Big Idea: What Your Feet Say About Your Health and How to Strengthen Them With Exercise and the Right Shoes with Courtney Conley

Jun 16, 2025

Courtney Conley, a leading foot and gait specialist, shares her expertise on the crucial link between foot health and overall wellness. She highlights how strong, mobile feet can prevent falls and enhance longevity. The conversation covers simple at-home assessments for foot health and exercises to build toe strength. Conley advocates for minimalist footwear, discussing its benefits for both foot function and injury prevention. Listeners also learn the importance of mindful walking to boost mobility and health as they age.

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ADVICE

Progressive Foot Strengthening

Build foot mobility by first practicing toe dexterity to move toes independently.
Progress to toe strengthening exercises with resistance and calf raises for advanced training.

ADVICE

At-Home Foot Strength Test

Use a credit card under toes at home to test foot muscle tension.
Feeling tension in the arch indicates good foot engagement and can predict foot issues.

ADVICE

Start Minimalist Shoes Gradually

Begin wearing minimalist shoes 10 minutes a day to build intrinsic foot muscles.
Gradually increase time to strengthen feet and improve sensory feedback.

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This episode is brought to you by Manukora Honey, Square, and Levels.

We don’t often think of foot health as a factor in longevity. However, falls, hip fractures, and early mortality statistics show that foot health is just as essential for long-term wellness as other factors we prioritize. Today’s guest has made it her mission to bring foot health to the forefront of conversations about optimal health, especially as we age.

Today on The Dhru Purohit Show, we’re sharing one of our most talked-about moments with Dr. Courtney Conley, an expert in foot and gait health, on why your feet matter more than you think. She explains why you should be able to move your feet as freely as your hands, how to assess your foot health at home, and the key signs it’s time to improve your foot and toe strength. Dr. Conley also shares simple exercises anyone can start doing today, along with her top recommendations for everyday footwear.

Dr. Courtney Conley is a leading foot and gait specialist and the founder of Gait Happens, where she helps people restore healthy movement from the ground up. She also leads patient care at Total Health Solutions and Total Health Performance in Colorado, focusing on gait mechanics and foot function. As a founding member of the Healthy Foot Alliance, Dr. Conley advocates for natural footwear and strengthening the feet to reduce unnecessary surgeries and support lifelong mobility.

In this episode, Dhru and Dr. Conley dive into:

Building toe strength for beginners, intermediate, and advanced levels (2:01)
What you can do at home to improve foot strength and overall foot health (7:00)
The shoes Dr. Conley recommends—and her non-negotiables (17:00)
The ideal number of daily steps for optimal health (30:19)
Top hacks and habits for people with a sedentary lifestyle (32:10)
Final thoughts and key takeaways (35:49)

Also mentioned:

Full episode with Dr. Courtney Conley

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