If you want to be better at anything (pain free, move well, rich, educated, whatever) you have to put effort into it – but it doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive. In this series, I list what I believe is important to have/know/do to improve performance, correct your problems, and change the quality of your life forever.
The chances are, it doesn’t matter who you are, you probably better start paying attention to your feet and in this case, to your toes.
Modern footwear and lifestyle have been changing the way we connect with the ground, and before you think we are heading in a good direction, let me tell you that things are getting worse.
Every 6 months you can buy a pair of shoes for £200 with fancy padding, and a cool design and hope they will help your foot/knee/hip/back pain (or that they’ll make you run faster), but let’s be honest, they will mask things only and not solve the problem. The only way to solve your problem is if you find the actual problem and find a way to fix it.
A foot is meant to be wide at the front, the toes are meant to be able to spread – just as your fingers do – so they can create more stability to keep you safe. Take a look at your foot and your shoe(s) next to it and see how much they force your toes into an unnatural position. Also notice if your foot is already deformed: a big toe pointing towards the rest of the toes is not natural – just think of the shape of a foot of a child and ask the question how/when did your foot transform from that to the current one.
If you know me, you know about toga and toe spreading and mobilization drills and exercises, but for but now, let’s just go with a toe spreader.
It costs less than £3. Get a pair. Not the fancy one, the cheap one is good enough. And then get a pair for anybody who is important to you. And then spend time wearing them. Even better, train and spend more time barefoot (heads up: NOTHING should hurt just because you are barefoot). I know it’s not likely to happen in a gym, but we all can do a few minutes of moving around in a day – plus you could just wear these while you are sitting at your desk. You don’t have to keep them on for long if they don’t feel comfortable, just gradually build into a habit of having them on. Maybe you will start with a ten-minute dose, and it’s fine. Just do it.
I tried a few different ones, and they all have their own advantages. Some are better for someone with stronger feet, and some will be more narrow so they don’t feel too much, some will let your toes move more independently, and so on. You will need to play around with them.
I usually buy a bunch and have a few spare pairs so if we speak daily get in touch about them. Alternatively, you can find links on the Essentials page.