The Barefoot Podiatrist in Corrimal, New South Wales, Australia | Podiatrist

The Barefoot Podiatrist

Locality: Corrimal, New South Wales, Australia

Phone: +61 2 4285 9006

Address: Shop 1 Guest Building Russell St 2518 Corrimal, NSW, Australia

Website: http://www.thebarefootmovement.com.au

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25.01.2022 Tag a friend who needs to work on their hips Hip extension with a stable core is an important part of walking efficiently and thanks to our modern sedentary lifestyles, is an important movement to maintain to avoid gait compensations. Start in a low bear position with knees slightly off the ground and one foot up on a gym ball.... Push the ball away with your foot and then with control pull the ball back toward you with your foot. Maintain a neutral spine and neck and aim to breathe deep into your belly throughout the drill. You should feel your core engaged as well as your glute. If you find having your knees off the ground too challenging, you can regress to keeping both knees on the ground during this drill. See more

25.01.2022 THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE IS SELF CARE #Repost @healthyfeetalliance These are the kind of conversations we love to have at our weekly meeting! We asked all our Healthy Feet Alliance executive members what advice they would give to someone with foot pain. ... Dr. Stephen Bui’s response had us all nodding our heads. Here’s how @dractive boiled it down. Foot issues arise when one or more of three things is off: 1) Alignment 2) Range of Motion 3) Strength The first part of restoring foot health is assessing these different aspects of your body. Knowing the underlying issues is an amazing guidepost for where to start on your healthy feet journey. Also, the future of healthcare is self-care. Each person gets to be the one to work the magic in their own healing process. No matter what advice a doctor may give you, at the end of the day, improving health comes down to the changes YOU make in your own life. Thanks Dr. Bui! What advice would you give to your friend with foot pain? See more

24.01.2022 Landed in store today and they’re already low in stock! One of the few school shoes I’ve approved for your kids!! Featuring: - Zero heel raise - Wide toe box ... - Flexible sole - Minimal cushioning for maximum proprioception My son’s preferred school shoe!! So excited to be stocking @paperkrane_pk See more

24.01.2022 MORE TORQUE FOR YOUR WALK Try adding some resistance to your short foot drill, to help strengthen the foot intrinsics that aid in supporting the arch. (Short foot /Torque foot drill shown and explained in earlier posts )

23.01.2022 I see orthotics as a tool - not a treatment. If you need orthotics, by all means I will prescribe them...but it drives me nuts to see Orthotics are over-prescibed and over-relied upon, with no attempt to solve/rehabilitate the biomechanical/movement dysfunction. Instead, the orthotic supports the dysfunction which moves the problem elsewhere.... Start focussing on restoring foot function and posture to get out of pain, out of orthotics and back to an active lifestyle. For an online gait and movement assessment book online at www.thebarefootmovement.com.au (Link in bio) See more

23.01.2022 STABILISE YOUR STEP PATTERN When you stop and think how many steps we take each day, it makes sense that we should be adding some drills into our routine to train stable stepping patterns. Since a lot of our time walking is spent on one leg, it is important that we are stable & balanced whilst transferring weight from one leg to the other. Start in a single leg stance with the non-supporting leg at waist height.... Using the glutes and big toe, initiate a step forward to a single leg stance on the other side. Then take a step backward to return to the starting position and Repeat. When stepping forward try landing heel to toe with control. When stepping backward land toes to heel with control. Maintain an active foot and core, whilst keeping your supporting knee slightly bent. See more

23.01.2022 Do your shoes allow for Toe Spread? Did you know the toes should be the widest part of the foot? Most shoes however are widest across the ball of the foot and taper in at the toes. Compressing the toes into shoes can not only change the structure of the foot (think bunions) but can also change the function of the foot and the efficiency of the intrinsic foot muscles that support the foot.

