Fixing Your Feet Ezine - How we Walk, Foot Care, and much more
John Vonhof, Footwork Publications
Copyright, May 2008, All rights reserved
THIS ISSUE IN SUMMARY
This issue has an editorial on You Walk Wrong – Part II and an article on Footcare for the Seniors in Your Life. It also has information on foot care resources, an interesting piece on Feet and Fish, a foot care tip, a question of the month, and a bad feet photo after a wart removal.
PURPOSE
The Fixing Your Feet E-zine is published monthly to inform and educate athletes and non-athletes about proper foot care skills and techniques, provide tips on foot care, review foot care products, and highlight problems people have with their feet.
Editorial: You
Walk Wrong – Part II
From April 2008’s newsletter, The article caught my eye. The April 28 issue of New York magazine had an article “You Walk Wrong” My daughter in New York had seen a short article, which was a summary of the longer piece – and sent me the link. Its title was “Feet Hurt? Stop Wearing Shoes” on NPR Radio. Here is the link for the short article and there’s also a link to listen to a nine-minute audio interview with the author Adam Sternbergh.
Last month I pointed out the focus on the article. Here is
a brief summary.
“It took 4 million years of evolution to perfect the foot, and humans have been wrecking that perfection with every step since they first donned shoes. Everyone who wears shoes walks wrong."
As I read through Sternbergh’s article, I find he makes four generalizations:
1.
Feet good. Shoes bad.
2.
The padded heels of shoes encourage a hard landing as we land
heel first.
3.
The thick soles of shoes encourage a flat foot plodding as we
roll through the stride.
4. Inflexible shoes prevent our toes from pushing off correctly.
He describes what he calls the shoe paradox: “We’ve come to believe that shoes, not bare feet, are natural and comfortable, when in fact wearing shoes simply creates the need for wearing shoes.” Rather then the natural motion our feet go through as we walk, we do it differently when we wear shoes. We don’t roll through each step, we stomp on our feet as we walk. We hit the ground harder because we have extra cushioned shoes. Our feet have to bend where the shoes want them to bend rather than at their natural flex points."
Sternbergh likes the Vivo Barefoot shoe line. The website
says their design offers, “… an ultra-high abrasion and puncture resistant sole
and super flexible soles, which allow your feet to work and walk as designed,
and which has made it possible to wear shoes while enjoying all the advantages
of Walking Barefoot!” In our athletic world, these could be compared to
Vibram’s FiveFingers footwear.
On the FiveFingers website, I found the following statement. “Motion studies demonstrate that when running barefoot, one naturally lands on the forefoot, directly below your center of gravity. This results in optimum balance, increased stability, less impact, and greater propulsion. According to Dr. Ivo Waerlop of the Vibram Biomechanics Advisory Board, ‘Running in FiveFingers improves agility, strength, and equilibrium, plus it delivers sensory feedback that allows runners to make immediate corrections in their form. This greatly improves running efficiency.’”
I think Sternbergh’s four generalizations above should be taken with a grain of salt. Yes, some shoes today are big and clunky. Too stiff and too unforgiving. Too padded, too confining. But, people buy them because we read the reviews in magazines that tell us how good they are. So we buy a shoe based on a few reviews. Fortunately, we have footwear companies like Vibram and Inov8 that are making shoes that defy the norm. Others will follow suit. Shoes today are much better then shoes of the past.
Sternbergh gives a good description of barefoot walking, comparing it to barefoot running. “Barefoot walking is, in its mechanics, very similar to barefoot running. The idea is to eliminate the hard-heel strike and employ something closer to a mid-strike: landing softly on the heel but rolling immediately through the outside of your foot, then across the ball and pushing off with the toes, with a kind of figure-eight movement though the foot."
