550: How you should walk, train, & shoe shop for optimized foot health | Renowned foot specialist & chiropractor Courtney Conley, D.C.

“If I have weak toes and I have a foot that can't feel anything, the risk of falling goes up. It skyrockets,” says Courtney Conley, D.C.

Courtney, a renowned foot health specialist and chiropractor joins us to discuss everything you need to know about taking better care of your feet, including: 

-A major misconception around cushioned shoes (~02:06)

-The best toe shape for a shoe (~07:28)

-The truth about zero-drop shoes (~09:49)

-The link between foot strength & longevity (~13:33)

-How to test your foot strength at home (~15:00)

-Must-try at-home foot exercises (~16:00) 

-The importance of calf raises (~16:45)

-When to use toe spacers (~25:12)

-A+ shoe brands (~28:49)

-Why flip flops are detrimental (~34:33)

-How often should you walk barefoot? (~36:30)

-Foot health concerns for kids (~47:00)

-Homework for stronger feet (~51:45)

Referenced in the episode: 

-Connect with Courtney on Instagram (@gaithappens) & YouTube (@gaithappens5872) 

-For online gait analysis & to book a consultation, visit https://gaithappens.com/ 

-Check out the shoe brands mentioned in this episode: Wildling, Paluva, Xero, Vivobarefoot, Belenka, Altra Running, Bedrock, Earth Runners, Natur Athletics, Tolos

-Visit the Gait Happens Instagram for more calf raise demo videos & tips

-Shop Courtney’s favorite foot health products at https://gaithappens.com/favorite-products

-Pick up some Gait Happens Toe Spacers: https://gaithappens.com/product/toe-spacers/ 

-Research showing how much pressure it takes to stimulate receptors in the foot. (DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1997.tb00979.x) 

-Visit lumen.me/mindbodygreen.com to get 15% off your first order at Lumen.

We hope you enjoy this episode, and feel free to watch the full video on YouTube! Whether it's an article or podcast, we want to know what we can do to help here at mindbodygreen. Let us know at: podcast@mindbodygreen.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices