In this episode, we discuss: 0:01:11-Why Courtney chose to specialize in the foot 0:04:12-The vital role of foot strength, function, and health in human movement and well-being 0:08:25-Anatomy of the rear foot and midfoot 0:19:10-The development of flat feet, the impact of footwear, and the benefits of going barefoot 0:23:20-Anatomy of the forefoot, common injuries, and why most injuries occur in the forefoot 0:31:00-Foot musculature and its role in maintaining foot stability and preventing deformities like bunions and hammer toes 0:41:00-The intrinsic musculature of the foot, plantar fasciitis, footwear, & more 0:54:41-Plantar fasciitis: diagnosis, causes, and treatment 1:03:45-Posterior leg muscles: strength assessment methods, role in ACL injuries, & more 1:09:27-Lateral and medial muscles: ankle stability, arch support, big toe stabilization, and exercises to strengthen and prevent injuries 1:13:56-Importance of strength of lower leg muscles for gait and preventing shin splints, stress injuries, & more 1:19:21-Tendinopathies and other common pathologies related to the anterior and lateral compartments of the foot 1:26:55-The importance of midfoot integrity and ankle dorsiflexion and a discussion of gait alterations 1:34:57-Proximal stability and its implications for posture and movement patterns 1:41:23-The age-related decline in foot sensation and strength 1:45:49-Common toe injuries, treatment, and how to prevent further progression of the injury 1:57:33-Preventing falls & managing arthritis with proactive foot care & exercises 2:06:20-Footwear: advice for picking shoes that promote foot health 2:19:05-Footwear for runners 2:23:39-The importance of prioritizing footwear that promotes natural foot movement & strength while considering individual comfort & foot health needs
Altras and LEMS are my two favorite shoe companies. Both have a Wide Toe Box & Zero Drop which are important. Not mentioned in this video that is just as important is that the Last of the shoe should have no inflare; it should be straight, not crooked. Just like your foot. Dr. Rossi has written some excellent articles about shoes that promote foot health. I highly recommend his work.
Fascinating interview. I'm an 86 year old who was limping maybe three years ago due to foot pain. Now I'm running three miles a couple of times a week after just forcing myself. This interview has given me a lot to think about and probably to act upon.
I’ve been an avid runner for decades. But for the past 2 1/2 years, I have what feels like a broken right toe big toe. I cannot run as long as I would like without it swelling up. I cannot do lunges at all without excruciating pain. When I was in the emergency room a couple years ago for something else unrelated, I asked them to x-ray the big toe and they said that it was not broken. It gets swollen in the joint and it hurts so bad. Is it turf toe? I just never experienced anything like this. And obviously it’s affecting my workouts
This has got to be the most important podcast episode on foot health ever. Thank you so much for all this great information. I've been suffering from a bunionette for the past year, and I think I now understand how I can fix it.
When I (age about 65 back then) discovered the 0 drop, wide box toe Lems Boulder Boot, I lost all the pain in my feet, ankles, knees, and hips within three weeks. I seldom wear anything besides the Boulder Boot ever since. My second toe, which is drawn back due to hammer toe, never relaxed but the pain disappeared. At age 72 I started wearing 2 pair of wool dress socks that have a bit of padding in the sole. This seems to be helping with the problem of the bottom of my foot going numb when on my feet for many hours at a time.
As a practitioner of Applied Functional Science, I thoroughly enjoyed this episode! Congrats to both Peter and to Courtney for sharing “the message” on such a big stage! Thanks again for shedding light on such an vital part of human movement! I’d highly recommend a Part 2 followup where you do a practical demonstration of the movement patterns/assessments to help facilitate a “learning by doing” environment. Thanks in advance.
"As a practitioner of Applied Functional Science" - This is a 23 hour online certification from the Gray Institute. While I agree that the interview was great, throwing out your nonsense credential provides less than zero validity to your opinion, so you could have and should have just not mentioned it.
Absolutely love the wealth of education about feet. Thank you very much to both of you. I like to contribute a little observation from my case. I work full time in the food store wearing Altra snickers, but developing more and more pain in my feet - until a I was diagnosed with Extensor tendonitis. From the X rays the Doc said there is nothing wrong with my feet. He said : the drop 0 shoes are great - but not for walking on the concrete floor every day - 8 hours a day ! But here is the why I am writing you. I observed that while my right foot is OK and regenerate overnight - it was the left foot extreme pain that broth me to the podiatrist. My chiropractor did not see any imbalances in the pelvis tilt or spine. Than - why the left foot ? I am thinking while driving home - and it hit me ! Because I exercise my right foot every time I drive pushing on the gas or breaks pedals alternatively every day while the left foot is doing nothing - sometimes even cramping while I am driving. In other words: exercising the feet is the key ! Courtney is amazing emphasizing this .
At 31 I had a stress fracture in this area. The doctor that I could see wasn’t able to provide this depth of information. Now I know what really happened. Thank you!!
Wow! I am a 56 year old general surgeon and i learned so much about the foot that i never ever knew or even thought of. Just an outstanding episode. Thank you so much Dr Attia and Dr Conley 🙏
Fascinating thank you Peter & Courtney ! I’m a 71 yr old avid walker and hiker and love navigating rock & uneven surfaces for my balance and just for fun. My balance and foot “fitness” is top of my mind / physicality when I’m out there.
Nothing better than seeing / listening to a person so enthusiastic on their subject. Beautifully explained anatomy of the foot and reasoning of why. Thank you! In my late teens and early 20s I used to walk barefoot quite a lot in the summer, even in the city, I enjoyed how the sole skin gets tougher. Nowadays I go "aww.. ouch" stepping barefoot on any non hit absorbing surface. Good to know I was right back then. Need to start doing it again, adding 5 min at a time. I also had a thought lately to get one of these balls that you roll your foot on when sat. Courtney rules!
Thank you so much. Fantastic information. I have had niggling plantar fasciitis on one foot for the best part of a year. Mildly annoying, but I never had time to look into it. With what I've learned from this video, and a couple of Dr Courtney's other videos, I've cleared it up in 4 days! Main thing [for me] was just doing calf raises with the toes elevated (you can use a towel, but I just use some small wooden wedges I have to elevate the toes). I've just left my squat rack set up like that and do them with a barbell, running the barbell along the rack to remove the balance component from the calf raise, but using a bar so I can do both feet at the same time (rather than doing a single leg raise). Having the rack set up reminds me to do them every time I leave my desk. Once the muscles are warmed up and I could feel them, I've been doing a lot of stretching around various angles of ankle dorsiflexion leaning into the rack and trying to find tight spots. I also did a little MFR with a torturous hand roller with spiky wheels on it to roll my calves (which are now black and blue - I used to do a lot of running and my calves are super tight). The prior couple of days I woke up with my foot still a bit stiff and a little residual plantar pain, but today, NOTHING! And I had run a few k's barefoot on paving yesterday, and been on the bike (both of which normally trigger it). Thanks for the information - I'm so grateful that this medical information can be made available to us laymen who wish to take control of their own destiny and fix their sh!t!
I watched and love what Cortney was saying because I healed my bad Plantar Fasciitis with foot exercises, gait rehabilitation & better shoes. Peter, you should also interview Paul Howell, founder of The Sling Method. He is a gait exercise master!
I'm a pelvic floor therapist and can't get over how awesome this is. Do you leak when you sprint, jump, cut, or land? Check out the foot and shock absorption. Also, think about grandma and grandpa's balance and continence. It's all related.
it's absolutely all connected, and our patients don't know to tell us about their incontinence when they came in for their feet or vice versa. We have to ask the questions to connect the dots.
Peter & Courtney, this is the best conversation about foot health I have ever come across (and I have listened to many over the last 7 years) - best technical understanding, best treatment approach. Awesome! I am a qualified PT with a personal journey of overcoming damage to my gait musculature (hips and feet) as a result of falling 6 foot onto ashphalt at age 4. It was at age 27 I started to unravel it all. Now at 50yrs I am dealing with the last 5%. I find all shared to be true to my understanding and experience with what has worked plus some additional insights. The only significant thing in this conversation I have yet to do is start wearing toe spacers. I am a bit suprised there was no mention of the problem of fibrosis and scar-tissue in this conversation.
Fascinating. I've had a replacement ankle and lots of foot surgeries to accommodate the new ankle, all done by a very highly respected surgeon. Unfortunately, the physical therapy I've received has been very lacking. In mind own self analysis I know my mid foot and toes strength is terrible. But this also extends up into my calf. After nearly two years, I am finally seeing my calf strength increase. I now know my feet are the next area to focus on now. Your podcast with Courtney has opened my eyes to this. I just wish Courtney were here to help me.
Courtney is absolutely amazing. I’ve had the opportunity to work with her and also work with a few clients mutually. She’s so knowledgeable about the foot and the body that it’s mind blowing. ❤
I’ve been an avid runner for decades. But for the past 2 1/2 years, I have what feels like a broken right toe big toe. I cannot run as long as I would like without it swelling up. I cannot do lunges at all without excruciating pain. When I was in the emergency room a couple years ago for something else unrelated, I asked them to x-ray the big toe and they said that it was not broken. It gets swollen in the joint and it hurts so bad. Is it turf toe? I just never experienced anything like this. And obviously it’s affecting my workouts
This is over-the-top information thank you so much, Peter and Courtney! For those of us who have had amputations or traumatic injuries, foot health is far more challenging. At age 19 I had my left foot severed from my leg in a motorcycle accident. I spent six months in a cast. Four of those months were in a cast from my foot to my hip. I lost 2” from my left leg. I am now 68 years old. I have never worn more than an 1 1/4” lift because I cannot tolerate anything higher. I’ve always been active and never had any issues until last year. My knees literally blew up. Along with Baker cysts, stage 2-4 osteoarthritis, torn meniscus, etc. I was shocked and horrified. I’ve been working on foot strength because I recognized that was likely a big part of my issue. Having a lift on a shoe stiffens the shoe and makes it very difficult to flex. I spent several years not being able to even find anyone to alter my shoes. In all of the practitioners that I’ve seen they focus on my curved spine, messed up neck, etc. none of this has been an issue for me. Orthopedists have been shocked that I could even walk with bone on bone in my left ankle for my entire life. I was an avid hiker mountain biker, and bodyboarder until last year. I wish I could find someone to address my whole body under MY circumstances NOT the average body. Because I have found this nearly impossible I seek to educate myself as much as possible. Thank you so much for all of the detail and helping us to better understand the importance of our feet.🙏🏻
I to Didn't SEE the LIST of shoes that Dr. Courtney Conley was talking about in the show notes so I contacted the office and wrote them. As soon as they get back to my E-mail I will put the info below for everyone. WHAT AMAZING INFO! Never learned so much about our feet in my life. :)
@@sandraredmond4812 depends on the cause. Fix the cause and the nerve should be less compressed. In some cases wide toe box shoes but in my case it's about restoring my arch with strengthening
It turned out to be the episode I didn't know I needed! Really interesting one, you can tell how passionate Dr. Conley is about the subject. Thank you!
Excellent discussion. I scheduled an online 1:1 consultation with Dr. Courtney's company since I've been experiencing a lot of foot pain lately. I wish I still lived in Colorado. I'd travel there.
I'm a pilates instructor, and I keep telling my clients how important it is to strengthen and have mobility in their feet. This information is invaluable for my practice at my studio. Thank you!
I hike several miles every day at 75 and now am having PT for peroneal tendinitis in a foot where i had a trimalleolar fracture over 20 years ago that they told me might eventially have to be fused. Have no idea what was over stretched or damaged as far as ligaments besides my achilles which was a mess. The orth that diagnosed the tendinitus said the joint actually looked good, just a lithle arthritis so thats great. I have a good PT but i dont know that he knows all this so im going to forward him this episode. Im a retired PT and i learned a huge amount. Thanks so much for this episode. Forwarding to friends with bunions as well.
I love this video. Thank you for sharing this valuable information with the world! I had plantar fasciitis for almost 2 years; it is terrible. But the biggest problem is being unaware of the importance of your shoes, training your ankles, feet or your lower body in general. I still have my very expensive running shoes, which helped me a lot when I was in pain. and now I use it only if I know I will walk a lot, dance, or run. For the rest, I try my best to use shoes that let my toes spread and be conscious of the arch of my foot, how to walk, how to stand, and so on. I wish I could listen to this podcast at that time when I was trying to understand what to do to cure it without going to surgery.
“The interview will be available to everyone while the videos from the gym will only be available to paid subscribers (found at the end of the show notes page). “
I am so glad she is on your podcast, and I love her excitement, and obsession with the foot, and it's function. She has taught me so much about foot function just through her instagram account, and also about how important it is to realize the body is fine, and what it does is fine, we just to understand how its design is meant to work.
This was amazing and I can’t wait for the second part. I have been following her for a while and have learned so much. I hope to take a course some day. I have moved to working with the much older population and am looking forward to reading the fall prevention protocol she talked about.
I loved this video. Very informative. I already listened to it twice and will probably watch again. My big problem is finding a shoe like that in a size 5. Nobody wants to carry that size, they don’t have the spacey in their warehouse to store them and not enough demand. I’m 68 on my feet all day long due to my job and I have sore big toe pain on the ball of both my feet. It may have started in 2009 when I started Swing Dancing 4 times a week after being on my feet all day long. Thank you so much for this video. I learned so much about the foot. And I loved her voice. I can listen to her all day!!
There is little attention given to the foot by the medical community in my opinion & experience and yet it is the foundation on which we stand. Ha! I appreciate a focus on identifying a root cause and having protocols to address and perhaps fix a foot issue. Strengthening the foot where weak makes sense to me. And it was news to me that we lose sensory perception in the foot as part of aging. I've been self-diagnosing my foot issues since my PCP and PT have focused on treating the symptoms versus identifying why the issues occurred in the first place. My last PT said that I need to wear heel lifts because my feet don't lie flat. Is this a real condition? or is a symptom of weak strength in the foot? This interview was informative & given me another option for treating my foot issues. Thanks to both of you!
Such an important issue. Toes are so important to my balance as a 76 yr old!!! And the medical profession does not pay attention to this critical part of our body. Huge tks for airing this video!👏♥️
🤯This was so amazing!! I learned soooo much! And yet, I realize there is so much more to cover. Part Two please!!! As a dentist, I can't wait until you give oral health/ jaw (i.e.airway) development the same in-depth discussion. Thanks for bringing things like this to light. The human body is simply amazing and even the most humble of parts, that rarely get the attention they deserve, contribute vastly to our overall health and vitality.
I Started running in Topo 18 months ago and also added 2 pair of Altra zero drop. My feet has never been stronger and I run 2600 km since the begin of 2023. Wide toebox is the way.
That is GREAT TO HEAR! I've been on her biz web page and saw she really recommends the Altra shoe. I'm super glad to hear it's worked out for you and I am learning about them now to eventually purchase them. I'm not a runner but I would love to keep my feet in top condition and healthy. :)
Loved the content. Courtney was excellent in her presentation with really brining it home, the importance of foot care Thank you so much Would love to see some recommended toe & foot exercises to help correct, strengthen & maintain same
Korean people use pressure points on foot to treat many ailments. It is worth having an interview with a Korean foot specialist too. This episode has been very informative.
