Essential Oil Sale

It's finally here!  Time to talk about feet!  I hope even those of you who have a negative "thing" about your feet - or other people's feet - will read on and perhaps have some cause to reconsider.

Let's start with a quick anatomy lesson on the foot.  Quick quiz - how many bones are in a normal human foot?  If you said at least 28, you are right.  Some people have 2 or 3 more than that, but most of us have 28.  There are 7 tarsal bones (heel and ankle), 5 metatarsal bones (long part of the foot) and 14 phalanges (toes).  We have 2 sesamoid bones near the base of the big toe and some people also have 2 or 3 more sesamoid bones near their other toes.  Sesamoid bones are small, floating bones that develop within a tendon.  (Actually, your kneecap is a big floating sesamoid bone in the tendon of your quadricep muscle.)  The bones are arranged in 3 arches - a very structurally stable formation.  Question 2 - how many ligaments are in a normal human foot?  Over 100 - I stopped counting in the anatomy book at 65 and that didn't include any of the ligaments connecting the phalanges! Ligaments are made of tough connective tissue and connect bones to other bones.  Then we have muscles and their tendons.  Tendons are also a tough connective tissue, but they connect muscles to bones.  There are over a dozen tendon attachments in the foot just from the muscles that are actually housed in your lower leg.  Add to that four layers of small, intrinsic muscles in the sole of the foot and all their attachments, an assortment of synovial sheaths, aponeurosis, fat pads, joint capsules and fascia, plus all the blood and nerve supply and you will agree that there is A LOT going on in your feet!  The picture at the top hardly begins to cover it all.
   Of course all this complication has a very real and very functional purpose.  In walking, feet must provide both mobile, shock-absorbing flexibility and rigid leverage to complete a full step.  We have thousands of nerve endings in our feet that keep us informed about how we're moving, what we're moving on and how we can keep our balance.  This is all done under the repeated stress of each step that adds up to tons of force exerted on the lowly foot each day.
   You can imagine that with all that complication and all that stress, there is a great deal of opportunity for problems.  Millions of people who deal with foot pain every day know that first hand.  But foot pain is not normal and needs to be addressed.   Like it or not, most foot problems are self-created.  Very few people are born with foot problems; most arise because of neglect, mistreatment and downright abuse!  And so many problems can also be corrected with appropriate care and feeding.  Let's talk about that. 
   Mobility is vital to your feet.  All kinds of mobility - pretty much everything in your feet should move.  They are made to move!   Movement keeps them supple, strong, limber, lubricated, unstuck, well-fed by blood and lymphatic circulation and nerve stimulation.  But most feet do not get the opportunity to move in all the ways they would like.  Most feet spend most days encased (at best) or strangled (at worst) in shoes that are miserable environments for feet.  Though the strangling-type shoes are a fairly recent invention, they have become a very standard modern convention.  Since most of us are tied to this convention for much of the day, we owe it to our feet to give them "recess" as often as possible.  Freed from confinement, feet appreciate both manual movement and moving on their own.  You can move your toes, metatarsals and ankles through great ranges of motion.  Toes move up and down, sideways, in circles and curl in and out.  The metatarsals can scissor up and down from each other and curl in and out from the arch.  The ankle moves up and down, in and out and in great circles.  BUT, your feet and ankles should be able to do many of these movements on their own as well.  Take a look.  Can you curl your toes in toward the sole of your foot?  Can you spread them apart?  How far?  With your foot on the floor, can you lift all the toes off the floor?  How far?  How big are the ankle circles you can make?  Sitting and without moving your leg, how far can you turn the sole of your foot in, and then out?  Can you pick up a small object with your toes?  And put it down somewhere else? 
   If any of these movements make your feet or your lower legs "tired" or maybe cramp - it's likely that the muscles controlling your feet are weak from not being used much.  Shod feet don't have the opportunity to develop those muscles.  Like any other muscle, they will get stronger with practice.  And like other exercise, start slow and work up.  Walk on your tip toes, walk on your heels, spread your toes, circle those ankles - get those bare feet moving! 
   (If anyone doubts that keeping your feet inside shoes that are tight and strangely shaped NOT like a human foot can have a real impact on the shape and health of your foot, look at this VERY extreme example in Chinese foot binding.  Of course those fashionable high heeled, way pointed toe shoes won't go this far - but over time, they can definitely contribute to alterations in foot shape and function and to numerous foot problems and pain.  And yes, those are her bare feet.)
   There has been a flurry of interest lately in barefoot running in light of some research published showing less impact on the body overall than when running in shoes.  (And a nod to my friend Leslie for sending along an article about this!)  Shoes limit our own shock absorbing abilities as well as our awareness of the terrain we're on.  Many people are reporting less discomfort and injury when running barefoot.  If you decide to try this, do some research and start slowly.  Bones, connective tissues and muscles adapted to shoes need time to acclimate to the different positions and motions barefoot running will require.  Check out these websites for barefoot running info:  Running Barefoot, Harvard study, Barefoot Professor Video

