A couple of weeks ago, I flew to the Philippines for an advanced course on foot assessment and treatment with the renowned physical therapist Dr. Claire Frank. While there, I also had the chance to reconnect with my family.

At CrossFit of Fremont in Newark, CA, we understand how easy it is to overlook foot health, but our feet are our first point of contact with the ground with each step. The muscles in our feet and ankles keep us from falling forward as we walk. Unfortunately, the variety of footwear we use daily can lead to foot issues. I've worked with many patients whose feet feel like "bricks" due to immobility, requiring special joint mobilizations to restore movement. Think of the foot as a slingshot that generates energy to propel you forward.

Pronation of the foot often gets a bad reputation, but it's actually beneficial. It provides natural shock absorption and helps us adapt to uneven surfaces. In contrast, high arches offer stability but increase the force transmitted up the leg, reducing natural shock absorption.

Have you ever noticed kids walking on their toes? This pattern can continue into adulthood, causing a lack of heel contact and overuse of ankle muscles. Over time, this leads to ankle stiffness and increased pressure on other joints to compensate for reduced ankle mobility.

Ultimately, we need a good balance of mobility and strength in our muscles to prevent foot dysfunctions like bunions, mallet toe, claw toe, and hammer toe, as well as thickening of the Achilles tendon. These issues can cause pain in the ankles, knees, hips, back, and even shoulders.

At CrossFit of Fremont, we integrate physical therapy into our fitness programs to ensure our members achieve optimal foot health and overall mobility. Stay tuned for more content to help you enhance your foot health and functional mobility!

Joewel Pascual, PT, DPT