Best Foot Forward
Keep your feet strong, flexible, and pain-free with 3 essential moves.
By Alexa Joy Sherman
Photography By Julie Toy
Photography By Julie Toy
It's not easy being feet. We may pamper them with pedicures, but then we parade them about for hours in cramped, uncomfortable shoes. Is it any wonder that feet are more liable to injury than any other body part?
Seventy-five percent of Americans experience foot problems at some time, frequently caused by a lifetime of abuse and neglect. You can blame the strain on the stress of walking--an average day brings a force equal to several hundred tons to bear on the feet--but weakness, imbalances, and ill-fitting shoes also play a role. Discomfort can then travel up your legs and ultimately lead to impeded posture and movement, along with pain in the shins, knees, hips, and back.
The solution? Strengthening and stretching your feet and selecting the best shoe support for your foot type. Stephen M. Pribut, D.P.M., a podiatrist in Washington, D.C., and president of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine in Rockville, Md., prescribes the following three exercises and offers tips on choosing optimal fitness footwear. Practice the moves at least three times a week--up to three times a day--and your feet will be primed to perform and less prone to problems.
What's Your Foot Type?
To determine the fitness shoe that's appropriate for you, first assess the type of arch you have. Wet both feet and step on a flat, dry surface so you leave a print; stand tall and look straight ahead. Then step aside and examine your footprints...
If you have a flat arch, the print shows no dry spot between the heel and the ball of the foot. That means you overpronate--your foot rolls inward excessively. "This can lead to pain in the heel or arch caused by the stretching of a ligament-like tissue on the bottom of the foot," says Stephen M. Pribut, D.P.M. Look for shoes built for maximum stability. Try: ASICS GEL Foundation Walker II ($85, asicsamerica.com).
If you have a high arch, the print shows the ball and heel of the foot, and almost no print in the middle. That means you supinate--your foot rolls outward excessively. This causes the foot to absorb less shock, increasing your chance of developing back pain or Achilles tendonitis. You need a shoe with ample cushioning. Try: New Balance WW 574 ($60, newbalance.com).
If you have a neutral arch, there will be a wide band connecting the ball and heel, and an inward curve at the arch. That means the weight is evenly distributed. Keep feet healthy with shoes featuring moderate motion control. Try: Rykae KM Stability Walk ($80, ryka.com).
Seventy-five percent of Americans experience foot problems at some time, frequently caused by a lifetime of abuse and neglect. You can blame the strain on the stress of walking--an average day brings a force equal to several hundred tons to bear on the feet--but weakness, imbalances, and ill-fitting shoes also play a role. Discomfort can then travel up your legs and ultimately lead to impeded posture and movement, along with pain in the shins, knees, hips, and back.
The solution? Strengthening and stretching your feet and selecting the best shoe support for your foot type. Stephen M. Pribut, D.P.M., a podiatrist in Washington, D.C., and president of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine in Rockville, Md., prescribes the following three exercises and offers tips on choosing optimal fitness footwear. Practice the moves at least three times a week--up to three times a day--and your feet will be primed to perform and less prone to problems.
What's Your Foot Type?
To determine the fitness shoe that's appropriate for you, first assess the type of arch you have. Wet both feet and step on a flat, dry surface so you leave a print; stand tall and look straight ahead. Then step aside and examine your footprints...
If you have a flat arch, the print shows no dry spot between the heel and the ball of the foot. That means you overpronate--your foot rolls inward excessively. "This can lead to pain in the heel or arch caused by the stretching of a ligament-like tissue on the bottom of the foot," says Stephen M. Pribut, D.P.M. Look for shoes built for maximum stability. Try: ASICS GEL Foundation Walker II ($85, asicsamerica.com).
If you have a high arch, the print shows the ball and heel of the foot, and almost no print in the middle. That means you supinate--your foot rolls outward excessively. This causes the foot to absorb less shock, increasing your chance of developing back pain or Achilles tendonitis. You need a shoe with ample cushioning. Try: New Balance WW 574 ($60, newbalance.com).
If you have a neutral arch, there will be a wide band connecting the ball and heel, and an inward curve at the arch. That means the weight is evenly distributed. Keep feet healthy with shoes featuring moderate motion control. Try: Rykae KM Stability Walk ($80, ryka.com).