So helpful. I’m a runner that supinates and sprained my ankle six months ago. I’m researching different toe box widths and heal/toe drops. My parents are in their 80s and walking is becoming an issue. This episode is very timely!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this video! My doctor told me I had plantar facetious, it was probably a stess fracture, he put me in orthotic.... all this made matters worse. I was also well on my way to hallux ridgidus and started doing exercises on my own. I just knew I needed to be able to bend my toe! I'll be watching this video and making notes!
Great episode! As for the "Eddie", I had initially thought it is Eddie from Iron Maiden. I have EEEE wide feet with splayed toes... making the buying of shoes/boots very difficult. As a result for my whole life I had been buying wide shoes at about 1 to 1.5 US size larger so that they can provide the required toe box width. This had unfortunately changed my gait to minimise the trip hazard from the extra shoe length that I had been wearing for my whole life. I am so happy to see that we now have companies that are producing wide shoes with wide toe box.
They advise “ go slow” with the shoes and toe spacers. Hubby wore them for too long daily in the beginning and had compensatory pain. So ease on in 😃 good luck
Great episode. The podiatrist I saw to diagnose my Halux Limitus 15 years ago basically said to come back to him when I couldn't stand the pain anymore, so he could go in and grind some bone/arthritis. Yes, shoes are a problem. Add a bunion on the other big toe and a broken tib & fib the next year. But I keep mountain biking through it. 😁
I'm a physical therapist and I treat foot & ankle problems all of time and do so in a variety of ways based on mechanics, weaknesses, etc of the LE chain, but now have a few more things I can do and use. Thank you.
Oh jeeze, over two hours of foot care talk. I’m going to need every second of this. I had a doc tell me when I was 14 ( 56 now) that I was going to have feet problems.
She is spot on! I have always been very concerned about the shoe issues.. it takes me a lot of time and effort to find quality, roomy shoes. She is l00% correct!
As a PT another huge predictor of falls is strength of the gluteus medius. Not just toes. The hip abductors affect balance. Balance training is hugely important
This is the best podcast ever!!! Both of you are so incredibly smart and awesome! Thank you both for sharing your knowledge! Hope to use this information to help my foot problems! Again, thank you! Love my Attia! Mj🏃♀️
Superb! So skillful! I truly wish Courtney was nearby! I was looking for this level of foot health assessment when I scheduled what I thought was a podiatry appt at Kaiser. Their only skill level/option was "come back when you need surgery". I have a complicated foot history that could really use the right intervention and a dance hobby that compromises my foot health!
That is so disappointing and I have received similar "treatment plans" from Kaiser! You should definitely get in touch with a Gait Happens practitioner though! They're all excellent!
Fascinating discussion. Courtney was so engaging and knowledgeable, answering Peter’s great questions with really helpful explanations. Today was squat day; because of this episode I decided at the end to add something that might help my foot and ankle strength and stabilization by balancing on a single leg/foot on an inverted Bosu Ball. I was all over the place at first. By the third set, I paid more attention to my toe pressure, esp big toes, and I was able to hold it for 60 sec, not wobbling as much. For years while exercising I’ve heard “ weight on your heels”, which I think has turned off much of my toe usage … will be more cognizant of using the strength of my toes now!
This is so fascinating! I have had chronic problems with my feet, knees, and back caused by acute traumas, and this conversation has confirmed some things that I suspected. My yoga teacher suggested that i work at "making friends with my feet". I am learning to do that. It effects so much.
Thanks Courtney and Peter for a great and absolutely best pod ever about our loving feet. I have a question that I think many of us backpacking hikers have and have received lots of different answers. Me (69 years) and my girlfriend hike every weekend between 15-20 km and stay overnight camping which means we have equipment of about 10-12 kg on our back including backpack. When I started hiking, I was told that I absolutely must have hiking boots that keep the foot in place and have the stiffness to handle the weight of carrying a backpack of xx kg. So we both bought traditional hiking boots which, by the way, weigh a lot and don't have much room for the toes. Now, two years later, we have switched to the Altra Done Peak and most recently the Wondertoes 2.0 from Joe Nimble. These boots have a wide toe box and have zerodrop. Now the question: Is it wrong to wear these types of shoes without stiffness and stability when hiking? What could happen in the worst case scenario if there is one? By the way, we have no problems with our feet today despite many hikes with and without packing but wonder if we are overloading our feet with these types of shoes. This summer we are going to the French Southern Alps and it will be different and more demanding hiking than what we are used to. With kind regards and hoping for an answer from both of you. Jacques Montel from Sweden.
I watched this episode probably 12 times now! I am absolutely obsessed with foot health! This was so informative and inspiring! Where is the list of show notes with all the links mentioned. Thank you
Brilliant! Thank you Peter! I am a 78 year old marathoner; I needed this like 50 years ago! This episode will definitely help me to continue to run marathons into my 90s at least.
I developed acute plantar faciitis from walking 100 miles in a few days well broken in hiking boots with custom orthotics. I switched to Chacos sandles for the rest of the 400 miles of that walk and it helped a lot (they allowed toe splay). Then I suffered bouts of plantar fasciitis for 17 years after that pilgrimage. When I changed all of my shoes to foot-shaped shoes and barefoot zero drop style shoes, I finally healed my plantat fasciitis completely.
@@junefeng201 There are so many brands of foot shaped, zero drop sneakers and shoes available now and I’ve tried a lot of them. For sneakers I started with Xero, then went to Altas because I needed more sole protection when I started walking large gravel/rock dirt mountain roads, now I prefer the Topos brand in the 0 mm drop styles. There are some great blogs and Instagrams that I follow that are dedicated to reviewing barefoot style footwear. I am a woman, so I mostly follow those that review women shoes. But there are also ones for men shoes. If you use the hashtag barefootshoes or Google bear foot shoe reviews, you’ll find all sorts of great brands based in the US and in other countries
@@junefeng201 There are so many brands of foot shaped, zero drop sneakers and shoes available now and I’ve tried a lot of them. For sneakers I started with Xero, then went to Altas because I needed more sole protection when I started walking large gravel/rock dirt mountain roads, now I prefer the Topos brand in the 0 mm drop styles. There are some great blogs and Instagrams that I follow that are dedicated to reviewing barefoot style footwear. I am a woman, so I mostly follow those that review women shoes. But there are also ones for men shoes. If you use the hashtag barefootshoes or Google bear foot shoe reviews, you’ll find all sorts of great brands based in the US and in other countries
I loved the conversation, the information and evidence to support barefoot shoes. I have worn barefoot for over 2 years, before this I had terrible ankle issues that could roleon the tiniest stone/object. Since wearing barefoot this hasn't happened. I recently returned from hiking/walking with 20 teens in Tanzania, wearing barefoot shoes and hiking boots were an investment and help. I'm 58 and damaged the ankle in my early 20s playing soccer. Thank you from a convert
Could you tell me where the links are to everything you stated would be in the notes? Like the toast spacers I think there might’ve been some other products you were mentioning that I’d like to look up.
Fascinating! I have plantar faciitis and moderate to severe neuropathy (moderate in one foot, severe in the other) and have started wearing minimalist shoes (Xero). It's so hard for me to stop from striking my heel in these shoes. I have to mince. And it takes me so much longer to walk any distance because my gait is so much shorter. I'll stick with it but it is exasperating - I just want to get to where I'm going!