23.01.2022 In this episode, Paul @thebarefootpodiatrist chats with Fellow Podiatrist and @correcttoes founder, Dr Ray McLanahan. Tune in to find out about Dr Mclanahan’s journey and how Correct toes have changed the way he practices. You will also learn how to use correct toe spacers, the benefits associated with wearing these devices and you will get an insight into a recent research paper featuring correct toe spacers. Dr Ray and Paul discuss a lot in this episode including the p...roblems with footwear, their hope for the podiatry and footwear industries as well as lots more.. For more about Dr Ray and access to the articles mentioned in this episode check out https://www.nwfootankle.com For information on Correct toes https://www.correcttoes.com/ To book an appointment with Paul The Barefoot Podiatrist or to get your pair of Correct Toes in Australia go to www.thebarefootmovement.com.au EPISODE LINK IN BIO See more

23.01.2022 Tag a friend who needs to work in some Toe yoga this weekend Reconnect the neuromuscular connections to your feet; improve balance , alignment , function and posture. Awaken the intrinsic foot muscles to build strong foundations for your body to thrive on. Start by lifting the big toe up whilst pushing the little toes down. Then push the big toe down whilst lifting the little toes up. ... It's harder than it look but oh so satisfying once you nail it See more

23.01.2022 Tib Post Heel Raises The tibialis posterior muscle runs down the inside of the leg and is not only a major stabilizer of the lower leg, but is also key in supporting the arch of the foot. If the tib post becomes dysfunctional, you are much more likely to develop "flat feet" (noooooo ). 1. Pop a ball, rolled up towel or whatever you have handy between your heels. ... 2. Place the ball just below and behind the malleolus big bones on the inside of the ankles. 3. Squeeze the ball with your heels as you raise your heels up and down in a controlled motion. 4. Avoid locking your knees through the movement 5. Keep feet parallel . Start off easy - so you dont fry your tib post, and up the reps as you progress in strength and function. Remember the tib post is designed to activate during every step. And since we take on average 5-10k steps per day it is more than capable of putting up with a few reps once it is strong! See more

22.01.2022 SHORTFOOT BOUNDING Life requires us to move in all sorts of planes. Whether it is Walking, running, jumping, sports or life in general, we need to create stability whilst propelling or landing in multi directions. ... Start by bounding forward off each foot at a 45 degree angle. Propel off an active foot, driving with the big toe and glutes Keep the knees unlocked throughout the whole movement. When landing - activate short foot, keep the knees soft and remain stable through your hips. This is not only great as a propulsion drill but awesome for learning to land with a slight sideways momentum, helping to improve stability between the ground, foot, ankle and hip. See more

22.01.2022 We know a raised heel negatively affects gait and posture. Id like to see a standardised label on all shoes identifying the heel raise, to help us make healthier footwear choices, whilst also keeping footwear companies accountable for the unneeded and damaging features they are building into shoes Many shoes these days have a hidden (or not so hidden) inbuilt heel raise. Check your work shoes, school shoes, training shoes and even casual shoes to see if they have a raised heel, as this can affect the way your feet and body moves and functions. A raised heel shortens your Achilles, increases load at the knee, can alter how your glutes function as well as changing your posture and gait from your feet right up to the hips

22.01.2022 Running (and jumping in particular), requires springiness in the achilles and calf, in order to reduce the amount of energy and muscle force expended. Unfortunately many of us lose this springiness, as heeled shoes and joggers shorten our achilles & calves, and dont allow us to tap fully into this natural elastic recoil feature...basically meaning, our body is working harder than needed! So long as there are no injuries present that need to be assessed or treated, eccentr...ic loading of the calves/achilles are a great way to start rebuilding the springiness and elastic recoil our body needs for efficient walking/running/ jumping. Aim for 3 sets of 15 a couple of times a day. Once you can do this exercise with ease and control, you are ready to progress to a more dynamic movement such as skipping to further work on landing and springing off the heel. Research is also showing that eccentric training for the Achilles can result in structural adaptations and neuromuscular changes that can assist in rehab See more

21.01.2022 Big Toe Banded Short Foots The abductor hallucis longus muscle, runs along the side of the arch and helps to abduct (straighten) the big toe, as well as playing an important role in maintaining arch height and controlling excessive pronation (flattening of the arch). Try training this muscle with the big toes pulled into alignment with some small bands, which will not only make it easier for the muscle to fire, but will train the muscle to hold the big toes where you want... them. Start by spreading your toes using rubber bands (avoiding cutting off circulation.) Contract the arch of the foot by Drawing the ball of the foot and the heel toward each other, whilst keeping the ball of your foot and the heel on the ground. Aim to contract the short foot position for 10 seconds and repeat 5-10 times each foot. Start in a seated position, one foot at a time. Progress to both feet at the same time and then to a standing position. This is great for reducing or preventing bunions, as well as strengthening the arch to improve posture and alignment. Tag a friend See more