There is, however, more to our feet than movement and it might not surprise you that most of it requires bare feet as well.  Think there might be some natural and normal about bare feet? 
Reflexology.  Using the feet to affect various parts of the body has been documented as early as ancient Egypt - 2300 B.C!  Reflexology is based on the belief that there are reflex areas in the feet that correspond to all the glands, organs and parts of the body and that stimulation of these reflex points can assist in the natural healing and balance of the entire body.  Much credit for our modern version of reflexology is given to Eunice Ingham.  A session with a trained reflexologist can be a real treat for your feet, as well as relaxing for the whole body.  This method can also be a great self-help intervention - provided you can reach the bottom of your feet!  Books and charts are readily available, as well as beginner classes.  For more information, click here:  International Institute of Reflexology
Chinese Medicine.  In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Kidneys are often referred to as the Root of Life.  In extreme simplification, Kidney energy is considered the foundation of all the other organ energies in the body.  What does this have to do with the feet?  The origin of the Kidney meridian is near the center of the sole of the foot.  Stimulation of this point - whether by acupuncture needles, reflexology, or walking barefoot in the morning dew - is said to increase and balance this vital energy.  Give it a try!
Earthing.  This might seem far-fetched to some, but there is some research being done that involves our electromagnetic relationship to the Earth.  Many things are understood about the electromagnetic nature of the earth (like weather), and we understand things about electromagnetic properties in the body (like how the heart beats and how MRIs work).  But some have just started to look at the relationship between the two.  Some say the geomagnetic surface of earth feeds energy into living things; that an influx of electrons (with a negative charge) from the earth helps counteract oxidation (positive charge) damage in the body.  Early studies point to a benefit in our direct physical connection to the Earth - like our bare feet touching the bare ground.  In contrast, our separation from the Earth - in synthetic shoes and multi-storied buildings and asphalt - disconnects us from the energy the Earth provides.  Maybe you want to wait for the double-blind, placebo-controlled study - or maybe you'll decide some time lying right on the ground or going barefoot won't hurt anything at the least!  To see more about Earthing research, follow this link:  Earthing Research

Consider that in cultures where people don't regularly wear shoes, the incidence of bunions, corns, hammertoes, ingrown toenails and flat feet is virtually zero.  Athlete's foot and other common fungal problems don't exist much out of damp, dark shoes and into the fresh, open air.  Odor too!  However, outside the beach, we are a society with barefoot "issues."  If you have the urge to break the mold - or the buckle - you are not alone.  The good folks at the Society for Barefoot Living -  Barefoot Living - encourage the habit, working to dispel myths and prejudice against bare feet.  Did you know it is NOT illegal to drive barefoot?  And that it is NOT a public health rule that shoes be required in public places?  Even in Michigan - see this link, which was re-verified in 2009.  Health Code in MI 

Bottom Line.  Your feet need exercise and fresh air just like the rest of your muscles and body, and they won't get that in shoes.  Besides walking barefoot, do the ranges of motion mentioned earlier.  Practice picking things up and moving them with your toes.  If separating your toes is hard, watch TV with pedicure toe separators - or rolled up Kleenex, or pencils - then magic markers! - between them for a stretch.  Sit back on your heels with the toes flat on the floor and then up on the balls of your feet.  Stretch your calf muscles (especially if you wear heels) to work the Achilles tendon that attaches to your heel.  Massage the feet regularly to increase blood and lymph circulation, stimulate nerves and relax muscles.
   If you have chronic foot pain, it's smart to have it evaluated.  People with diabetes have special concerns with foot health.  Knowing your body and your feet, getting professional advice when indicated and using some common sense will help guide you in steps toward better foot health.  (But foot massage always is good!)

So, whether you want to improve your health or raise some eyebrows, consider going barefoot - at least a little bit every day.  And thank your fabulous, fun, fit, fundamental feet for supporting you every day of your life!