Foot Core

Our feet get no love. We’ve been taught that our feet are weak, that they need special orthotics, maximum cushion and we shouldn’t spend anytime barefoot. Our feet are complex, and have implications for so many other parts of our body.

You probably know that I’m a fan of minimalist shoes. I wear as little shoe as possible to help my feet stay strong and adaptable. It took years of building up their strength, but once I did, I realized how messed up my feet where from years of high heeled Nike sneakers and hockey skates. 

When I saw this concept of the foot core on Instagram and had to share it here. 

McKeon, et al. wrote a paper called "The foot core system: a new paradigm for understanding intrinsic foot muscle function.”  The paper gets into the mechanisms of the foot and why us humans developed an arch to begin with. It’s was to be able to run and carry loads. 

The foot core, according to the authors are the intrinsic plantar musculature. These muscles support and stabilize the structure of the foot and the arch. What the authors call, global movers, are muscles that originate in the lower leg, and cross the ankle joint. These muscles create movement movement in the foot and help stabilize the arch. 

All of these muscles work together to build a strong, well-functioning foot and lower leg. Having a strong “foot core,” can make your feet strong and resilient, just like training your core can make your spine strong, stable and resilient. Want to start working on your foot core? Ditch the shoes during your warm up at Gain, the more time you spend barefoot the better.

Justin Miner 

@justinminergain