Rolling and crawling are currently some of the hottest trends in fitness and corrective exercise programming. From Animal Flow to Original, health and fitness professionals are exploring the power of primal movement patterning for correcting movement dysfunction and achieving optimal function. We actually happened to just do a webinar on this exact topic with…
Category: Barefoot Biomechanics
Great Toe Mobility : The Linchpin to Movement Longevity | (Part 1 – Anatomy)
This past weekend I was fortunate to present at the Perform Better Summit in Providence, Rhode Island. This 3-day educational event is comprised of some of the best educators and most enthusiastic professionals in the industry. A common theme throughout a couple of the sessions was the association between great toe mobility and…
Biomechanics of the Stiletto Strut
Anyone who has followed by work since before 2012 knows that I love shoes! I may be barefoot strong but come Friday night, I, like most women across the world, am strapping on my sexiest stilettos for a night out on the town. Blame it on fashion and living in NYC for over a…
The Functional Impact of Bunions
When you hear the word “bunions”- what comes to mind? Do you picture the foot of a young athlete or that of a stiletto-loving woman? Often associated with high heels or blamed on “genetics”, bunions are actually more often due to improper biomechanics and faulty movement patterns. In the below article we will explore the…
Functional Implications of the Cavus Foot
With the growing popularity of foot fitness and barefoot training within the health & fitness industry, professionals are beginning to appreciate the impact that improper foot function can have on lower extremity alignment and total body function. To truly understand the connection between feet and function, an understanding of the different foot types and foot…
The Windlass Mechanism: A Powerful Addition to your TFL / ITB Stretches
Tensor fasciae latae (TFL) / iliotibial band (ITB) over-recruitment and tightness is one of the most common contributors to movement dysfunction observed in the lower extremity. Whether it is a dancer with an over-supinated foot or a runner with tibial femoral external rotation, hypo-mobility in this muscle (connective tissue) can be a strong deforming force. For…
Understanding (Subtle) Peroneal Subluxation: Treating the Cause vs. Symptoms
Welcome to another post in the Barefoot Strong Blog! Today’s post is a great example of why all health and wellness professionals (including those that are specialists) must always consider the greater picture and consider integrated movement systems. Although I am a Podiatrist and am presented with patients complaining of foot & ankle pain or…
What the (Morton’s) Foot? Functional Implications of the Long Second Toe
In today’s blog I thought I’d talk about one of the most common conditions I see as a Podiatrist – the long second toe – aka Morton’s Foot or Morton’s Toe. Although I hear my share of foot myths, I think this topic probably takes 1st place for the most creative misconceptions around foot function. …
Toe-Spread vs. Short Foot: Intrinsic Activation
From the minimalist footwear movement to barefoot training, one of the greatest benefits of getting out of the orthotics and motion-controlled shoes is the activation of the plantar intrinsic foot muscles. As the health and fitness industry begins to embrace the many benefits of intrinsic foot strength, researchers are starting to question which foot exercises…
Rearfoot Position and Closed-Chain Calf Stretching
Normal gait requires at least 5 degrees of ankle dorsiflexion, with maximum dorsiflexion occurring closed chain during late mid stance when the subtalar joint is passing through neutral. Limited ankle joint dorsiflexion can result in a myriad of compensations both proximally and distally. From knee hyperextension to midfoot over-pronation (calcaneal eversion), the deforming forces…
