The Journal of the National Association of Chiropodists. Survey in China and India of feet that have never worn shoes. Incidence of hallux valgus in partially shoe-wearing community. Footprints and feet of natives of the Solomon Islands. The American Journal of Orthopedic Surgery. Conclusions drawn from a comparative study of the feet of barefooted and shoe-wearing peoples. ![]() A comparison of foot forms among the non-shoe and shoe-wearing Chinese population. Measures of arch height and their relationship to pain and dysfunction in people with lower limb impairments. Hegedus EJ, Cook C, Fiander C, Wright A.The effect of a 12-week custom foot orthotic intervention on muscle size and muscle activity of the intrinsic foot muscle of young adults during gait termination. ![]() This is why those who live in cultures around the world today who do not regularly wear shoes have significantly healthier feet than those of us in industrialized countries that constantly wear “modern” footwear. You have to understand that for most of human history we have survived just fine without shoes (or with very thin shoes shaped like feet) without anything supporting the arches of our feet. Those with high arches generally tend to have more rigid feet and would therefore benefit from being barefoot more often to allow their feet to move and function as they were designed. Having high arches that are stiff however can. Having “high arches” does not automatically lead to foot problems either. Therefore, many who believe they have “flat feet” generally just have very mobile/weak feet. Having low arches that are weak however can. Having “low arches” does not automatically lead to foot problems. It’s all about how the arch functions, not its appearance! While there is a very small percentage of people who have foot anatomy that requires orthotics, arch height (or lack thereof) is not a determining factor in foot health for a large majority of people. Now some of you reading this will be wondering, “But my doctor said I need orthotics because my arch is too high (or too low)!” In doing so the heel and “ball of the foot” along with the toes will be in a position to provide authentic support for the arch as they were designed. Therefore, the only way to establish true “arch support” is to ditch modern shoes and return the foot to its natural position with the heel and toes completely flat on the ground (this means wearing a shoe with a heel-toe drop of zero). However, most current footwear do not hold the foot in this manner (the heel and toes are often both elevated from the ground). The idea of reinforcing the ends of the arch to increase its overall strength is based on the assumption that the ends of the curve are on even terrain. If traditional “arch supports” are not a real solution for most foot issues, let’s talk about what is. ![]() ![]() Doing so will only lead your foot muscles to atrophy and lose strength over time. Long term use of these “supports” do nothing to treat the cause of many foot problems. The same goes for how orthotics affect your foot. Of course not! After a short time of wearing it, the muscles of the arm would begin to atrophy. Think about it like this, you wouldn’t wear a cast for a broken bone in your hand forever. However, we must understand they should only be a temporary intervention. There are some that do get a small amount of pain relief from their use. Scholl’s inserts you can find at most drug stores) aren’t helpful at all. Now this isn’t to say that current “arch supports” (like the Dr.
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