We don't think much our feet unless they are hurting. Feet play a tremendous role in how your body functions. If the foot is off slightly, the rest of the body will be as well.
The most common problem arises when we wear shoes. You must realize that shoes have a shelf life when it comes to supporting your body. Just simply adding new inserts into old shoes will not correct the problem. The integrity of a shoe that is worn a couple days a week, will only last you about 6 months. After that, you may notice pain in your foot, ankle, knee, hip, or lower back. You may only feel it in one of these spots at first but it will progressively get worse over time unless you dump the shoes. It is a pretty simple fix.
These symptoms will also hold true for a shoes that do not compliment the direction that your foot naturally wants to go. The above image is the most common example. The image indicates Flat Feet. Adding arch supports and help correct and keep everything properly aligned. However if you buy a shoe that causes excessive pronation and you have flat feet, it will affect the chain all the way up the body.
There are simple exercises to help with flat feet. I prefer to use an AIREX balance pad to help speed up the process of strengthening the arch. Below you will see an image depicting the exercise.
This is an easy exercise that will pay dividends. You must be barefoot and stand on one leg. The goal here is to balance for 60 seconds on one foot without losing your balance. Then alternate to the other foot. Repeat this exercise 2 more time on both sides. Do this exercise daily and after about 10 days, you will notice how much better your entire body feels.
We are also celebrating our 1st year at our new location on Hulen! Thank you to everyone for a great first year. In celebration of this and the 4th of July, we are doing a $10 off the 90 minute massage. When scheduling (www.hadlcenter.com) type in (4th) in the promo code area during check out. Thanks again and we will see you soon!