21.01.2022 I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again... Many shoes these days have a hidden (or not so hidden) inbuilt heel raise. Check your work shoes, school shoes, training shoes and even casual shoes to see if they have a raised heel, as this can affect the way your feet and body moves and functions. A raised heel shortens your Achilles, increases load at the knee, can alter how your glutes function as well as changing your posture and gait from your feet right up to the hips ... Aim for a minimal heel raise, but remember to transition slowly if you have been in a raised heel for a while. Tag a friend who needs to see this See more

21.01.2022 Our Toes should be the widest part of the foot. We should naturally have spaces between our toes!! Years in restrictive footwear causes our toes and midfoot to squish together and become jammed up, narrow and with minimal spaces between toes. Loosen and stretch your toes, forefoot and midfoot by interlocking your fingers between your toes. (Start with just finger tips if your toes are really tight.) Gently move the foot in different directions as seen in the video. ... This is not only a great way to mobilise the feet, but also aligns the toes and metatarsals. Aim for 1-5 minutes each side. Start with one foot, then take a few steps before doing the other foot to see if you can feel the difference. Keeping the toes mobile, (especially the big toe) can make it easier to activate the intrinsic muscles in the feet - meaning better foot posture and control This exercise may be uncomfortable but should not be painful. See more

21.01.2022 Looking for new minimalist shoes?Be sure to check out the new @feelgrounds high rise boot flat flexible minimal cushioning... wide toe box look great The @feelgrounds original shoe has been a part of my staple shoe rotation for over 12 months, so I am excited to introduce the high rise boots Check them out ( link in bio) See more

21.01.2022 Did you know up to 80% of runners are injured per year. In this episode, Paul @TheBarefootPodiatrist chats with Google Australias Physiotherapist and founder of @run.180 , Rachel Stanley. Tune in to learn about the Run 180 app and why you should be using it to reduce your risk of running injuries.... You will also learn about running technique, footwear, running injuries and much more. Be sure to follow Rachel on instagram @run.180 and download the app. Link in bio See more

20.01.2022 Mini Band March A healthy gait pattern requires a connected core. Your core, including the psoas muscle - (a deep muscle that connects the core to the lower limb), needs to be active whilst flexing and extending the legs to help stabilise the lumbar spine, sacroiliac joint and the hips during gait. This exercise is great for not only strengthening the core, but also trains the core in a pattern that is very similar to gait.... This exercise can also help to release tight hip flexors as well as strengthen plantarflexion and dorsiflexion of the ankle which is also important for healthy gait. Start with a light resistance band and increase the tension as you progress. Tag a buddy who needs to see this See more

19.01.2022 Looking for another great barefoot shoe option for kids? Check out @splayathletics as they are ticking all the right boxes 1. Flat heel ... 2. Wide toe box 3. Flexible sole 4. Minimal cushioning 5. Rounded sole The Velcro strap also means it is easy for younger kiddies to put this shoe on for themselves Im stoked with this shoe as it is clearly made for a developing human foot. See more

19.01.2022 A raised heel on a shoe, (no matter how big or small) changes our centre of gravity, leaving us with 2 choices. Either walk around like the leaning tower of Pisa (which is extremely hard and inefficient to do) OR Stand upright with your joints and body parts out of their optimal/efficient position. Sounds like a lose lose situation.... Heels cause more wear and tear on the body and increase the risk of biomechanical dysfunction, leading to pain and injury. If you have been in heeled shoes (even small ones such as a lot of popular running shoes), work on any muscular restrictions or dysfunction first, before reducing the heel height of your shoes. (With zero drop shoes being the ultimate goal ) See more

