Download and read the cult classic about feet

As fascia therapists, we look at people from head to toe, just as they are. Looking at individual body parts is not natural, that’s why such therapies fail all the time. Our favorite example is back pain. 99% of therapists “jump at your back”, as if it floated in space without any legs, pelvis or shoulder bones connected to it. The same happens with your feet...

What many people, including medical professionals, don’t (want to) know: Feet are the extension of your legs and the rest of your body. Of course, the wrong shoes can deform your feet. But many foot problems begin much further up and only end in your feet. Brief example: People with bowlegs usually walk on the outer edge of their feet. This is not healthy, because their bodyweight is transferred to points far removed from the body’s center of gravity – but they walk nevertheless.

Prescribing inserts, changing the foot position, totally misses the root cause and only worsens existing problems. Because for our body it’s normal to shift its weight further outwards at the feet. If we use inserts or orthopedic shoes to artificially correct our foot position, our whole body gets confused. No wonder that people who never suffered pain in their feet, knees, back or neck suddenly complain about it. If we do need to correct individual body parts, at least it should be in the correct anatomic and physiological context. First you need to correct the pelvis and legs. Then you can start correcting the feet.

Who ever thinks of the fact that our legs actually begin in our back? First the psoas muscle in our torso moves, before our legs follow the movement. If you want to know or see the workings and position of our psoas muscle, just click here (scroll and watch animation). You should know about these relationships before treating feet or making shoes. From our point of view, makers and sellers and inserts know nothing of such very simple anatomic and physiological relationships. Not to speak of shoe manufacturers! After all, they just want to sell their stuff somehow.

Plenty of customers ask us: I have fallen arches, splayed feet, flat feet or pigeon toes. Can I wear barefoot shoes? Or, a classic one: My orthopedist prescribed inserts. Can I wear barefoot shoes with inserts? That’s what our book about feet is for. Our answers contradict the views of most physicians and are pretty heretic. Read how to look at your feet with common sense in our PDF booklet about healthy feet. This booklet is nothing like anything you’ve read about feet and is straight to the point.