Feet: The Foundation of Your Being

This blog post was written by Justin Scherff, a Core Physical Therapy PT who specializes in TMJ pain and disorders.

The true strength and stability of a building doesn’t come from the walls, drywall, or the floor, it comes from the foundation. If this is not strong and stable, or warps over-time, then anything built on top of it could start to warp or crack.

Think about a car driving down the road.  The sun is out, music playing, a great afternoon drive.  With your tires at the correct pressure on all sides, the axle and frame are balanced and you get miles upon miles of travel without frame damage.

Now imagine driving around on a flat tire. Sure, you can make it to the next gas station to fill it up, or even further with a low chance of causing damage to the car. But miles upon miles of travel with one flat tire can cause warping in the axles and frame, which is a much bigger problem down the road than fixing your flat tire.

Your feet are the foundation of your being, because the moment you touch the ground your body has to balance on these two structures.

Having both feet be strong and flexible can provide a great foundation and years upon years of “miles” with your body. Without strong, supportive feet, it can lead to a limited ability to do and be who we want.

YOUR FEET STRUCTURE

Do my feet structure change? If so, how?

While there is no “here’s the answer to all the problems,” here are some possibilities:

• Past ankle sprains or injuries, even when you were a kid
• Back pain
• Knee/hip weakness
• Broken toes (seems like our pinky toe’s job is to find all the walls and cabinets, isn’t it?)
• Slowly develops over time
• If our arches are not balanced, it is like we are driving on one flat tire. Do this long enough, and there can start to be problems later on.

Here are a few of the things that I’ve seen in the clinic that come from imbalances in the feet.

• Headaches
• Shoulder pain
• Low back pain
• Hip/knee pain
• Foot/heel/plantar fascia pain
• Sciatica pain

A SIMPLE SOLUTION

One solution that I’ve learned about and started to implement in my practice is custom orthotics by Foot Levelers, specifically the CRA-flex orthotic.

I love this product for a variety of reasons:

1. They support the three different arches in the foot vs one big arch support
2. They are made from leather which is a much more breathable material, easy to clean, and doesn’t contain any plastics/dies/chemicals for those with sensitivities.
3. They use reflexology for 4 big organ supports: adrenal glands, thyroid, brain/brainstem and heart. Supporting these organs can provide greater energy/stamina throughout the day. It’s as if your car goes from having 20 miles/gallon to 35 miles/gallon, able to do more without running out of steam.
4. They have a 1 year full money back warranty and work with the client on making alterations if needed.

REAL PATIENT, REAL RESULTS

I had a patient come into the office with chronic back pain for many years and could only move about 25% of the normal range of motion because of pain. Through testing, she needed orthotics and heel lifts.  I had her stand on these in the clinic, and re-test her range of motion. She had FULL range of motion with minimal to no pain.  She stood off the supports and was right back to her painful, limited mobility.

While this isn’t a guarantee for everyone, many patients who have used this have seen impactful results. I love simple and easy ways to support your ability to live and move and have your being to the fullest.

As you can see in this image below, there is an instant and significant improvement in the level of the hips and pelvis with this person who used foot levelers orthotics.

It’s really quick and easy, accomplished in one visit. If you are wanting custom supports, reach out to Core Physical Therapy and ask to schedule with Justin Scherff in Adel.