Healthy feet

Scott Schwab

I thought that I would post on an area that is often over looked. So often we buy shoes for look or for fashion, but not comfort. We research who we will invest our money with, buying a home, places to eat, etc. On a scale of importance obviously investing money and buying a home are much more serious than buying shoes; or is it. I believe that the time spent in researching a shoe is well spent because if we do not take the time and educate ourselves on proper shoes for our feet, we may not be able to enjoy our later years. I am over exaggerating a tad, but the point is serious enough that I want to spend a little time. When a person does not have a good fitting shoe or a good quality shoe the whole body is at risk. Feet can bring a balance to the body or can bring the knees, ankles, joints, back, arches, and toes constant pain. When there is something wrong with our gait or our feet, the whole body is put into an alternative style and thus can have negative effects on the body. At times this may not be completely related by the shoe you wear, but it can be alleviated by wearing something comfortable. Shoes can wear out very quickly depending upon usage and miles walked. I have noticed that some shoes almost deflate like a tire. The effect of this is walking on the outside of your foot which will cause heal spurs, blisters, and leads to poor posture and having unhealthy ligaments, tendons, and bones. The point of the shoe is to protect against the elements in which we walk on, but should be used to support and advance the bodies health. Consistently the best long distance runners are from the Kenya region. Nike did a study on these athletes and found that because they train bare footed, that they develop necessary ligaments, tendons, and the actual bone of the foot. This way the runners avoid injury and damage to their entire body. Now I am not saying start walking everywhere bare footed. What I am saying though is finding a shoe fit for a purpose. If you are a runner, you already know that the shoe means everything to the run and the runner. However, if you are not and would like to get into running or lifting, do some research and don't be afraid to try on all different brands and types of shoes. Unfortunately, the employees of many shoe stores do not know what they are talking about. Fortunately there is a wealth of knowledge on the Internet. Know, there are many different shoes for different types of feet. I have a very high arch and very narrow feet. My buddy Sam has a flatter arch and wide feet. We do not wear the same shoes and never will. Know your feet and do the research, because in the end it will save you time, money, and your health.

I also would like to re introduce and welcome back our guest blogger J.C. Leach. Not only does he participate in the MMA style of fighting, he played College Baseball. He has a great knowledge on what is good for the body and how to stimulate your muscles properly. He will be posting for us tomorrow Wednesday the 25th.