Most movement activities involve standing on your feet. And just like the foundation of a good building, a strong foundation for your body is needed to keep your structures stable and healthy. A poor foundation leads to early breakdown of all structures. If your feet tend to roll to the inside excessively, you are a pronator. If instead they tend to roll to the outside, you are a supinator. The easiest way to find this out is to walk barefoot with wet feet on concrete.
In case you are not sure, we offer a free foot scan at Highland Physical Therapy. Why does your footprint matter? The image below shows how excessive pronation and supination impact your ankles. Wow!
You take an average of two thousand steps per mile when walking. And the recommended 10,000 daily steps is nearly 5 miles! As you can see, an unstable foundation eventually causes breakdown of the structures above your feet including ankles, knees, hips and the spine. It all starts with the feet! Next in this series, I will show you how your knees are impacted. In the meantime, check out your footprints. If you are interested in learning more about your own feet, we offer a free foot scan, just call us at 208-237-2080. With that scan, you can see what your footprints look like compared to the optimal foot as pictured in the graphic below.