It took me 2 full years to slowly move all of my shoes over to zero drop, foot shaped shoes. I started with Xeros too. But it was when I changed to zero drop Altas and Tapos sneakers that I made good/faster progress and then was able to move from thoseback to the Xeros and other barefoot shoes. The Xero were not the best starter option for me.
I was so excited towards the beginning of this episode when the guest mentioned that she had bunions on both of her big toes from previous poor foot wear. I watched all the way through, hoping to hear advice or prognosis for the condition once it has progressed to the point where there is zero ABduction. I learned a lot, but not much about my condition. I was wondering if it is a lost cause at this point or is there any way I can regain strength in my big toe. Currently, my big toe is in full ADduction to the point where it sits on top of my second toe unless I manually ADduct it. I use a spacer to try to improve the alignment because without it, my foot turns outwards, leading to ankle instability, and lots of other problems in gait from compensatory mechanisms affecting my knees and hips. I saw a podiatrist who was against bunion surgery and recommended an ankle brace for stability when walking or running (the former I had to give up because my foot turns out so much that my heel ends up hitting my other foot when I run). And it seems like the guest expert was against stabilizing measures as it prevents you from strengthening the muscles. Any advice or resources would be greatly appreciated.
Courtney's enthusiasm is contagious! It's evident she loves what she does. Thank you so much for explaining. I've been dealing with plantar fasciitis for over a year. This is very informative. Thank you, Peter, for this interview.
Physical therapy helped me so much after a bunionectomy. It was so bad I couldn’t walk. Exercise helped so much. I also believe the foot is the base Great video❤🎉
Wow what an episode. Thank you both so much for sharing your knowledge. I had to pause to go get my toe spacers, which were in a cupboard forgotten about. Where is the shoe list recommendations. Can’t see it?
As a former dancer, a proud carrier of two bunions, and a yoga teacher, I want to say a huge thank you for this episode-from the bottom of my soul (or rather two soles)! So often, I see people having zero clue about why training feet is so important. Little by little, the paramount significance of human feet is seeping into the public consciousness, thanks to content like this. Truly grateful!
Great podcast! I have a bunion and I guess hammers toes, but realize I don't just have to live with. Bought zero drop shoes to wear to work b/c I now realize that my shoes are a big part of the problem. Thank you Peter and Courtney!
Fascinating!!! I’ve suffered w foot pain since I was in my 20’s and I’m learning so much from this! Thank you thank you for such great info! I do have that ancillary n you mentioned and some sharp pains in areas you mentioned that may be fractures! I wish I hadn’t waited into my 50’s to learn more about this. As an active runner and boot camper I’m starting to have to give up things I love so I’m hoping I can pt my feet back to healthy and strong!
Brilliant interview from you both. Learnt an insane amount of specific details and strategy. So many ahaha moments. Very, very supportive insight for Neuro circuit pain and pain messages. Ty🙏❤️💜
I'm a trail runner and I run in Xero shoes or Luna sandals - 25, 30, 35 km (45 km is my current record) in all kinds of terrain (Poland) and enjoying it. Slowly built up to it, of course. So far didn't have any foot problems, only regular overtrained/strained muscles
Yes! This is a very fascinating and informative interview, I’m 60 and have been barefoot training and at times with high intensity, my training over the past 6 years has consisted of a lot of barefoot outdoor in nature training. I run , jump, crawl, climb etc in natural habitats eg climbing, jumping, running, simple parkour, using all natural features eg, climbing trees, variety of climbing and movement in trees, rocks, logs etc you name it it’s probably in my practice somewhere! If you were in my home town (Perth Western Australia) I would have loved to have you checkout my feet with all the knowledge you have to see what you think! I have no physical issues that cause pain or discomfort my feet feel strong and resilient and look very cut and defined, when climbing I can grip with my bare toes etc, I can squat deep smoothly etc, I’m sure I’m not perfect and I bet with your knowledge you would probably still find something ha ha. But I’m sure I’m very above average for my age! This style of training along with strength and fitness is my goto training for keeping up my physical longevity and so far it’s working very well, Great work!
In this episode, we discuss:
0:01:11-Why Courtney chose to specialize in the foot
0:04:12-The vital role of foot strength, function, and health in human movement and well-being
0:08:25-Anatomy of the rear foot and midfoot
0:19:10-The development of flat feet, the impact of footwear, and the benefits of going barefoot
0:23:20-Anatomy of the forefoot, common injuries, and why most injuries occur in the forefoot
0:31:00-Foot musculature and its role in maintaining foot stability and preventing deformities like bunions and hammer toes
0:41:00-The intrinsic musculature of the foot, plantar fasciitis, footwear, & more
0:54:41-Plantar fasciitis: diagnosis, causes, and treatment
1:03:45-Posterior leg muscles: strength assessment methods, role in ACL injuries, & more
1:09:27-Lateral and medial muscles: ankle stability, arch support, big toe stabilization, and exercises to strengthen and prevent injuries
1:13:56-Importance of strength of lower leg muscles for gait and preventing shin splints, stress injuries, & more
1:19:21-Tendinopathies and other common pathologies related to the anterior and lateral compartments of the foot
1:26:55-The importance of midfoot integrity and ankle dorsiflexion and a discussion of gait alterations
1:34:57-Proximal stability and its implications for posture and movement patterns
1:41:23-The age-related decline in foot sensation and strength
1:45:49-Common toe injuries, treatment, and how to prevent further progression of the injury
1:57:33-Preventing falls & managing arthritis with proactive foot care & exercises
2:06:20-Footwear: advice for picking shoes that promote foot health
2:19:05-Footwear for runners
2:23:39-The importance of prioritizing footwear that promotes natural foot movement & strength while considering individual comfort & foot health needs
Where is the list of shoe brands and other things that were mentioned by your guest to help with healthy feet ?
yep, same question! shoe list please :)
Shoe list?
I hope they’re not trying to figure out a way to monetize the shoe list.
Altras and LEMS are my two favorite shoe companies. Both have a Wide Toe Box & Zero Drop which are important. Not mentioned in this video that is just as important is that the Last of the shoe should have no inflare; it should be straight, not crooked. Just like your foot. Dr. Rossi has written some excellent articles about shoes that promote foot health. I highly recommend his work.
Wow! I thought I was going to skip to specific parts of the video but every single minute was full of amazing information.
Fascinating interview. I'm an 86 year old who was limping maybe three years ago due to foot pain. Now I'm running three miles a couple of times a week after just forcing myself. This interview has given me a lot to think about and probably to act upon.
keep up the amazing progress!
Amazing!
Good job! As a 68 yo runner you give me hope!
Three miles is no joke. Good work!
Wow! You inspire me!!
I'm a manual Osteopath - I treat feet everyday in clinic. This was a fabulous episode. I thought I knew the foot, but I learned alot. Thx
So happy to hear that this conversation was helpful for you. Keep helping people.
@katharine_Liberatore I agree being a manual osteopath myself!
Great info!
I’ve been an avid runner for decades. But for the past 2 1/2 years, I have what feels like a broken right toe big toe. I cannot run as long as I would like without it swelling up. I cannot do lunges at all without excruciating pain. When I was in the emergency room a couple years ago for something else unrelated, I asked them to x-ray the big toe and they said that it was not broken. It gets swollen in the joint and it hurts so bad. Is it turf toe? I just never experienced anything like this. And obviously it’s affecting my workouts
@@HH-gv8mx1:46:00 talks about this?
