Let’s Talk About Feet in Wilsonville

Let's Talk About Feet in Wilsonville

Chiropractic Wilsonville OR Let's Talk About Feet

When it comes to all things movement it always starts at the feet in Wilsonville. It is the first part of us that hits the ground when starting the day (typically) and gets the most stimulation throughout. Often times in low back or hip cases the function of the foot can get overlooked. Functional movement starts there and works its way upwards as we walk, run, jump etc. Here at West Chiropractic our providers take a full body approach to assess any potential limitations that could be starting in the foot or ankle.

The Importance of the foot in Wilsonville

To highlight the importance of the foot let’s review some quick anatomy. The foot is made up of 26 bones, 33 joints, and collectively 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments. Those structures allow us to transmit thousands of pounds of force and propel us forward each day. There are numerous branches of blood vessels and nerve endings that supply the overall sensation of the area. Altered foot mechanics can in turn alter the force loading mechanics of the lower extremity. In the idea of the joint-by-joint approach there is a ration of stability vs mobility that needs to be within a 1:1. Otherwise, one part will pull mobility, or one part will pull stability to make up for it. Working upwards the foot needs stability while the ankle needs mobility. The knee needs stability while the hip needs mobility while the low back needs stability. This is how sometimes knee instability can lead to fallen arches of the feet leading to plantar fasciitis. This shows again how all things in the body are connected to one another.

What are some foot conditions?

Since we now have our anatomy of the area down let’s go through some conditions. Often times some common foot conditions are caused by our footwear. Our feet naturally like to splay outwards in order to grip the ground since they work and are structured similar to the hand. If you walk through any major shoe store you will notice narrow looking footwear, most notably in the dress shoe section for males and females. Compressing of our feet in narrow shoes for 8-10hr work days can lead to things like bunions, hammer toes, and callus/blister build ups. This is causing a lack of function of the foot within the shoe and also when the foot is out of the shoe. Discomfort of the foot can travel upwards to the ankle and Achilles tendon area leading to further dysfunction. With all that being said, it all starts in the foot. Below is more reading that goes deeper into this topic and some products that help foot recovery. Please reach out with questions in the comments or come in for a further evaluation.