How to decrease foot pain through strength

Our feet are our first interaction with the ground, they propel us forward, support our every step and often times we totally forget about them when it comes to strength and rehabilitation exercise. Our feet have been specially crafted to be the support system of our bodies but we tend to take them for granted. We out fit them in fancy gear but often times that is actually doing a disservice to the biomechanics of the foot and can sometimes contribute to the loss of strength and the development of foot pain. Plantar fasciitis and bunion formation are among the most common that I see but mechanics of the foot can also cascade up the chain to effect how the ankle, knee, hip and lowback move.

Did you know the foot contains 33 joints and 29 muscles?!? The reason our foot anatomy is so intricate is for force distribution and postural control during gait. This function requires a certain amount of strength and mobility. The following exercises are a series of ways to strengthen the intrinsic foot muscles in charge of supporting the foot and can help to reduce pain that may be associated with deconditioning.