April is foot awareness month so take some time to take care of those tootsies! Start with something simple like backing your hips up to align over the heel of your foot. Get your feet out of shoes as often as possible. Give them some TLC like a massage, roll them on a Yoga Tune Up® Therapy Ball, stretch your toes, the tops of your feet, and your calves. Then go take a walk, outside, and try it in a shoe with little to no heel, a soft sole, or go barefoot. Walking barefoot reduces the load on your knee joints by 12% compared with walking in comfortable shoes. The finding from a study at Rush University Medical Center found that 75 people with osteoarthritis experienced minimized pain and disability. And a later study found that "mobility shoes" which are flat and flexible to mimic bare feet, reduced the load 18% MORE when worn for six months or more.
My favorite "mobility shoes" are Bedrock Sandals and Vibram Fivefingers. They are a bit of an investment with your hard earned cash but the investment you'll be making in your health ... PRICELESS.
