The feet forms the base of our movements. Without a firm base, our movements might become unstable and poor form and alignment will occur.
Overpronation or flat feet is commonly seen causing foot pain and even up the chain causing issues with the knee, hips, and lower back.
Having a healthy foot tripod helps to reduce these misalignments and helps distribute weight evenly in the feet.
To form a foot tripod, there needs to be three points of contact with the ground:
1. The ball of the big toe
2. The base of the little toe
3. The centre of the heel
Causes of overpronation/ flat feet:
- Structural
- Weak intrinsic foot muscles, weak calf muscles
- Flexibility of the foot and ankle joints
These might have worsened after an injury, eg. ankle sprain, causing the foot tripod to "break down".
A loss of the foot tripod is a common cause for foot and knee pain such as:
- Plantar fasciitis (heel pain)
- Ball of the feet pain
- Bunions and hammer toe
- Knee pain
Can flat feet be fixed?
Yes, for those with functional flat feet! That means those who have flat feet while weight bearing (in standing), but the feet arch is present when non-weight bearing.
This is done with a series of foot and ankle exercises to develop good range and motion, strong foot and calf muscles with good endurance and control.
However, for those with structural flat feet, we will not be able to entirely reverse it. Nevertheless it is still important to maintain healthy joint flexibility and strength to even out the weight distribution.
Stay tuned for our videos on exercises to improve the foot tripod!