This week on the Restore To Explore podcast, Jess McDonald shares her journey as a professional athlete, the challenges of being a mother and a player, and the impact of the 2019 Equal Pay lawsuit. She also discusses the importance of foot health and how she takes care of her feet as a soccer player. McDonald emphasizes the need for balance and foot-focused exercises to prevent injuries and improve performance. She encourages her teammates to prioritize foot health and shares her own experiences with bunions and foot issues. McDonald believes that foot care is essential for athletes and can have a significant impact on overall performance. In this conversation, Jess McDonald and Mac discuss the importance of feet in sports and injury prevention. They emphasize the need to de-stigmatize feet and prioritize foot health in athletic training. They also highlight the impact of injuries on athletes' physical and mental well-being. Jess shares her personal experience with foot and balance training, which has helped her have a longer career and prevent injuries. Finally, Jess talks about her upcoming chapter as a mother of two and her plans for the future.

Takeaways

•  De-stigmatizing feet is important in order to prioritize foot health in sports.
•  Feet play a crucial role in injury prevention and overall body coordination.
•  Injuries can have a significant impact on athletes' physical and mental well-being.
•  Foot and balance training can help prevent injuries and improve performance in sports.
•  Jess McDonald is expecting her second child and plans to continue playing soccer for at least another season before focusing on her post-career options.

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:13 Early Years and Sports Journey

08:38 Challenges of Being a Mother and a Professional Athlete

17:04 Winning the World Cup and the Rise of Women's Football

21:13 Impact of the 2019 Equal Pay Lawsuit

29:04 Dealing with Injuries and Foot Health

38:51 Promoting Foot Health Among Teammates

43:06 The Importance of Foot Care in Sports

44:34 De-stigmatizing Feet

46:03 The Importance of Feet in Sports

47:12 Injury Prevention and Whole Body Coordination

49:04 The Impact of Injuries on Athletes

50:15 Preparing the Body for Performance

51:35 The Secret Sauce: Foot and Balance Training

52:06 Jess McDonald's Next Chapter

Music:

Dream Chaser - Lunareh

Written By - Wiriyapa Chansuwong

Performed & Produced By - Lunareh