What makes the foot?

What makes the foot: understanding its anatomy

We rely on our feet every day to get us to where we need to go without a second thought. How many times have you ever stopped and considered what makes up our feet? Read on as we break down what our feet are made of!  

Bones & Muscles                                                           

Of course you know that our feet are made up of bones, but have you ever wondered how many? The foot and ankle consists of an impressive 31 bones, connected to each other by a complex system of joints, ligament, muscles, and tendons. 

There are 20 muscles found in the foot, which enable movement, contain the bones, and stabilize your toes to the ground. 

Mechanics

The mechanics of the movement of your feet is complicated. The ligaments, nerves, bones, and muscles all work in conjunction with each other to provide you with movement, balance, and support. Many of the muscles that control foot movement can actually be located in the lower leg. Because the feet are intricately connected to the rest of the body, if you have any foot issues it will often lead to problems with your spine and back. This is why appropriate footwear that is supportive and maintains your alignment is essential in maintaining a healthy body and happy feet!

Common injuries

Some of the most common injuries that inflict our over worked feet are as follows: 

• Nerve injuries 
• Athletes foot
• Heel spurs 
• Achilles tendinitis 
• Nerve injuries 
• Bunions 
• Ankle sprains
• Plantar Fasciitis 

The Great Big Ol’ Toe holds more importance than you think! Without your big toe being able to fully dorsiflex (upward motion) to >60degrees, your foot will not function normally. Your big toe being able to fully dorsiflex is important for the toe off during walking and running. Propulsion will be hindered and your body will begin to compensate due to the limited range of motion of your big toe. If you’re one with limited range of motion in the big toe-don’t be surprised if anything up the chain (knees, hips etc) is off! ::Do yourself a favor and get that Toe moving!::

View this post on Instagram

Following up from my previous post. This is a great way to get your big toe moving! Grab yourself a lacrosse ball. ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀✔️Correct way to perform the stretch is to place your big toe on the ball. While keeping your heel on the floor, roll over the ball-which will have you use your toe flexors. When rolling back, drive your knee forward allowing you to get a full stretch of the Big toe. ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀❌Wrong way to perform this stretch is allowing your heel to come off the floor. Also by not driving your knee forward you will not get a full stretch.⠀ ⠀⠀⠀☝🏽NOTE: If you use a ball larger than a lacrosse ball, it will be difficult to keep your heel on the floor. If this is the case, be mindful to roll over the ball and use those toe flexors! ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ::Like and share:: Question and/or Concerns? message me!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀#manualtherapy #physicaltherapy #rehab #dpt #pt #exercise #sportsmedicine #rockclimbing #yoga #bouldering #stretching #zen #feet #sportstherapy #sportsmedicine #sportsrehab #physio #athlete #stayhealthy #wellness #getfit #eatwell #befit #goinmotus #healthylifestyle #health #surfing #surf #performer #performance #fitness

A post shared by INMOTUS📍San Diego, Ca (@goinmotus) on Aug 3, 2017 at 8:38pm PDT

Looking after our feet properly is important for keeping our body in tip-top shape. The more you understand about how the body works, the better you can look after it. Keep in mind that you need to keep your feet and posture aligned and stable, to keep yourself feeling fit. 

Sources: 

http://www.healthcommunities.com/foot-anatomy/muscles-tendons-ligaments.shtml

https://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps/foot#2