Ever wonder why you have foot pain? Do you notice your feet hurt after sitting or standing for long periods? How do they feel after you take your shoes off? They can breathe again! Our feet are very important and it’s why Pilates is so helpful. Whether it’s in-person using equipment or at home in an online Pilates session with a mat; your feet feel happy and free after exercising them. Exercising your feet also relieves back, hip, and knee pain.
Feet are the foundation of your body.
Have you ever watched a home improvement show where they discuss cracks in the foundation? The cracks can lead to water in the basement and the structure of the house is compromised. We stand and walk on our feet throughout the day. Our feet allow us to balance our legs on top like pillars and columns. That’s a lot of weight on top of two feet!
A builder starts with the existing foundation to improve the framework and pieces inside the house. It’s no longer outside cosmetic work but internal improvements that last much longer. Once the cracks in the foundation are filled and sealed, the house becomes more efficient. The heating and cooling improves and flows through the house easily. The same is true for your feet and the rest of your body. A house can be painted to look nicer but if there’s a crack in the foundation, it’ll still leak and crumble.
Animals walk on four feet instead of two. The weight is evenly distributed through the feet, just like when a child learns to crawl. Think of how unstable a child is when they begin to walk. They learn to balance the body on two feet. If the body is not balanced on two feet they fall forwards or backwards. We continue to practice balancing on two feet for the rest of our lives.
Have you ever heard someone walking around the house and plopping their feet on the floor? It sounds like an elephant stomping its way from room to room. Now imagine you had springs on the bottom of your feet, like individual pogo sticks. Can you feel how much lighter it is to walk on your feet? Stomping your feet like an elephant can feel like a shockwave throughout the rest of your body. Our foundation (body) would get a crack from the shock of each harsh step. When we begin to exercise our feet the shock decreases within the body.
I was a dancer for many years and wore pointe shoes for a couple of years. Cramming my feet into a box that was 3 sizes smaller than my regular shoe size was very uncomfortable. It’s the same as putting your feet into small pointy high heels. Our feet are meant to spread out and breath just like the rest of our body. Simply spreading your toes apart can relieve foot pain after standing or walking.
Fred Astaire was an amazing dancer! When he moves it appears that his shoes have wings. His movements are so graceful with his upper half balanced on top of the fast moving feet. In the movie Happy Feet the penguins feet seem like they move on their own. They are free and happy.
How often do you take care of your feet?
Have you received a pedicure before? Did they massage your feet after soaking them? It feels so good to have a massage. What if you could receive foot massages everyday? Not only would your feet feel better, the rest of your body would too!
After a massage on your feet did you notice how your feet felt alive? There was more blood flow and increased circulation. It doesn’t stop there. If you got up and walked around the hips are free from tension and you will feel a difference in your back.
Our foot pain gives valuable insight to the rest of our body.
It explains why you can get migraine headaches, why you have back, hip, or knee pain. It’s the reason why I begin each Pilates session with work for your feet. The focus begins on the feet and then works it way up the rest of the body. The footwork feels like a massage for your feet. When working with the entire body, foot pain will decrease as the rest of the body becomes stronger. You’ll leave a Pilates session feeling like you’re gliding just like Fred Astaire.
Start relieving your feet with these exercises. All you need is your body and a chair to get started! https://youtu.be/1bQwdJDfZsU
Next month I have a webinar and class about the feet. Would you like to know more? Comment below saying you’re interested!
Yes, interested in next month’s webinar on feet.
Great! I see you’re on my email list Adam. I’ll send details out in a couple weeks!