While I have trouble with some of Sternbergh’s ideas, I agree with what he says about feeling the ground. “After wearing the [Vivo] Barefoots for a while, though, I found I really liked them, precisely because you can feel the ground—you can tell if you’re walking on cobblestones, asphalt, a manhole, or a subway grate. (Striding along that nubby yellow warning strip on the subway platform feels like a foot massage.) Of course, it’s not often that you walk around New York, see something on the ground, and think, ‘I wish I could feel that with my foot.’ But this kind of walking is a revelation. Not only does it change your step, but it changes your perceptions. As you stroll, your perception stops being so horizontal—i.e., confined more or less to eye level—and starts feeling vertical or, better yet, 360 degrees. You have a new sense of what’s all around you, including underneath.”
I agree because I think back to when I ran Western States in the late 80s. I liked running at night on the trails. I found that I shown my
Maglight ahead of me rather than down at my feet. As I ran, I sensed where
my
feet where and what they needed to do as they encountered roots, rocks, and an
undulating trail. I could feel the trail. I was connected. I wore regular
running shoes, but I still “felt” the ground. I think Vibram’s FiveFingers
would give me even greater feeling.
Sternbergh ends his article with a great suggestion for all of us. “We’re going to wear shoes. So even if shoes are the enemies of our feet, what have we really learned? What you can do … is stop taking walking for granted and start thinking of it like any other physical activity: as something you can learn to do better.” That is good advice for walking and running. I for one, will spend more time barefoot, and will definitely try the FiveFingers. How about you?
If you want to know more about going barefoot, check out
the following links:
Barefoot Rick’s Barefoot Runner.org
Here’s the link to Sternbergh’s full article in New York magazine. It was published on the web on April 21st and since the site allows comments, it has received many reader comments. Some of them are quite interesting.
Lest you think walking barefoot is always safe, be sure to read Brad’s story below in the Bad Feet Photo section of the newsletter. He sent his story and photo in response to last month’s article on You Walk Wrong. Another response is in the Reeder Feedback section below.
If you want to comment on this piece, please send me an email.
FIXING YOUR FEET, 4th EDITION
The 4th edition of Fixing Your Feet can be
ordered through my FixingYourFeet.com web site, ZombieRunner.com, or
Amazon.com. Completely updated, it has three new chapters and lots of new
sections. The retail price is $18.95 but most sites, including mine, has it at
a reduced rate.
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Please take a moment and forward this issue to a friend or two and encourage them to subscribe.
MY TWO FOOTCARE ARTICLES
Subscribers of Ultrarunning can find my article “Foot Care
for Optimal Performance” in the March issue on page 24. Those of you with the June issue of Trail Runner can find my article “Blister Battle” on page 30.
FEET AND FISH!
“Let the minnows nibble away and take care of your tired feet.” So read the title of an article in The Star online, Malaysia's most widely-read English-language daily. Read on and see what you think. The picture is worth a thousand words.
“They know something we don’t,” reveals Dr Francis Ng, a partner with the
mobile units of Foot Master fish spas, which can be found operating in shopping
complexes. The idea of foot care and the link with the thousands of tiny fishes
swimming in two large inflatable pools has been playing in his mind for some
time now.
Though the minnows would swarm round those tootsies by the hundreds, they
were toothless and could therefore, only nibble on the skin of the soles with
the outer rims of their lips. And according to Francis, 30 minutes of this fish
nibbling session does the job of ridding the soles of dead skin cells and
cleans the various pressure points. “These fishes will micro massage your
toes,” he promises.
The result of such sessions, he claims, will leave the guest with a feeling of well-being and freshness as the nibbling action also promotes blood circulation. He also claims that these minnows secrete an enzyme called dithranol which has the ability to repair and normalize the skin after the dead skin has been nibbled off.
ARTICLE: FOOTCARE FOR THE SENIORS IN YOUR LIFE
Paul Langer, DPM, has written a great book on footcare and
footwear for healthy aging. What’s that you ask? How does this apply to you as
an athlete? Well, I want to take a moment and ask you to read this
article and
send it to your parents, aunts or uncles, or grandparents - the “seniors” in
your life. Their foot care is just as important as your is. Paul is a friend of
mine and his book is good. Here is his article.
