Flat Feet?
Flat feet are highly prevalent in today’s world. It’s a debate as to why this problem is ongoing with arguments ranging from wearing the wrong kinds of shoes, to wearing no shoes at all, to being overweight, to hormonal challenges. Figuring out which is the cause for your particular foot issue requires some thought and likely an analysis by a physiotherapist. It’s the fastest way to get your problem diagnosis accurately and a game plan put together to return to the pain free activities you love. In the meantime, building the dynamic arch support of your foot is always the best place to start and you can get rolling on that right way on your own! Check out the instagram post for the video demonstrations.
Working the Posterior Tibialis muscle is an excellent way to turn that muscle on and make sure it’s firing normally. Sit with a band wrapped around the balls of your feet with tension pulled back towards your both. Push your foot away as though doing a heel raise, but add in movement towards the midline of your body as you press away. 3 sets of 10 daily for 1 week is where you want to sit.
Sitting with knees bent to 90 degrees with your feet comfortably on the floor is the starting position for the second movement. Put an elastic band (or towel if you don’t have one) under the pad of your first toe. Attempt to pull the band/towel out but prevent it from doing so with your foot pressure through that great toe. It is critical that you maintain normal foot contact here and keep the arch supported while you’re doing this. 10 reps for 5 seconds of hold time daily for 1 week is the recommended start
Lastly, stand up with a band just above your knees. The band here will assist your gluteals in turning on so you can really laser in your focus on keeping the arches raised and controlled on both of your feet. Complete 3x10 squats in a controlled fluid movement.
These three will get you going in the right direction! There are a number of alternatives and progressions you can delve into when you’re ready.
