Today my feet are cold! Brrrrr! So, I’m keeping my socks on and have the heater nearby to avoid any of the consequences of having cold feet such as painful chilblains!! Being able to use my feet properly may prevent other areas of my body from unnecessary overloading, which makes looking after them essential.
The importance of our feet is often overlooked, and we expect so much from them often without giving much back. They ground us to the earth and allow us to move through life efficiently, ‘if ‘we look after them properly. They support us, help us to remain active and healthy, store energy and protect us against shock.
The feet are super complex containing 26 bones, 33 joints and many, many, in fact over one hundred, muscles, tendons and ligaments, which allow them to achieve the highly functional movement required to transfer an even load to the entire body. For this reason, maintenance of our feet should be an essential addition to our health and wellbeing routine.
As an osteopath I tend to be on my feet all day, making me extra conscious of paying attention to my feet if I notice them getting a little grumbly. I need my feet to be able to ground and support my movement while I treat my patient’s feet! If I notice any aches or pains, I will either self-soothe through a warm water soak and self-massage or book an appointment with the osteopath to address the mechanics, blood flow and nerve pathways of my fabulous feet.
PS. Oh, and don’t forget, fabulous feet love the occasional pedicure as well!!
Vicki