Research shows that our quality of life is directly related to our ability to stay active and nothing is more important to remaining active than maintaining the health of our feet. Simple, regular self-footcare and proper footwear choices can go a long way in keeping our feet healthy.
Foot Hygiene – The single most important thing one can do for foot health is to maintain good hygiene. This means washing the feet daily with soap, wearing clean socks and caring for the skin and nails on a regular basis.
Skin Care – The skin of the feet must be resilient enough to withstand thousands of footsteps each day. Bathing the feet daily, applying moisturizing lotions to dry skin and managing calluses with lotions and pumice stone helps our skin hold up to the demands of an active lifestyle. Never ignore rashes, painful calluses or skin that is red or tender as this can be a sign of infection. For those who’s feet sweat excessively, foot powders and socks with less than 30% cotton are best for keeping the skin dry.
Nail Care – Toenails tend to become thicker, discolored and more brittle as we age. This can make it more difficult to trim the nails and contribute to painful nail conditions such as ingrown nails or fungal nails. Nails should be trimmed straight across and rough edges or nail thickness should be reduced with a nail file.
Footwear – For those who are vulnerable to foot pain whether is due to arthritis, previous injuries or toe alignment issues such as bunions or hammertoes, it is imperative that you wear shoes that fit well, provide proper support and are not excessively worn. Poorly fitting shoes contribute to many of the most common causes of foot pain. Take the time to visit a reputable footwear retailer and spend the time necessary selecting a comfortable, supportive pair of shoes. Do not overlook the importance of footwear for at-home use. Flimsy slippers or flip-flops may not provide enough protection for those with foot pain when they are at home.
Falling Risk and your Feet – Risk factors for falls include: poorly fitting shoes, shoes with elevated heel height, excessively worn shoes, sandals or shoes with unsecured heel
Excerpted from GREAT FEET FOR LIFE: FOOTCARE AND FOOTWEAR FOR HEALTHY AGING by Paul Langer, DPM
FOOT CARE TIPS
I recently received the summer 2008 issue of Outside magazine’s Buyer’s Guide. I love these special issues because they have all kinds of equipment reviews. If you don’t have a copy, I recommend buying one. Lots of footwear reviews. Inside was a page of five backcountry tips from Conrad Anker. In addition to being a world-class climber, Conrad has been a runner too, including ultras. I liked what he wrote for his second tip:
Watch Your Step – "I’m a borderline fanatic about my feet. I wash them almost every other day on expeditions with soap and hot water, and then I wash them again with hand sanitizer to make sure all the germs between my toes are killed. I let them air-dry completely and then slather them with Burt’s Bees moisturizer ($9.00 from Burt’s Bees). I duct-tape blisters, and I wear one pair of socks, not two.”
BAD FEET PHOTO
Brad emailed me with a photo of
his foot after a wart removal. He wrote: “Enjoy the articles. I'm an orienteer,
and would get really nasty heel blisters, which is how I discovered your book
and e-zine. I finally came up with a taping method that is working fine, but
still read your e-zine as it remains interesting. The April issue was
interesting. I used to be that guy who didn't wear shoes - played volleyball
barefoot, went
around the house and yard barefoot, and took showers at the gym
barefoot. Not sure where it happened, but somewhere I picked up a wart. Not
just any wart - but a wart that wouldn't respond to any kind of treatment.
I did the treatment with salicylic drops.
Moved to salicylic acid patches. Then to the podiatrist: He did three rounds of
blistering agents, four rounds of bleomycin injections. While waiting for
surgery, I did the duct tape method. Needless to say, nothing worked, and the
wart just kept growing and shooting off satellites. Finally, after an incision
of about 3-cm wide by several mms deep, and seven weeks of recovery, I think
I'm finally wart free.
