There are many reasons why people may have joint pain. Oftentimes joint pain is caused from the flow of the pain or improper movement pattern of one joint that is directly above or below the affected joint. For the purposes of this article, let’s begin with what supports us every day, with every step and with every change of direction…our feet and ankles.
In order to consider the magnificent mechanical complexity and structural strength of our feet and ankles let’s first consider these facts.
The foot and ankle contain:
· 26 bones (one quarter of the bones in the human body are in the feet)
· 33 joints
· more than 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments
· a network of blood vessels, nerves, skin, and soft tissue
· The ankle serves as foundation, shock absorber, and propulsion engine
· The foot can sustain enormous pressure (several tons over the course of a one-mile run) and provides flexibility and resiliency
Sounds rather important – wouldn’t you say?
These components work together to provide the body with support, balance, and mobility. A structural flaw or malfunction in any one part can result in the development of problems elsewhere in the body. This brings us full circle back to the flow of pain from one joint to the next. For example: A structural flaw in the feet leads to a structural flaw in the ankles, leads to a structural flaw in the knees, leads to a structural flaw in the hips, leads to a structural flaw in the back, leads to a structural flaw in the neck. Along the path of these joints there are a whole host of neuromuscular afflictions that happen during this process that only accelerate the process. Lack of strength training, flexibility, as well as improper movement patterns during strength training also attribute to and compound these problems. Keep in mind that when it comes to the human body, one thing leads to the next and a problem or injury can usually be remedied by looking either upstream or downstream of the actual problem site. And pain may arise at any of these sites. But…
AND HEAR ME ON THIS FOLKS! Foot pain, ankle pain, knee pain, hip pain, back pain, neck pain, and all of their associated surgeries can possibly be avoided through proper intervention. This means taking care of your body and approaching the issue from the ground (foundation) up. How do I know? Because I’ve not only seen it, but dealt with it time and time again.
The first step I take to dealing with these issues is by taking a look at how you treat your foundation and what form of structural flaws you may be subjecting your feet to. In other words, what type of shoes do you wear and/or do you wear arch supports or orthotics?
To Be Continued...
Check back soon to see whether I am pro-support or anti-support when it comes to your shoes and my recommendations.
Here's a hint
Coach-leaving-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat-Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com
I wonder if he gets poison oak?
ReplyDeleteThis guy...he eats poison oak for breakfast!
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