Good on ya! There are not many of your profession out there! Qs a lay person, I have learned so much from this video!👏
This has got to be the most important podcast episode on foot health ever. Thank you so much for all this great information. I've been suffering from a bunionette for the past year, and I think I now understand how I can fix it.
When I (age about 65 back then) discovered the 0 drop, wide box toe Lems Boulder Boot, I lost all the pain in my feet, ankles, knees, and hips within three weeks. I seldom wear anything besides the Boulder Boot ever since. My second toe, which is drawn back due to hammer toe, never relaxed but the pain disappeared. At age 72 I started wearing 2 pair of wool dress socks that have a bit of padding in the sole. This seems to be helping with the problem of the bottom of my foot going numb when on my feet for many hours at a time.
As a practitioner of Applied Functional Science, I thoroughly enjoyed this episode!
Congrats to both Peter and to Courtney for sharing “the message” on such a big stage!
Thanks again for shedding light on such an vital part of human movement!
I’d highly recommend a Part 2 followup where you do a practical demonstration of the movement patterns/assessments to help facilitate a “learning by doing” environment. Thanks in advance.
"As a practitioner of Applied Functional Science" - This is a 23 hour online certification from the Gray Institute. While I agree that the interview was great, throwing out your nonsense credential provides less than zero validity to your opinion, so you could have and should have just not mentioned it.
@@nichtsistkostenlos6565 and thanks for your opinion.
Your UA-cam name is great. Who are you referring to, and which credential?
I’d love to see a follow up with some demonstrations
@@nichtsistkostenlos6565although i see your point, i’d far rather see this guy than a traditional PT
her enthusiasm is contagious. She got me thinkin about feet a lot lately.
Absolutely love the wealth of education about feet. Thank you very much to both of you. I like to contribute a little observation from my case. I work full time in the food store wearing Altra snickers, but developing more and more pain in my feet - until a I was diagnosed with Extensor tendonitis. From the X rays the Doc said there is nothing wrong with my feet. He said : the drop 0 shoes are great - but not for walking on the concrete floor every day - 8 hours a day ! But here is the why I am writing you. I observed that while my right foot is OK and regenerate overnight - it was the left foot extreme pain that broth me to the podiatrist. My chiropractor did not see any imbalances in the pelvis tilt or spine. Than - why the left foot ? I am thinking while driving home - and it hit me ! Because I exercise my right foot every time I drive pushing on the gas or breaks pedals alternatively every day while the left foot is doing nothing - sometimes even cramping while I am driving. In other words: exercising the feet is the key ! Courtney is amazing emphasizing this .
At 31 I had a stress fracture in this area. The doctor that I could see wasn’t able to provide this depth of information. Now I know what really happened. Thank you!!
Wow! I am a 56 year old general surgeon and i learned so much about the foot that i never ever knew or even thought of. Just an outstanding episode. Thank you so much Dr Attia and Dr Conley 🙏
as a bunion sufferer I'm glad this conversation is finally taking place!!!!
Amen!!!
Fascinating thank you Peter & Courtney ! I’m a 71 yr old avid walker and hiker and love navigating rock & uneven surfaces for my balance and just for fun. My balance and foot “fitness” is top of my mind / physicality when I’m out there.
Amazing! Keep it up!
Nothing better than seeing / listening to a person so enthusiastic on their subject. Beautifully explained anatomy of the foot and reasoning of why. Thank you! In my late teens and early 20s I used to walk barefoot quite a lot in the summer, even in the city, I enjoyed how the sole skin gets tougher. Nowadays I go "aww.. ouch" stepping barefoot on any non hit absorbing surface. Good to know I was right back then. Need to start doing it again, adding 5 min at a time. I also had a thought lately to get one of these balls that you roll your foot on when sat. Courtney rules!
I garden barefoot a lot. It's difficult to get the dirt off the toes..and my feet look unattractive
I have stood up rolling a golf ball under my feet to massage them as part of a dance class.
Thank you so much. Fantastic information. I have had niggling plantar fasciitis on one foot for the best part of a year. Mildly annoying, but I never had time to look into it. With what I've learned from this video, and a couple of Dr Courtney's other videos, I've cleared it up in 4 days! Main thing [for me] was just doing calf raises with the toes elevated (you can use a towel, but I just use some small wooden wedges I have to elevate the toes). I've just left my squat rack set up like that and do them with a barbell, running the barbell along the rack to remove the balance component from the calf raise, but using a bar so I can do both feet at the same time (rather than doing a single leg raise). Having the rack set up reminds me to do them every time I leave my desk. Once the muscles are warmed up and I could feel them, I've been doing a lot of stretching around various angles of ankle dorsiflexion leaning into the rack and trying to find tight spots. I also did a little MFR with a torturous hand roller with spiky wheels on it to roll my calves (which are now black and blue - I used to do a lot of running and my calves are super tight). The prior couple of days I woke up with my foot still a bit stiff and a little residual plantar pain, but today, NOTHING! And I had run a few k's barefoot on paving yesterday, and been on the bike (both of which normally trigger it). Thanks for the information - I'm so grateful that this medical information can be made available to us laymen who wish to take control of their own destiny and fix their sh!t!
I’ve listened to this podcast twice. On my third listen. What!! On this topic? I’m so intrigued. This is a MUST LISTEN episode for everyone!!!
I watched and love what Cortney was saying because I healed my bad Plantar Fasciitis with foot exercises, gait rehabilitation & better shoes. Peter, you should also interview Paul Howell, founder of The Sling Method. He is a gait exercise master!
I'm a pelvic floor therapist and can't get over how awesome this is. Do you leak when you sprint, jump, cut, or land? Check out the foot and shock absorption. Also, think about grandma and grandpa's balance and continence. It's all related.
it's absolutely all connected, and our patients don't know to tell us about their incontinence when they came in for their feet or vice versa. We have to ask the questions to connect the dots.
Lol it's my whole job. They lose their minds when I say that their doc referred them for leaking and then I have them take off their shoes lolol
I’ve always had issues (with stress incontinence) when I jump, even as a teenager. Now that I’ve had 3 babies it’s worse 😫
As a teacher I know that when we start the jumping jacks, several kids in the class will ask to go to the washroom. Talking about elementary school!
Peter & Courtney, this is the best conversation about foot health I have ever come across (and I have listened to many over the last 7 years) - best technical understanding, best treatment approach. Awesome! I am a qualified PT with a personal journey of overcoming damage to my gait musculature (hips and feet) as a result of falling 6 foot onto ashphalt at age 4. It was at age 27 I started to unravel it all. Now at 50yrs I am dealing with the last 5%. I find all shared to be true to my understanding and experience with what has worked plus some additional insights. The only significant thing in this conversation I have yet to do is start wearing toe spacers. I am a bit suprised there was no mention of the problem of fibrosis and scar-tissue in this conversation.
As a massage therapist it makes me so happy to hear someone articulate so well the things I’ve been saying for years. Thank you for this one.
Courtney Conley is so very gifted at teaching! I will be listening to this multiple times. Thank you Peter for bringing her on.
goodness this lady is charging a sht ton of money $$$$ at her business ...$300 for a virtual consultation ? lol
Fascinating. I've had a replacement ankle and lots of foot surgeries to accommodate the new ankle, all done by a very highly respected surgeon. Unfortunately, the physical therapy I've received has been very lacking. In mind own self analysis I know my mid foot and toes strength is terrible. But this also extends up into my calf. After nearly two years, I am finally seeing my calf strength increase. I now know my feet are the next area to focus on now. Your podcast with Courtney has opened my eyes to this. I just wish Courtney were here to help me.
