Barefoot and Natural Foot Health

Natural foot health is about preserving, supporting, and in some cases, restoring natural foot function and shape. 

At the core of this approach to foot health is the belief summarised by Leonardo Da Vinci who said  "The human foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art". 

The cleverly designed healthy foot is equipped with all the features necessary to function effectively on its own without the need for external assistance or support in the form of complex footwear, arch supports, and or bracing devices. 

To allow and preserve foot function we must allow space for the foot to move and function as naturally as possible, and move it regularly and freely to maintain movement and strength in the joints and muscles.

It’s never too late to start your journey to improving your foot function. 

I personally began my natural foot health journey approx 2 years ago after initially subscribing to the traditional teachings from the university which followed the general philosophy that "flat feet" are bad and need support, and high-arched feet need cushioning. I knew there had to be a better way.  So I gradually transitioned to minimalist barefoot footwear and away from orthotics and conventional footwear. And started building the intrinsic muscles of my feet with the help of an exercise plan and the use of toe spreaders and toe socks. The results have been powerful and enlightening.

As a teen in high school, I had been initially drawn to a career in naturopathy. The thing that drew me to Natural healing was the intent to treat the cause of aliment and not the symptoms.  This resonated with me. It made sense.

Today, as a Podiatrist and an allied health practitioner,  I try to empower my clients with the knowledge and tools to achieve overall and lasting foot and lower limb health as opposed to creating a  dependency on external structures which in most cases actually enables and supports the dysfunction in their feet rather than address the cause. 

So much of our modern lifestyle gives rise to modern illness pathologies.

As a podiatrist, it occurred to me that a lot of my working life was spent alleviating problems caused largely by footwear. Corns, bunions, hammer toes, claw toes, neuromas, plantar fasciitis, and even ingrown toenails all have one thing in common - footwear plays a major role in their occurrence.

Furthermore, I was seeing clients who had been in orthotic and supportive footwear since their childhood and were still experiencing persistent foot and lower limb issues. 

Therefore it only made sense that if  I wanted to become a better practitioner, I needed to shift my role and treatment plan to also educate my clients on how to prevent these problems, and then go even further by facilitating access to these products to enable them to take proper care of their feet for life and restore proper function. 

In my Podiatry practice, I now offer;

• a range of natural foot health options available including a range of barefoot minimalist footwear that allow natural foot posture and shape,
• Toe separators to assist with splaying the toes and trying to undo some of the damage caused by traditional narrow-toed footwear,
• toe socks,
• toe resistance bands

as well as a range of other equipment to help you restore and maintain strong healthy feet.

Exercise programs and regular movement are an integral part of natural foot health. I offer small group classes to assist clients with gaining knowledge about how to build real foot strength and endurance.  Building intrinsic foot muscle strength assists in reducing lower limb injuries and downtime in active people as well as helping older people maintain better balance and mobility. 

Arch supports, orthoses and athletic footwear have their place and can greatly assist foot function when used appropriately. In my experience, however, they are often over-prescribed and over-relied upon, with little or no exit strategy or information about other ways to improve foot function.