Shoes contribute to weak feet and poor posture

".... I believe shoes are a contributing (e.g., not primary) factor in the development of postural distortions. The foot was designed to walk barefooted which allows the intrinsic muscles of the foot to function and maintain their strength (as you walk, the toes are able to grasp the sand or soft ground). In shoes, especially with hard innersole surfaces, this cannot occur. The toes cannot function as they do barefooted, and hence the intrinsic muscles of the foot become weaker. This is compounded by the fact that many healthcare providers prescribe arch supports to help reduce the symptoms caused by a weak foot. Unfortunately, this only increases the problem. For example, for you put a cast around the knee, the muscles atrophy. Similarly, when you put an arch support underneath the foot, the intrinsic muscles of the foot atrophy." Professor Brian A Rothbart, Podiatric Physician and Surgeon
Photo: Lorraine and Gary Moller ~1958 Putaruru.
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Gary Moller comments:
I went barefoot the best part of my first 16 years, playing soccer, rugby, running cross-country and even hockey without shoes. My first 5 mile run was barefoot along a country road with a barefoot mate. My sister, Lorraine, did the same and her strong feet carried her to an Olympic bronze medal in the marathon at age 38.

All of my children were raised as barefoot as society would allow them. When a strethch and grow was given as a gift, the feet were cut out with a pair of scissors. Shoes were mostly open sandals and the toe boxes were spacious and the soles flexible. No tight stockings were allowed and bed clothes were light and loose so as not to distort the growing feet. All of my children have strong and flexible feet. They are set up for life by what we did for them in their first years.

The key to keeping toes comfy in the cold weather was not to swathe them in thick socks but to keep the central body core warm as toast so that excess heat was radiated away by the little pink toes. To understand more about this, please read my e-book about Hypothermia and Sport.

The photo to the right shows the feet of a child who has been raised mostly barefoot and the feet of an adult who was raised with restrictive footwear and stockings.

Professor Rothbart is dead right when he comments about arch supports. This is why I am generally opposed to the ise of orthotics to correct foot postural problems with these. Read my e-book here for more about this topic. I have yet to see a single case where orthotics are justified.

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What can I do to stop getting numb feet when cycling?

"Dear Gary, I get very cold feet while cycling. They go so numb that I can not feel them. I have tried everything, including new shoes, warm socks and getting my bike setup changed. Nothing has worked....This winter has been really bad for me." "J" _________________________________
Gary Moller comments:
Dear "J",
I empathise with the discomfort you are suffering. I think this is a problem most cyclists come up against at some time and I am no exception: The main cause of numb feet while cycling is that the blood is squeezed out of the foot when you press down but fresh, warm blood is unable to flood in because, unlike running, there is no relief of the pressure. The result is a kind of iscaemia, including cold feet. It can be painful as well as numbing and can cause most unpleasant chill blains. The solutions are as follows:

• Your shoes should allow space in the forefoot but able to be firmly laced at the ankle to prevent excessive movement
• Wear thin socks. Thick socks do not allow the foot to decompress with each cycle stroke.
  Use an exterior cycling booty over the shoe if it is really cold and wet. Have a quite hard innersole that will not compress. I personally use Formthotics Low Profile in all of my cycling shoes. You can get these from http://www.myotec.co.nz/
• Do not have your shoes too tight over the forefoot - fasten the ankle portion of the shoe to prevent too much movement.
• Work on your cyling technique. If you are a thighy pedaller, you will have constant pressure on the soles of the feet and you will get numb and painful soles.
• Correct cycling techniques has you pulling back and up with the hamstring and butt muscles with the back stroke. This takes a lot of practice and concentration to get right. Get it right and you take the pressure off the sole of the foot with each stroke, thus allowing fresh warm blood in.
• Keep your trunk (core) warm while exercising. if you do not keep your core warm, your periphery (arms and legs) will not receive warm blood because the arteries to them shut off to conserve body heat. If you keep your core warm then your feet will stay quite warm; even in very cold conditions.

I trust that this is helpful.

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Something fishy about smelly feet treatment advice

Here is an excerpt from the following medical advice column:
Fitness & Health with Dr. Gabe Mirkin: Should you wear socks with your running shoes
"The bacteria that rot your old skin grow luxuriously when the skin is wet. If you have a problem with foot odor, try pouring a small amount of powder into the toes of your socks before you put them on will help to keep your feet dry during the day and prevent bacteria from growing. Avoid wearing the same pair of shoes more often than every other day so they can dry out between use. You can also kill the bacteria by applying a common deodorant containing? aluminum chlorohydrate to your feet at bedtime and sleeping with socks on."

Here is my Question:
"Dear Gabe,
Would it not be better to wash the feet properly and regularly with soap and water than resorting to aluminium-based products?
Gary"


Here is the reply"
"So far, no harm (but skin irritation) from using aluminum chlorohydrate. It shuts down pores and decreases sweating. Soap has been tested for thousands of years and is safe. However, soap does not decrease sweating".

Here are my comments:
The pores of the skin shut down for very good reasons: Aluminium, like mercury and lead, is highly toxic to the body; especially the nervous system. While most aluminium products are relatively inert, this is not necessarily the case when mixed with highly acidic human sweat and left to percolate in a pair of warm socks overnight. It is inveitable that some of this highly toxic metal will get into the body.

There is far too much exposure to this toxic substance going on, beginning in the first few years of life. Aluminium is added to vaccines as an immune system irritant to augement the immune response to a vaccine. While one shot may be considered "safe" for a child, it make no sense to give a child multiple doses of such a dangerous neurotoxin while the brain is rapidly developing and at its most vulnerable. Aluminium is sometimes added to drinking water to give it a clear sparkle and it is a common anti perspirant. If acidic food is prepared or stored in aluminium pots, aluminium can leach into the food.

Aluminium based underarm anti perspirants are linked to breast cancer. Aluminium is associated with increased rates of neurological disease.

So my advice for smelly feet is this: wash the feet often with soapy water and change your socks often - and stay well away from aluminium based anti perspirants.

More practical advice will be written soon about what to do about smelly feet and how to decrease the sweating.

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