Plantar Stretch: Sit down barefoot and cross your right leg so that your ankle rests on your left thigh. Hold your toes and bend them back toward your shin, stretching the plantar fascia. A study showed that people suffering from plantar fasciitis had a 77 percent chance of returning to full activity within three to six months after performing this stretch. Researchers suggest that you do the stretch 10 times at least three times a day (once or twice a day doesn't produce as strong of an effect). I've always been selective when it comes to buying shoes, and after researching for this article, I am certainly happy for that trait. I am also looking forward to staying up on current research regarding footwear and foot health; I will continue to be careful before I stand on my own two feet! Resources
Click here for more information about Sharon Puszko, PhD, LMT.
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