Please go to Session 35/36 in your Course Packet and follow along. Pause the video to review the question and your answer as we progress through each question.

Now watch the video and read the article below about the lower limb system. No part of this system is more essential than the feet. It is the area that we build our posture upon. Strong, supple feet translate into balanced legs and a balanced body.

SUPPLE FEET, EASY GAIT

by Casey Marie Herdt

Many wonderful, life changing moments happen within our sessions with clients. One especially satisfying moment occurs when the client walks out of the studio taller, more fluid, and feeling lighter. It’s wonderful to get our clients into the advanced repertoire, but one of our main overarching goals should be to create better walkers so that their every step is navigated with ease and steadiness.

Gravity is our biggest and most profound teacher in life. It is always drawing us to the earth, and how we negotiate this force is of the utmost importance. There is no better place to start this learning process than in the feet. I like to think of this as the first point of the digestion of gravity in the body. And if we are plopping the base of the foot down like a brick, then the shockwaves from that type of impact will travel up the kinetic chain.

Think of the graceful architecture of the foot. It is comprised of tiny bones and, when in good alignment, forms a spiral for the force and energy of gait to pass through. With many clients that walk around in shoes for the majority of the day, they think of their feet as the immobile “this is what I have been given” appendage. But with this area built for mobility, that couldn’t be less true.

When trained well and consistently, the feet can change—and of course the gait of the person will change with it. Open up the bottom of the feet with a tennis ball or spikey massage ball. And don’t forget the top of the foot! Rolling this area out is essential. There are just as many muscles and connective tissue in this area that need attention, too. Manually spread the toes out: front, back, and side-to-side. Manipulate the bones in the mid-foot, moving them like you are trying to separate popsicle sticks. Have your client pick up assorted shaped and sized rocks with their toes. This will teach the foot to be a curious and malleable base with which to establish good posture.

This trains the feet—and the client as a whole—to make easy micro adjustments to their changing environments with a quick reaction time. Also, as the feet are rich with nerve receptors, the lovely tactile work done on them will translate up the body through connective tissues and acupressure meridians.

Time spent on the feet is time gained for doing the things that our clients love inside and outside of the studio. Give them this gift of knowledge, and they will return the favor with continued progress.

Make sure to initial and date that you have completed Session 36 in your Master Log.