Needless to say, at least in the gym showers and other questionable patches of real estate, I'm keeping my thongs (zorries) on, thank you very much.”
Just think; your feet could be featured in this e-zine for everyone to see! Submit your photo or short story by email or snail mail. Stories should be no longer than 250 words. Send them to me by email.
QUESTION OF THE MONTH
Mary wrote me in mid-May and
mentioned she was going to be running Badwater this July. She wrote:
“I have to admit that one of my fears about doing BW is blisters - I rarely get them so I do not have much education in dealing with them. Yet I assume that since so many others have blister problems in Death Valley that I will too. I am lucky in that my crew are pros with blister care, so if and when problems develop they can step in. Perhaps I'll be on one of those cots in Stovepipe with you trimming away the dead pieces and taping up the live ones on my foot. But if I am lucky, I'll just stop in Stovepipe to say "hi," cool-off in the pool and move on.”
I gave her the following advice. It’s not good for just Badwater runners, but anyone planning a 50- or 100-miler, a multi day hike or an adventure race.
“Here are a few thoughts. If you are prone to toe blisters, or fear them, Injinji socks may be a good choice. I would highly recommend getting Drymax socks. They are rated higher in moisture control than any other socks. Get some Kinesio-Tex tape for blister control. I believe this is the best tape for what we do. As you may recall, I used it on Jon's heels last year at Badwater when he had the worst blisters I had ever seen - at 17 miles, and he finished. Hydropel is the best lubricant with moisture control. Spend some time reducing any calluses to avoid blistering under the calluses. Spend time filing your toenails. Feel free to ask any questions. Zombierunner has the tape and Hydropel.
READER FEEDBACK AND COMMENTS
Mark wrote: “I just read your walking wrong article. I know the man you quote may seem radical but he is not the first to approach this subject. “Running Fast and Injury Free” is an ebook that has saved my running. You made a good point, if there were no shoes there would be no orthotics, not because you have no where to put them but because they would be totally unnecessary. I changed my running style two years ago to a fore foot style as the foot was designed to work and it solved all my foot problems including planter fasciitis and blisters and well as stopping the pain in my hips and knees. Try running in bare feet, I bet you never land on your heel as you have to do in the latest Nike's. Something IS wrong with today’s shoe manufactures and a few people are beginning to realize it.”
Scott wrote: “I recently subscribed to your blog, and it has helped me in many ways. Your advice works no matter the footwear, be it a work boot, hiking shoe or even my hunting boots. I recommended it to all my friends, though they thought I was crazy till they read a few articles. Now they just rave about it. I would like to thank you for the advice because my feet being happy throughout the day makes the rest of me happy.”
Sharon sent me an email, “I refer to your book often as I am blessed with feet that are unhappy long distances.”
Reader feedback to this E-zine and its articles is welcome and encouraged. Please email any foot care ideas or tips that you have tried and would like to share with others, or ideas for an article for the ezine.
WRITE AN AMAZON REVIEW FOR A FREE COPY OF HAPPY FEET
Those of you with the 4th edition of Fixing Your Feet can get a free copy of my booklet, Happy Feet: Foot Care Advice for Walkers and Travelers. Click on Amazon or Barnes & Noble to go to the book’s page—and write a review of the 4th edition. Then send me an email telling me which site the review is on and your snail mail address. I will mail you a free copy of this 36-page booklet. Use it yourself, or give it to someone else. The booklet is described below and has a $5.00 value. Sorry, but because of postage, this offer is good only in the U.S and Canada.
MY HAPPY FEET BLOG
If you like to stay informed about foot care issues and information - on a more regular basis than this monthly newsletter, check out my blog, Happy Feet: Expert Foot Care Advice for People Who Love Their Feet. This is different from this ezine. The Happy Feet blog will have a new short topic every week. Click here for the Happy Feet blog.
GOT A STORY TO SHARE?
I am always on the look out for stories to share about their adventures with some type of connection to feet. If you have something to share, please send me an email.
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