Courtney is absolutely amazing. I’ve had the opportunity to work with her and also work with a few clients mutually. She’s so knowledgeable about the foot and the body that it’s mind blowing. ❤
I’ve been an avid runner for decades. But for the past 2 1/2 years, I have what feels like a broken right toe big toe. I cannot run as long as I would like without it swelling up. I cannot do lunges at all without excruciating pain. When I was in the emergency room a couple years ago for something else unrelated, I asked them to x-ray the big toe and they said that it was not broken. It gets swollen in the joint and it hurts so bad. Is it turf toe? I just never experienced anything like this. And obviously it’s affecting my workouts
This is over-the-top information thank you so much, Peter and Courtney! For those of us who have had amputations or traumatic injuries, foot health is far more challenging. At age 19 I had my left foot severed from my leg in a motorcycle accident. I spent six months in a cast. Four of those months were in a cast from my foot to my hip. I lost 2” from my left leg. I am now 68 years old. I have never worn more than an 1 1/4” lift because I cannot tolerate anything higher. I’ve always been active and never had any issues until last year. My knees literally blew up. Along with Baker cysts, stage 2-4 osteoarthritis, torn meniscus, etc. I was shocked and horrified. I’ve been working on foot strength because I recognized that was likely a big part of my issue. Having a lift on a shoe stiffens the shoe and makes it very difficult to flex. I spent several years not being able to even find anyone to alter my shoes. In all of the practitioners that I’ve seen they focus on my curved spine, messed up neck, etc. none of this has been an issue for me. Orthopedists have been shocked that I could even walk with bone on bone in my left ankle for my entire life. I was an avid hiker mountain biker, and bodyboarder until last year. I wish I could find someone to address my whole body under MY circumstances NOT the average body. Because I have found this nearly impossible I seek to educate myself as much as possible. Thank you so much for all of the detail and helping us to better understand the importance of our feet.🙏🏻
What I like about Dr Attia is that he has no hesitation to bring in people from multiple disciplines for great conversations.
I to Didn't SEE the LIST of shoes that Dr. Courtney Conley was talking about in the show notes so I contacted the office and wrote them. As soon as they get back to my E-mail I will put the info below for everyone. WHAT AMAZING INFO! Never learned so much about our feet in my life. :)
Did you get the list?? :D
Did you ever get the list? I'm interested too
Thanx!
Have that list perhaps?
@@TheToxicCollision best I found was her biz web page below and info is there.
When will we see the exercises?
Yes please!
There are plenty of videos on youtube on foot strength 😊
Yes but I would like to see their specific exercises given it was mentioned in the pod
How do you fix mortons neuroma?
@@sandraredmond4812 depends on the cause. Fix the cause and the nerve should be less compressed. In some cases wide toe box shoes but in my case it's about restoring my arch with strengthening
It turned out to be the episode I didn't know I needed! Really interesting one, you can tell how passionate Dr. Conley is about the subject. Thank you!
Love her enthusiasm, a brilliant insight into foot health 🎉
how can you NOT get excited when the foot is so cool! 🤓👣
This clinician is a rock star
As sports chiro she cleared up a lot of issues I struggle with treating high end athletes
Excellent discussion. I scheduled an online 1:1 consultation with Dr. Courtney's company since I've been experiencing a lot of foot pain lately. I wish I still lived in Colorado. I'd travel there.
I'm a pilates instructor, and I keep telling my clients how important it is to strengthen and have mobility in their feet. This information is invaluable for my practice at my studio. Thank you!
Such an important episode! Yogis, ultrarunners, and many others will appreciate its content!
I hike several miles every day at 75 and now am having PT for peroneal tendinitis in a foot where i had a trimalleolar fracture over 20 years ago that they told me might eventially have to be fused. Have no idea what was over stretched or damaged as far as ligaments besides my achilles which was a mess. The orth that diagnosed the tendinitus said the joint actually looked good, just a lithle arthritis so thats great. I have a good PT but i dont know that he knows all this so im going to forward him this episode. Im a retired PT and i learned a huge amount. Thanks so much for this episode. Forwarding to friends with bunions as well.
I love this video.
Thank you for sharing this valuable information with the world! I had plantar fasciitis for almost 2 years; it is terrible. But the biggest problem is being unaware of the importance of your shoes, training your ankles, feet or your lower body in general. I still have my very expensive running shoes, which helped me a lot when I was in pain. and now I use it only if I know I will walk a lot, dance, or run. For the rest, I try my best to use shoes that let my toes spread and be conscious of the arch of my foot, how to walk, how to stand, and so on. I wish I could listen to this podcast at that time when I was trying to understand what to do to cure it without going to surgery.
This video needs to shared widely! Media must pick up on this!!!
Excellent analysis of foot health. Good discussion of shoes as well. For me ALTRAs, LEMS and XEROES are the best shoes for foot health.
Since I started using altras foot pain has stopped. It took about a year though
Finally...I've been waiitng and suggesting this guest for so long!
Thank you!
hoping to see some exercise recommendations from this episode
yeah, not going to happen (unless you schedule a consult with her and pay, or something like that)
@@zzc8505true
“The interview will be available to everyone while the videos from the gym will only be available to paid subscribers (found at the end of the show notes page). “
I am so glad she is on your podcast, and I love her excitement, and obsession with the foot, and it's function. She has taught me so much about foot function just through her instagram account, and also about how important it is to realize the body is fine, and what it does is fine, we just to understand how its design is meant to work.
This was amazing and I can’t wait for the second part. I have been following her for a while and have learned so much. I hope to take a course some day. I have moved to working with the much older population and am looking forward to reading the fall prevention protocol she talked about.
amazing segment! I recently injured my foot running on a treadmill and she answered all of my questions. My PT and chiropractor were clueless!
I loved this video. Very informative. I already listened to it twice and will probably watch again. My big problem is finding a shoe like that in a size 5. Nobody wants to carry that size, they don’t have the spacey in their warehouse to store them and not enough demand. I’m 68 on my feet all day long due to my job and I have sore big toe pain on the ball of both my feet. It may have started in 2009 when I started Swing Dancing 4 times a week after being on my feet all day long. Thank you so much for this video. I learned so much about the foot. And I loved her voice. I can listen to her all day!!
There is little attention given to the foot by the medical community in my opinion & experience and yet it is the foundation on which we stand. Ha! I appreciate a focus on identifying a root cause and having protocols to address and perhaps fix a foot issue. Strengthening the foot where weak makes sense to me. And it was news to me that we lose sensory perception in the foot as part of aging. I've been self-diagnosing my foot issues since my PCP and PT have focused on treating the symptoms versus identifying why the issues occurred in the first place. My last PT said that I need to wear heel lifts because my feet don't lie flat. Is this a real condition? or is a symptom of weak strength in the foot? This interview was informative & given me another option for treating my foot issues. Thanks to both of you!
I do not see shoe list in show notes.
I don't see a list either
Show notes are available only with membership @@jenniferly1410
Shoe list would be great, please add to notes.
Hey, I also don't see a list 😕
Xero, vivobarefoot, Lems, Altras are all wide toe box shoes
Such an important issue. Toes are so important to my balance as a 76 yr old!!! And the medical profession does not pay attention to this critical part of our body. Huge tks for airing this video!👏♥️
I love how much they both love this topic; you guys are great. Genuine smiles when questions are asked or discoveries are made.❤❤❤❤
🤯This was so amazing!! I learned soooo much! And yet, I realize there is so much more to cover. Part Two please!!! As a dentist, I can't wait until you give oral health/ jaw (i.e.airway) development the same in-depth discussion. Thanks for bringing things like this to light. The human body is simply amazing and even the most humble of parts, that rarely get the attention they deserve, contribute vastly to our overall health and vitality.