19.01.2022 Tag a friend with weak feet

17.01.2022 I have 10 Free Tickets To The Wellness Summit for this weekend I am speaking at The Wellness Summit for the second time this weekend :) The Summit began in 2013 , and is an event put on by The Wellness Couch podcast network (which my podcsat is hosted on). This weekend The Wellness Summit is for the first time going virtual (for obvious reasons!). As a special gift, Marcus & Brett at the Couch have given me ten free tickets to the Summit, valued at $97. ... The event takes place this Friday September 11 from 5:30 - 9:30pm and all day Saturday September 12. I will be speaking on Saturday at 12:20 The theme this year is REVOLUTION. YOu can see all the speakers and topics and get your tickets at www.thewellnesssummit.com FIRST 10 TO COMMENT OR MESSAGE ME CAN HAVE A FREE TICKET TO THIS AWESOME EVENT See more

16.01.2022 We tend to put a lot of trust in footwear stores. The people who might be experts in fitting shoes, but are not experts in feet. We get measured and even walk over fancy pressure plates, and still end up in shoes that are not designed with a naturally functioning human foot in mind... It is easy to get sucked into the gimmicks and sales tools to get you in the right fit. BUT remember that for the most part, even good fitting shoes are full of features that cause dysfunction - raised heels, cushioning, squished toes etc... Rather than supporting or bandaiding your dysfunction, identify and fix it by working on the underlying muscle imbalance, joint restriction or motor control issue.

16.01.2022 TAG A FRIEND WITH ANKLE ISSUES Subtalar Mobilisation Pronation flattening of the arch and some ankle eversion, is a NORMAL part of movement/walking.... Pronation helps us adapt to different terrain and to absorb shock. Unfortunately we spend so much time blocking healthy pronation with shoes, that our subtalar joint (a key player in pronation that lives in the ankle) can become stuck and dysfunctional. Try mobilising your subtalar joint by placing a ball under the outside of your ankle. Place one hand on your lower leg and the other hand on the inside of your heal. Gently push your heel downward over the ball like in the video to evert the heel and mobilise the ankle. Repeat 10-15 times. You should not feel any pain with this exercise, and remember the key to healthy pronation is being able to control the pronation through movement See more

15.01.2022 #Repost @lifefitstudios ***NEW EPISODE OUT NOW*** https://www.buzzsprout.com/971641... In this episode of ‘The Life Fit Podcast’, I chat with my fellow barefoot enthusiast Paul Thompson. Paul has worked as a podiatrist for over 10 years and has a wealth of knowledge and wisdom on the human foot. As well as being a qualified Podiatrist, he is also a certified Barefoot Trainer, Functional Movement Specialist, a qualified Pilates Matwork Instructor and trained in dry needling techniques and mobilisation techniques so you could say he understands a thing or two about human walking patterns, foot posture and how to help you achieve functional barefoot greatness. In this conversation, we break down for you, a variety of topics such as ‘basic foot anatomy’, benefits of functional feet’, ‘orthotics’, ‘gait patterns’, ‘barefoot vs shod’, ‘improving performance’ and much much more. As always, we also share many tips, tricks & hacks that you can start implementing and practicing today to help you in your journey to health. You can find out more about Paul and his work here; www.thebarefootmovement.com.au @thebarefootpodiatrist

14.01.2022 Rotation of the thoracic and shoulders with a stable core and pelvis is an important part of walking/running efficiently. Chops and lifts are a great way to train rotation, whilst focusing on maintaining a stable foot and core. Start by Holding a Pilates ring/small weight/medicine ball/drink bottle.... Step onto one leg with the leg of the non-supported knee raising to belt height. On the supporting leg, activate the foot and glutes. Avoid locking the knee and keep the pelvis controlled, stable and level. Do not let the knee or arch collapsing inward. Slowly lift and extend the non-supporting leg whilst rotating your arm from the hip on the supporting leg side up and across the body, to shoulder height. Control and return the movement to starting position, maintaining an active core at all times. Book online at www.thebarefootmovement.com.au for a virtual assessment and consult (link in bio) See more

14.01.2022 Too many people look to shoes for the answer to their pain or discomfort rather than working on fixing the actual problem.

13.01.2022 Asymmetries can be a precursor for injury. So be mindful of the asymmetries we create day to day with simple tasks such as carrying a bag, holding a child etc, as this can change how you walk and move which can lead to inefficiencies and pain. When training or working on improving movement be sure to work in both directions and look for asymmetric habits you may need to iron out.

