Should you ditch the max-cushion sneakers?

Imagine sitting on a couch or a chair (at a desk, perhaps) for hours on end.

Now think about how your body will react to this admittedly very comfy position, day after day, week after week, year after year.

Any idea what will happen?

What you’re sitting on, your glutes, will slowly become weaker and weaker. And that’s not the only thing. Your hamstrings and hip flexors will tighten, and your quads will also weaken.

The end result?

An imbalanced lower body musculature, which leads to…

Back pain.

Sciatic pain.

Hip and knee pain.

Let’s draw a parallel here.

Imagine standing on a thick cushion, day after day, week after week, year after year.

What’s going to get weak in this case?

That’s right, your feet.

When your feet are weak…

You can struggle with balance, which leads to increased fall risk.

This imbalance can cause the foot to excessively roll inwards or outwards, creating a misalignment of the ankles.

This misalignment travels up the chain to put stress on the shins, knees, hips, and back.

I know many people find relief from wearing sneakers with very thick soles, but, kind of like taking ibuprofen, you are dealing with the symptoms and not the root cause.

Now, I’m not saying you should go cold turkey with your highly cushioned shoes, they certainly are great for shock absorption and temporarily easing heel and joint pain. What I am saying is that you should consider exercises to strengthen your feet. For example, we at Revity3 recommend (for certain clients) doing strength workouts in just socks. You should also stretch your feet (and calves, hamstring, quads, etc.).

(If you want to learn more on the subject, I have multiple sources, but you can start HERE with Dr. Courtney Conley and HERE with Mark Sisson.)

Fixing your feet is quite possibly the easiest fitness routine to start: walk barefoot (or in socks) for just a few minutes a day on a thick carpet or mat.

Balance exercises, something we do quite often at Revity3, are a great way to strengthen your feet, too, with zero impact to your joints.

Let’s work to fix your pain through building strength, improving flexibility, and nutrition (yes, that matters too!).

See you on the mat!

Coach Dylan