From the Ground Up Athletic Performance Podcast Dr. Emily Splichal Episode 45 " Building functional feet: intrinsic foot/ core connection, Contract & relax, foot strengthening and stimulation"
On episode 45 I sat down with Dr. Emily Splichal to discuss a variety of considerations around the foot, ankle, and deep core. Dr. Emily starts by explaining her main aims of foot training which she refers to as the 3 pillars of foot training. The pillars she's references are mobility, strength, and sensory stimulation. Mobility has to do with releasing the feet to help optimize their natural Range of Motion. Strength focuses on the intrinsic muscles of the foot and their coordination of stabilization and contraction of the muscles. The foot is also packed with sensory nerves and we often blunt the sensory stimulus going into our feet by walking around in padded shoes.
Dr. Emily shares how she views the foot as an integrated structure and this is where she begins to discuss the foot and it's connection to the DFL and pelvic floor. The pelvic floor like the foot is a sensory rich area that is tension based and dynamic due to it being in rhythm with the diaphragm. We discuss the different foot postures and movement strategies that may be prevalent with each. Over pronation may be a mobility issue or a structural issue, this can only really be determined once you have accessed a client. Can view the overpronated ankle in many instances as the body taking the path of least resistance going around and avoiding the ankle rather than going through the ankle which leads to overpronation.
Dr. Emily shares what short foot is and the intensity that individuals want to shoot for to adequately perform the exercise. Short foot is a great way to activate the intrinsic foot muscles that are referenced in earlier portions of the podcast. While performing short foot want to connect foot, pelvic floor, and diaphragm and then release. Doing activities on a single leg is huge for the development of adequate balance, there are a variety of means and progression that can be utilized such as sl squats, hinges, lunge, side lunge, etc. Single leg exercises also recruit more glute than bilateral methods, this allows for us to rationalize that sl exercise can adequately encourage deeper more dynamic fascial connections that may be more beneficial than bilateral options.
Throughout the podcast Dr. Splichal referenced on many occasions the importance of balancing tension and relaxation within movement strategies. She shares the methods that she suggest to mobilize the foot and the rationale for mobilizing the foot. She offers a 5 point release and suggest mobilizing the feet for 5 minutes daily. We end the conversation by discussing considerations for different foot positions within training methodologies. Dr. Emily shares how to safely progress through different foot contact means and she shares that she like to challenge all facets of pressure, force, push off, etc. Providing a more variable experience in training than the traditional heels down approach is a worthwhile consideration and can lead to stronger more durable feet and movement strategies. The last talking point that we share is based around sensory stimulation, Dr. Emily shares how KT tape can be used to guide motor paths and provide sensory stimulation for a joint. She also discusses how vibration is a natural stimulation for the feet as we experience Ground reaction forces with every step we take. She also discusses texture and how her products at Naboso feature 2 point discrimination which keeps the brain stimulated and engaged.
Naboso Webpage * features several of the products referenced in todays episode and more.
EBFA Global Barefoot Science