13.01.2022 It is my goal to see as many kids as possible in school shoes that do not alter the mechanics of the foot. Our kids are in school shoes for too long as it is, so we need to ensure the shoes they are wearing are not teaching them dysfunctional movement patterns or disconnecting them from using their feet efficiently while they are growing and developing. TAG A FRIEND WHO NEEDS TO HEAR THIS... Kids footwear talk in bio See more

13.01.2022 TOE SPREADERS Toe spreaders are a great tool to passively stretch and spread toes that have been compressed by socks or shoes, or can be used as an active tool to help improve positioning of the toes and forefoot whilst training the feet through movement exercises. Keeping joints aligned is key to healthy movement and efficient muscle activity! And since the feet are so complex, it is super important that we keep joints aligned down there to ensure our feet keep supportin...g us! I have been using the @correcttoes spreaders lately and they have been awesome! (Especially after a day on the mountain jammed into snowboard boots) See more

13.01.2022 Pretty sure we learned about which shapes fit inside each other in kindergarten, but for some reason a lot of shoe companies still insist that we squeeze human feet into non human foot shaped shoes To check your shoe shape, take a tracing of your feet and compare it to the insole of your shoe. And remember that the widest part of the foot is meant to be your toes !

12.01.2022 Human heels are round, but many shoe heels are square Right angles on the soles of shoes create a pivot point (or hinge) at the heel, which makes it really hard for muscles to do their job efficiently. ( such as control pronation or prevent an ankle sprain) When our heel hits the ground during walking, muscles in the legs are designed to lower the foot with control to reduce slapping and collapsing of the arch.... The hinges on shoes, create a whipping effect, basically resulting in an overworking of muscles (such as tib posterior & tib anterior) which inevitably leads to all sorts of issues such as - flat feet, shin splints, heel pain, knee pain, ankle instabilities & muscle imbalances. If you are unlucky enough to end up on the other side of this right angle not only will you roll your ankle but due to the altered moment arm you will actually increase the severity of the sprain. Check that the shape of your shoes are designed for feet not marketing ploys. See more

12.01.2022 Foot posture is not solely controlled by the muscles in the foot, but instead is significantly influenced by structures higher up, such as the glutes and tibialis posterior (amongst others) that generate external rotation/torque. When training to improve foot function, dont forget to work on mobility, strength and control further up the chain to improve efficiency at the foot. Link in bio for online consults

12.01.2022 Tag a friend who doesnt swing there arms when they walk. Segmental Rolling Part of efficiently walking and reducing the risk of injury and wear and tear on the body is being able to control the rotational forces that are at play through the body with every step. ... As one leg steps forward, the opposite arm swings forward which creates a twisting through the pelvis, core and t-spine. This undulating motion helps us transfer energy with each step. Segmental rolling can be a great way to practice stabilising the spine and core with rotation. Start by lying on your back with one arm stretched out over head. Without using your legs, reach the other arm across your body. Whilst looking toward the arm of the arm stretched over head, continue to reach across your body. Keep reaching until you roll over onto your belly. Repeat rolling from your belly to your back. The goal is to roll with a twisting motion , so the upper body rolls first, followed by the mid section, then pelvis and finally the legs. See more

11.01.2022 Tag a friend that needs to spreadem Lacrosse Ball Met Spread Forefoot feeling stiff and jammed from being squashed into footwear?... Retracted or clawed toes? Try releasing and mobilising your metatarsal heads. Curl your toes over a lacrosse ball or trigger point ball and apply pressure through the ball. The pressure should not cause pain but cause a stretching feeling through the ball of your foot. Allow your forefoot to expand over the ball to open up space between the joints. Apply pressure for 5-10 seconds and repeat 3-5 times. See more

10.01.2022 Tag a friend who needs to strengthen their toes. It is important that the toes can maintain good pressure with the ground through movement. The toes play a big role in stabilising the foot through propulsion when walking. To help engage the toes try placing some paper underneath your toes (not ball of foot)... Start with your toes as splayed as you can, keeping them long and flat. ( avoid toes clawing) Slightly lift your heel off the ground and then begin pulling the paper (like in video) resist the paper by pushing your toes into the ground for as long as you can. I find this is a nice simple drill that really can help reconnect the toes to the feet. See more

