Many of us take for granted the fascinating and intricate mechanisms that are our feet. With several layers of muscle, tendons, and bones, they are the stabilizers that allow us to travel in the most elementary of ways.
An ongoing study from the School of Health Sciences & Performance at New York’s Ithaca College recently spotlighted the importance of the “often overlooked” muscles in the feet and how they are connected to our stability, balance, and posture, and how they prevent common injuries.
Patrick McKeon, a professor at the Department of Exercise & Sports Sciences at Ithaca College, urges us to pay attention to our “foot core,” and this includes not being afraid to walk around barefoot.
“Anything that has to deal with changing postures and using the forces that derive from the interaction with the body and the ground [is great for developing foot core strength],” Dr. McKeon said. “The more people can go barefoot, such as at home or the office, is a really good thing.”
Additionally, a recent study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, cited the importance of utilizing the small “stabilizing muscles” in the foot. They are constantly active even though they’re moved just slightly within the feet. These are the muscles that are responsible for keeping the entire body stable. It is important, the study concludes, to adequately exercise these muscles, and going barefoot is a great way to just that.
Once again, whenever we remove something manmade from our life; whenever we choose an all-natural avenue over an artificial one, we benefit. In this case, kick off those shoes and do yourself a favor!
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