A Shocking Predictor of Longevity and How to Improve It to Become Stronger for Longer with Courtney Conley

Oct 30, 2024

Courtney Conley is a renowned foot and gait specialist, dedicated to improving foot health for better longevity. In this engaging talk, she reveals foot strength’s shocking link to fall risk in aging adults. Courtney discusses how modern footwear weakens our feet and contributes to health issues. She offers valuable tips on selecting optimal footwear and introduces simple exercises to enhance foot strength at home. Explore the connection between foot health and brain function while also learning about the importance of walking for long-term wellness.

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INSIGHT

Toe Strength and Longevity

Toe strength is the biggest predictor of falls, surpassing even quadricep and ankle strength.
This is crucial for longevity, as falls often lead to hip fractures and decreased functionality.

INSIGHT

Footwear's Impact on Toe Strength

Restricting toe movement, like wearing tight shoes, weakens toe muscles.
Modern footwear is a major contributor to decreased toe strength and subsequent falls.

INSIGHT

Foot Health, Brain Health, and Neuroplasticity

Sensory receptors on our feet decline with age, impacting balance and increasing fall risk.
Exercising feet and wearing appropriate shoes improves circulation and nerve fiber branching, enhancing sensation and reducing pain.

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This episode is brought to you by Bioptimizers, Bon Charge, and Ollie.

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, Dhru sits down with renowned foot and gait specialist Dr. Courtney Conley. Dr. Conley discusses the most significant predictor of falls, lifestyle factors that weaken our toes, and how a sedentary lifestyle and modern footwear contribute to weakness, ultimately increasing the risk of falls. She also shares the qualities of optimal footwear, tips for gradually incorporating minimalist shoes into your life, and simple exercises we can all do at home to strengthen our feet.

Dr. Courtney Conley is a renowned foot and gait specialist and the founder of Gait Happens, where she pursues her passion for helping people reclaim their foot function. She is also the owner and operator of Total Health Solutions clinic and Total Health Performance gym in Lakewood, CO, where she leads patient care focusing on restoring gait mechanics and resolving foot issues to enable easier, pain-free movement. Dr. Conley is a founding member of the Healthy Foot Alliance, an international team of practitioners dedicated to promoting the benefits of natural footwear and reducing the need for unnecessary surgeries by strengthening foot foundations and creating a stable platform from the ground up.

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

The greatest predictor of a fall (00:00:07)
Factors that weaken our toes (4:00)
Modern footwear and its correlation to falls (8:50)
How a sedentary lifestyle contributes to weakness (14:05)
The impact of improper shoes and bunions (15:50)
Foot anatomy (19:45)
The connection between foot health and brain health (25:39)
Three types of chronic pain linked to foot health (34:08)
Dr. Conley’s journey (36:30)
Informed consent for activities that harm foot health (43:20)
Building toe strength for beginners, intermediate, and advanced levels (46:35)
The shoes Dr. Conley recommends and her non-negotiables (58:04)
The ideal number of daily steps (1:07:50)
How to create lasting habits and behaviors (1:11:20)
Setting up children and the geriatric population for success (1:14:50)
Dr. Conley’s practice (1:17:50)

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For more on Dr. Courtney, follow her on Instagram, Facebook, or her Website.

This episode is brought to you by Bioptimizers, Bon Charge, and Ollie.

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