09.01.2022 Big toe mobility is super important for normal movement and walking patterns. Normal range of motion of the big toe is around 65 degrees of dorsiflexion. The exercise in the video is a nice simple one to begin with for increasing or maintaining range of motion from un-natural restrictions. 1. start by propping the big toe up 2. raise and lower the heel SLOWLY and with control (video is sped up) 3. You should feel a stretch in the big toe joint but should not push to the point... of pain. 4. Aim for 20-30 each foot several times per week For a virtual assessment book online at www.thebarefootmovement.com.au (Link in bio) See more

08.01.2022 CREATE STABILITY FOR EFFECTIVE PROPULSION Our foot undergoes a locking mechanism to aid in stability of the foot prior to the propulsive phase of gait. This helps align joints of the foot so that the muscles can do their job efficiently. When the foot lacks stability (which is becoming increasingly common) our propulsive phase of gait is done on an unlocked foot. This places more stress on joints and leads us to dysfunctional movement patterns... To work on building stability in the foot, practice the short foot drill followed by big toe loading. Start by spreading your toes. Draw the ball of the big toe and the heel toward each other whilst keeping the ball of your foot and the heel on the ground. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds before raising your heel and loading force through the centre of your big toe. See more

07.01.2022 Tag a friend who could use some gait drills to improve their walking efficiency and alignment . Try some short foot hurdle step overs. Great for foot-ankle-hip-core stability, which helps reduce wear and tear on muscles and joints by improving alignment in movement patterns such as walking and running 1. Start with a hurdle at shin height... 2. Engaging the grounded foot and glutes, step forward over the hurdle, placing the other heel on the ground. 3. Take the foot in front of the hurdle back behind you and repeat. 4. Aim to keep hips facing forward 5. Maintain stability in hips avoiding hitching or twisting the hip 6. Keep grounded knee soft and directed over the middle of the foot. See more

06.01.2022 I see orthotics as an aid - not a treatment. I see and hear from people constantly who have been in orthotics for years with many of them having no idea why they were put in them in the first place, or whether they even still need them If you need orthotics, by all means I will prescribe them...but it drives me nuts to see Orthotics being over-prescibed and over-relied upon, with no attempt to solve/rehabilitate the biomechanical/movement dysfunction.... Instead, the orthotic supports the dysfunction which moves the problem elsewhere. Its time to start focussing on restoring foot function and posture to get out of pain, out of orthotics and back to an active lifestyle See more

06.01.2022 When restoring and rebuilding functional feet we need to look at the whole chain, including ankles, hips, breathing patterns, as well as how we walk, stand and generally move Playing around with some foot-hip-core connection flows to help maintain healthy movement patterns and functional fitness. If you are not sure how functional you are, book a Virtual consult with me for a gait and movement assessment and let me coach you to improve the way you move and control your... body (Link in bio) See more

04.01.2022 Tag a friend who needs to work on those big toes When our big toe is restricted due to structural changes, muscle tightness or restrictive footwear, it can result in our body taking the path of least resistance...ultimately changing the stability in our foot and reducing efficiency in how we move. Common compensations can be a high stepping gait, collapsed arch and rolling off the side of the big toe, which alters alignment, increases wear and tear on joints and creates ...muscle imbalances throughout the whole body. Gait Compensation eventually leads to pain and injury, so it is important to have your gait assessed. A Gait Assessment can identify the underlying problem that is leading to dysfunctional movement patterns, causing your pain or reducing your performance. We can then prescribe appropriate treatment, exercises and drills to work on correcting gait patterns to reduce pain and injury and improve performance. Link for online consults in bio See more

04.01.2022 Is your forefoot balanced? A common mistake I see people make when walking is rolling off around the big toe rather than propelling off the big toe with a balanced forefoot. This can lead to higher risk of bunion development, hip and ankle dysfunction, as well as unwanted corns and callous.... Try the drill in the video to work on loading your forefoot more evenly whilst actively pushing off the pad of the big toe Link in bio for consultations See more

04.01.2022 Tag a friend who needs to get more Vitamin T ( texture) into their Feet. Thanks to shoes and modern flooring many of us become Vitamin T deficient. Going barefoot on a variety of different textures gives extra tactile and proprioceptive demands, which is not only great for our physical health but may also improve our cognitive health (working memory). Our body is designed to respond to external stimulus and in doing so allows for better proprioception, faster muscle activation and timing as well as better mobility and adaptability of joints.