One of the best podcasts I've ever watched. Thank you a million times Courtney and Peter.
Perfect timing of the episode, I just had shoe fitting done and was debating between the zero drop and minimal drop, this has made my decision easy.
I Started running in Topo 18 months ago and also added 2 pair of Altra zero drop. My feet has never been stronger and I run 2600 km since the begin of 2023. Wide toebox is the way.
That is GREAT TO HEAR! I've been on her biz web page and saw she really recommends the Altra shoe. I'm super glad to hear it's worked out for you and I am learning about them now to eventually purchase them. I'm not a runner but I would love to keep my feet in top condition and healthy. :)
Loved the content.
Courtney was excellent in her presentation with really brining it home, the importance of foot care
Thank you so much
Would love to see some recommended toe & foot exercises to help correct, strengthen & maintain same
Korean people use pressure points on foot to treat many ailments. It is worth having an interview with a Korean foot specialist too. This episode has been very informative.
So helpful. I’m a runner that supinates and sprained my ankle six months ago. I’m researching different toe box widths and heal/toe drops. My parents are in their 80s and walking is becoming an issue. This episode is very timely!
Dr. Connley is a master of the foot and gait. I'm thrilled to see her combo up with Dr. Attia!
Her knowledge of muscle physiology and function is, in many instances in this presentation, not fully and sometimes even partially accurate.
Where are the exercises???
I want to love anything the way she loves the physiology of feet. Inspirational!!
The last interviewee i had checked out was lame. But this lady WANTED to be there. And she’s GOOD. Very informative, passionate. No stuttering.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this video!
My doctor told me I had plantar facetious, it was probably a stess fracture, he put me in orthotic.... all this made matters worse.
I was also well on my way to hallux ridgidus and started doing exercises on my own. I just knew I needed to be able to bend my toe!
I'll be watching this video and making notes!
That seems to be what they all do..give you orthotics..I don't want that...
Great episode!
As for the "Eddie", I had initially thought it is Eddie from Iron Maiden.
I have EEEE wide feet with splayed toes... making the buying of shoes/boots very difficult. As a result for my whole life I had been buying wide shoes at about 1 to 1.5 US size larger so that they can provide the required toe box width. This had unfortunately changed my gait to minimise the trip hazard from the extra shoe length that I had been wearing for my whole life.
I am so happy to see that we now have companies that are producing wide shoes with wide toe box.
Same problem here.🥴
I watched this entire thing on Sunday morning, ordered Xero, started wearing toe spacers, and I hope to improve my running. Awesome episode.
They advise “ go slow” with the shoes and toe spacers. Hubby wore them for too long daily in the beginning and had compensatory pain. So ease on in 😃 good luck
I am so invested in this ✊✊✊ how did I go until my thirties before I knew about how important the feet and toes are 😭😭😭
Great episode. The podiatrist I saw to diagnose my Halux Limitus 15 years ago basically said to come back to him when I couldn't stand the pain anymore, so he could go in and grind some bone/arthritis. Yes, shoes are a problem. Add a bunion on the other big toe and a broken tib & fib the next year. But I keep mountain biking through it. 😁
I'm a physical therapist and I treat foot & ankle problems all of time and do so in a variety of ways based on mechanics, weaknesses, etc of the LE chain, but now have a few more things I can do and use. Thank you.
What is LE chain?
@@myhandle321 LE = lower extremity
GOATA, knees over toes and Courtney Conley all in 1 room 🤯🤯
Oh jeeze, over two hours of foot care talk. I’m going to need every second of this. I had a doc tell me when I was 14 ( 56 now) that I was going to have feet problems.
She is spot on! I have always been very concerned about the shoe issues.. it takes me a lot of time and effort to find quality, roomy shoes. She is l00% correct!
True in, oh so many, subjects one start to think thru on a deeper level. Not much of quality these days.
As a PT another huge predictor of falls is strength of the gluteus medius. Not just toes. The hip abductors affect balance. Balance training is hugely important
This is the best podcast ever!!! Both of you are so incredibly smart and awesome! Thank you both for sharing your knowledge! Hope to use this information to help my foot problems! Again, thank you! Love my Attia!
Mj🏃♀️
Superb! So skillful! I truly wish Courtney was nearby! I was looking for this level of foot health assessment when I scheduled what I thought was a podiatry appt at Kaiser. Their only skill level/option was "come back when you need surgery". I have a complicated foot history that could really use the right intervention and a dance hobby that compromises my foot health!
That is so disappointing and I have received similar "treatment plans" from Kaiser! You should definitely get in touch with a Gait Happens practitioner though! They're all excellent!
Fascinating discussion. Courtney was so engaging and knowledgeable, answering Peter’s great questions with really helpful explanations. Today was squat day; because of this episode I decided at the end to add something that might help my foot and ankle strength and stabilization by balancing on a single leg/foot on an inverted Bosu Ball. I was all over the place at first. By the third set, I paid more attention to my toe pressure, esp big toes, and I was able to hold it for 60 sec, not wobbling as much. For years while exercising I’ve heard “ weight on your heels”, which I think has turned off much of my toe usage … will be more cognizant of using the strength of my toes now!
This is so fascinating! I have had chronic problems with my feet, knees, and back caused by acute traumas, and this conversation has confirmed some things that I suspected. My yoga teacher suggested that i work at "making friends with my feet". I am learning to do that. It effects so much.
OMG!!! SO grateful, you two!! I am learning SO much I can use!!!!
Thanks Courtney and Peter for a great and absolutely best pod ever about our loving feet.
I have a question that I think many of us backpacking hikers have and have received lots of different answers.
Me (69 years) and my girlfriend hike every weekend between 15-20 km and stay overnight camping which means we have equipment of about 10-12 kg on our back including backpack.
When I started hiking, I was told that I absolutely must have hiking boots that keep the foot in place and have the stiffness to handle the weight of carrying a backpack of xx kg. So we both bought traditional hiking boots which, by the way, weigh a lot and don't have much room for the toes.
Now, two years later, we have switched to the Altra Done Peak and most recently the Wondertoes 2.0 from Joe Nimble.
These boots have a wide toe box and have zerodrop.
Now the question: Is it wrong to wear these types of shoes without stiffness and stability when hiking? What could happen in the worst case scenario if there is one?
By the way, we have no problems with our feet today despite many hikes with and without packing but wonder if we are overloading our feet with these types of shoes.
This summer we are going to the French Southern Alps and it will be different and more demanding hiking than what we are used to.
With kind regards and hoping for an answer from both of you.
Jacques Montel from Sweden.
Impressive interview. Thank you for taking the time to record and upload.
Fascinating! Love her knowledge and explanation. Now I have a new love for the wonder that our feet are and do!! Thanks for doing this video!
I watched this episode probably 12 times now! I am absolutely obsessed with foot health! This was so informative and inspiring! Where is the list of show notes with all the links mentioned. Thank you
Brilliant! Thank you Peter!
I am a 78 year old marathoner; I needed this like 50 years ago! This episode will definitely help me to continue to run marathons into my 90s at least.
I was hoping for a video with the exercises and a list of the products she talked about.
Agreed. I was bummed not to see this. Incredible interview otherwise.
Think you need to be a member. I would like that too, but understand they need to be paid for this precious info.
The videos are for subscribers only, check the website.
Dr. Courtney is part of the healthy feet alliance. Their website actually has some brand and product recommendations.
She has a list of the shoes, at least, on her website (GaitMatters).
I developed acute plantar faciitis from walking 100 miles in a few days well broken in hiking boots with custom orthotics. I switched to Chacos sandles for the rest of the 400 miles of that walk and it helped a lot (they allowed toe splay). Then I suffered bouts of plantar fasciitis for 17 years after that pilgrimage. When I changed all of my shoes to foot-shaped shoes and barefoot zero drop style shoes, I finally healed my plantat fasciitis completely.
What shoes? Can you share a link?
@@junefeng201 There are so many brands of foot shaped, zero drop sneakers and shoes available now and I’ve tried a lot of them. For sneakers I started with Xero, then went to Altas because I needed more sole protection when I started walking large gravel/rock dirt mountain roads, now I prefer the Topos brand in the 0 mm drop styles. There are some great blogs and Instagrams that I follow that are dedicated to reviewing barefoot style footwear. I am a woman, so I mostly follow those that review women shoes. But there are also ones for men shoes. If you use the hashtag barefootshoes or Google bear foot shoe reviews, you’ll find all sorts of great brands based in the US and in other countries
@@junefeng201 There are so many brands of foot shaped, zero drop sneakers and shoes available now and I’ve tried a lot of them. For sneakers I started with Xero, then went to Altas because I needed more sole protection when I started walking large gravel/rock dirt mountain roads, now I prefer the Topos brand in the 0 mm drop styles. There are some great blogs and Instagrams that I follow that are dedicated to reviewing barefoot style footwear. I am a woman, so I mostly follow those that review women shoes. But there are also ones for men shoes. If you use the hashtag barefootshoes or Google bear foot shoe reviews, you’ll find all sorts of great brands based in the US and in other countries
I loved the conversation, the information and evidence to support barefoot shoes. I have worn barefoot for over 2 years, before this I had terrible ankle issues that could roleon the tiniest stone/object. Since wearing barefoot this hasn't happened. I recently returned from hiking/walking with 20 teens in Tanzania, wearing barefoot shoes and hiking boots were an investment and help. I'm 58 and damaged the ankle in my early 20s playing soccer. Thank you from a convert
This is such an important show! Thank you for having Courtney on here! She's an incredible teacher!
Could you tell me where the links are to everything you stated would be in the notes? Like the toast spacers I think there might’ve been some other products you were mentioning that I’d like to look up.
I need some toast spacers, too! The slices are too close together.
There are good toe spacers on Amazon.
Fascinating! I have plantar faciitis and moderate to severe neuropathy (moderate in one foot, severe in the other) and have started wearing minimalist shoes (Xero). It's so hard for me to stop from striking my heel in these shoes. I have to mince. And it takes me so much longer to walk any distance because my gait is so much shorter. I'll stick with it but it is exasperating - I just want to get to where I'm going!
It took me 2 full years to slowly move all of my shoes over to zero drop, foot shaped shoes. I started with Xeros too. But it was when I changed to zero drop Altas and Tapos sneakers that I made good/faster progress and then was able to move from thoseback to the Xeros and other barefoot shoes. The Xero were not the best starter option for me.
Great information. Thank you so much, Courtney. Dr. Attia, you're such a good interviewer, and you always have the best guests.
Oh, and a big plus for Eddie Vedder - my barefoot years in the summer, feeling the off road dust while listening to "VS" album. BIG HUGS, Courtney!
I was so excited towards the beginning of this episode when the guest mentioned that she had bunions on both of her big toes from previous poor foot wear. I watched all the way through, hoping to hear advice or prognosis for the condition once it has progressed to the point where there is zero ABduction. I learned a lot, but not much about my condition. I was wondering if it is a lost cause at this point or is there any way I can regain strength in my big toe. Currently, my big toe is in full ADduction to the point where it sits on top of my second toe unless I manually ADduct it. I use a spacer to try to improve the alignment because without it, my foot turns outwards, leading to ankle instability, and lots of other problems in gait from compensatory mechanisms affecting my knees and hips. I saw a podiatrist who was against bunion surgery and recommended an ankle brace for stability when walking or running (the former I had to give up because my foot turns out so much that my heel ends up hitting my other foot when I run). And it seems like the guest expert was against stabilizing measures as it prevents you from strengthening the muscles. Any advice or resources would be greatly appreciated.
Courtney's enthusiasm is contagious! It's evident she loves what she does. Thank you so much for explaining. I've been dealing with plantar fasciitis for over a year. This is very informative. Thank you, Peter, for this interview.
Physical therapy helped me so much after a bunionectomy. It was so bad I couldn’t walk. Exercise helped so much.
I also believe the foot is the base
Great video❤🎉
Wow what an episode. Thank you both so much for sharing your knowledge. I had to pause to go get my toe spacers, which were in a cupboard forgotten about. Where is the shoe list recommendations. Can’t see it?
The human foot is fascinating . Dr. Conley rocks. She is brilliant. Thank you for this. Please keep it coming. ❤😊👣👣
Please Dr peter bring a guest that talks about neck and back for patients suffering disk bulges who wants to strength their muscles. Thanks
Seeing Ed and Jeff hug was killer!! The best Pearl Jam interview ive ever seen! Incredible
As a former dancer, a proud carrier of two bunions, and a yoga teacher, I want to say a huge thank you for this episode-from the bottom of my soul (or rather two soles)! So often, I see people having zero clue about why training feet is so important. Little by little, the paramount significance of human feet is seeping into the public consciousness, thanks to content like this. Truly grateful!
Great podcast! I have a bunion and I guess hammers toes, but realize I don't just have to live with. Bought zero drop shoes to wear to work b/c I now realize that my shoes are a big part of the problem. Thank you Peter and Courtney!
Fascinating!!! I’ve suffered w foot pain since I was in my 20’s and I’m learning so much from this! Thank you thank you for such great info! I do have that ancillary n you mentioned and some sharp pains in areas you mentioned that may be fractures! I wish I hadn’t waited into my 50’s to learn more about this. As an active runner and boot camper I’m starting to have to give up things I love so I’m hoping I can pt my feet back to healthy and strong!
I figured out wearing a wider running shoe would fix my neuroma back in 2000. My podiatrist just wanted to operate! 😂so glad I didn’t listen.
Brilliant interview from you both. Learnt an insane amount of specific details and strategy. So many ahaha moments. Very, very supportive insight for Neuro circuit pain and pain messages. Ty🙏❤️💜
I'm a trail runner and I run in Xero shoes or Luna sandals - 25, 30, 35 km (45 km is my current record) in all kinds of terrain (Poland) and enjoying it. Slowly built up to it, of course. So far didn't have any foot problems, only regular overtrained/strained muscles
Yes! This is a very fascinating and informative interview, I’m 60 and have been barefoot training and at times with high intensity, my training over the past 6 years has consisted of a lot of barefoot outdoor in nature training. I run , jump, crawl, climb etc in natural habitats eg climbing, jumping, running, simple parkour, using all natural features eg, climbing trees, variety of climbing and movement in trees, rocks, logs etc you name it it’s probably in my practice somewhere! If you were in my home town (Perth Western Australia) I would have loved to have you checkout my feet with all the knowledge you have to see what you think! I have no physical issues that cause pain or discomfort my feet feel strong and resilient and look very cut and defined, when climbing I can grip with my bare toes etc, I can squat deep smoothly etc, I’m sure I’m not perfect and I bet with your knowledge you would probably still find something ha ha. But I’m sure I’m very above average for my age! This style of training along with strength and fitness is my goto training for keeping up my physical longevity and so far it’s working very well, Great work!
How do we train the midfoot muscles and the foot as a whole to prevent the strength loss? Does Courtney suggest 3 or 4 exercises?