FeetWise

Hey!
Hope your week is going on well?
The main condition we are going to concentrate on in this topic is pronation but we will talk on supination a bit also. These two terms refer to a foots natural rolling movement while walking or running.

What is Pronation?

Pronation refers to the inward roll of the foot during normal motion and occurs as the outer edge of the heel strikes the ground and the foot rolls inward and flattens out. A moderate amount of pronation is required for the foot to function properly, however damage and injury can occur during excessive pronation. When excessive pronation does occur the foot arch flattens out and stretches the muscles, tendons and ligaments underneath the foot.

What is Supination?

Supination is the opposite of pronation and refers to the outward roll of the foot during normal motion. A natural amount of supination occurs during the push-off phase of the running gait as the heel lifts off the ground and the forefoot and toes are used to propel the body forward. However, excessive supination (outward rolling) places a large strain on the muscles and tendons that stabilize the ankle, and can lead to the ankle rolling completely over, resulting in an ankle sprain or total ligament rupture.

What exactly is over-pronation?

Over-pronation occurs when we pronate too deep and for too long, not giving the foot a chance to 'recover' and supinate. The foot stays flexible at all times. Over-pronators use a lot more energy when walking. Worse, over-pronation causes an imbalance throughtout the entire body, putting excessive strain on the feet, legs, knees and lower back.

Other terms for over-pronation are 'fallen arches', 'dropped arches' or 'collapsed arches'. The term 'flat feet' is also often used. However, a true 'flat foot' is very rare. In fact, less than 5% of the population have completely flat feet (Pes Planus) with no arch present whatsoever. Most of us (90%) have a normal to low arch and only 5% have a high arch. People with a high arch (Pes Cavus) are also called 'over-supinators'. This means that the foot stays rigid at all times and lacks its natural shock-absorbing mechanism.

It's important to appreciate that you don't have to be flat-footed to suffer from over-pronation! In fact, the vast majority of people with a 'normal- to-low arch' suffer from over-pronation. Interestingly, the arches may appear quite normal when sitting (or even standing up-right), but when we start to walk the problem of over-pronation becomes evident...with every step we take the arches collapse and the ankles roll inwards.

We will be continuing from here next time,and we be looking at how we can fix overpronation.Until then,keep walking tall.
Image credit:https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Pronation-and-Supination_fig1_277296302

YOUR ACHILLES TENDON,YOUR FREEDOM.

The Achilles tendon is a tough band of fibrous tissue that connects the calf muscles to the heel bone (calcaneus). The Achilles tendon is also called the calcaneal tendon.

The gastrocnemius and soleus muscles (calf muscles) unite into one band of tissue, which becomes the Achilles tendon at the low end of the calf. The Achilles tendon then inserts into the calcaneus. Small sacs of fluid called bursae cushion the Achilles tendon at the heel.

The Achilles tendon is the largest and strongest tendon in the body. When the calf muscles flex, the Achilles tendon pulls on the heel. This movement allows us to stand on our toes when walking, running, or jumping. Despite its strength, the Achilles tendon is also vulnerable to injury, due to its limited blood supply and the high tensions placed on it.

The Achilles tendon was named in 1693 after the Greek hero Achilles

Major problems associated with the Achilles tendon include Achilles tendinitis and Achilles tendon ruptures

Achilles tendinitis: Frequent activity (running or walking) causes an over use of the end of the Achilles tendon, causing pain and stiffness at the back of the heel. Rest, ice, and stretching may speed healing, which can take weeks.

Achilles tendon rupture;A complete rupture of the Achilles tendon may make a "pop" sound, followed by pain and swelling of the lower leg. Treating an Achilles tendon rupture requires surgery or long-term immobilization of the ankle.

Please stay tuned as we bring you more exciting topics in our next content and until then,keep walking tall.

Image source:emedicinehealth.com

Hey!,
Good day.
Hope you are having a good time and doing well with all that you have proposed to achieve so far this week?

Last week,we started looking at the HUMAN FEET and I promised to talk about the ailments that are commonly associated with the human feet,but will have to digress a bit,we will come back to the ailments in subsequent series.

Today i will be speaking still on the Human Feet but on common parts of the human feet and starting with the Ankle.

ANKLE in humans is the hinge-type, freely moving synovial joint between the foot and leg(the leg extends from the femur down to the next joint).
The ankle contains seven tarsal bones that connects with each other, with the metatarsal bones of the foot, and with the bones of the lower leg.

The connection of one of the tarsal bones, the ankle bone with the fibula and tibia of the lower leg forms the actual ankle joint, although the general region is often called the ankle. The chief motions of the ankle are flexion and extension.
One major thing that the ankle helps us with is the ability to move with ease,because it connects the feet with the leg.it is most likely that someone without an ankle will not have a feet,so you see why the ankle is very important to the feet.

Like other synovial joints,the ankle is subject to such diseases and injuries as bursitis and synovitis.(we will expand on diseases of the ankle and how to prevent ankle injuries,the type of footwears suitable for a healthy ankle next week.
Until then,please stay fit and keep moving.

Photo credit:Michaeljmarcusdpm.com

At FeetWise, we aim to bring solutions to issues that relate to your foot and what you put on it.

We understand that no part of the body can work in isolation, your pinky toe inclusive. A little discomfort on any part of your body could cause stress, headache, tension (whether hyper or hypo), and a lot more.

FeetWise offers sales, services of all kinds of footwear.

Name it!
You won't have to break the bank for it!

Please,kindly like and follow our page for all the exciting topics we will be talking on at least once in a week and all the offers that will be coming your way.
Thank you