03.01.2022 For many decades we have been conditioned to believe we need to support our feet with tools such as shoes and orthotics. But did you know that feet have hundreds of muscles, tendons and ligaments that are more than capable of supporting your feet, whilst optimising your balance and movement performance. If you have become over reliant and dependant on artificial foot support, I would encourage you to begin rebuilding the strength and connection to your feet rather than m...asking the dysfunction . If you need assistance book an online consult (link in bio) See more

03.01.2022 Are you connected to your and creating a functional body? Over-relying on shoes not only disconnects us from earth and all the benefits associated with earthing, but also disconnects us from the input we are naturally designed to receive. Ditching the shoes and supports help us tap into all those nerves in the feet that help with balance, proprioception and muscle timing. Being barefoot also means the foot and body is constantly having to adapt and react to the changing surface underfoot, which is great for mobility as well as building strength in muscles, motor control and maintaining healthy movement patterns.

02.01.2022 CANT ARGUE WITH THE RESEARCH Research has shown that kids who are habitually barefoot are noticeably better at jumping and balancing, compared to habitually shod kids. The research highlights the benefits of performing physical activities in barefeet for improved motor development. ... See more

02.01.2022 A raised heel in a shoe places the ankle into a slightly plantar flexed (downward pointing) position. When the ankle plantar flexes, the ankle glides forward (anteriorly) which loosens the tibio-fibular mortise causing the ankle to be at it’s least stable and is most at risk of inversion sprains . Remember lots of modern shoes (including many of our sport joggers) have a raised heel, which means at our most active, our ankle is less efficient and unstable.

01.01.2022 Tactical boots are designed to protect the people that protect us. BUT, having worked with many people who wear this type of boot, I have seen first hand how they can affect not only the feet, but right up as far as the hips and back. NOT SO GREAT FEATURES: - Raised Heel = shortened Achilles, altered centre of gravity, windlass mechanism affected High Back = restricted ankle range of motion Thick Sole = big toe reduced range of motion. The effects of these features can v...ary from person to person but range from - Heel pain - Bunions - Achilles pain - Back pain - Knee pain. This type of boot will quite often lead to a duck footed gait, as a way of compensating for the reduced mobility in the foot and ankle. This means more force and pressure going through the arch of the foot, as well as lazy glutes, posterior tilting of the pelvis and increased pressure in the lower back. To start combatting combat boots: begin working on flexibility of the big toe, ankle and hip, along with strengthening the glutes and arch of the foot See more

01.01.2022 TAG A FRIEND WHO NEEDS HELP WITH THEIR ANKLES Thanks to poor biomechanics often caused by dysfunctional footwear, the lateral malleolus (aka base of fibular, aka the big chunky bone on the outside of your ankle) can get stuck in a forward position. This can lead to a stiff, less stable ankle, that results in reduced range of motion as well as further dysfunction and compensation to your movement patterns. To help free up the lateral malleolus and help restore its natural ...glide, hold the malleolus back towards the Achilles with one hand whilst stretching the foot inward with the other hand. This mobility drill should not be painful but instead feel like a gentle stretch. If you suffer with stiff or painful ankles be sure to book an online assessment (link in bio) See more

01.01.2022 @xeroshoes genesis sandals are another great option for summer They are lightweight, thin flexible and secure well to the foot. The @xeroshoesaus Genesis feels like a second skin and even comes with a 5000 mile sole warranty ... Now Available in clinic See more

01.01.2022 Paul @thebarefootpodiatrist talks with Soledistribution and Vivobarefoot Australias owner Suey Cooper. Listen in to find out about the benefits of Vivobarefoot shoes and the direction Vivobarefoot Australia is heading. You will also learn about the importance of getting your children in the right shoes from a young age and much more.... To keep up to date with Vivobarefoot Australia, be sure to follow @vivobarefootausnz See more