Twenty five percent of the bones of your body are in your feet. If any of these bones are misaligned, your entire body could be affected. You might not even feel that you have a foot problem but it can be causing knee problems, hip or low-back problems, shoulder and neck problems and even headaches or stomachaches. Foot problems can also cause emotional stresses and physiological changes in the body like adrenal stress, blood sugar, fatigue and many others. Many doctors look to the mechanics of the foot for proper posture but there is so much more making up the foundation that we stand, walk and run on.

Any health symptoms that are related to foot problems will get worse as the day goes on because your feet become more stressed as the day goes on.

Muscles that support the shape and function of the feet are related to the adrenal glands and the bladder. Problems with these muscles can cause foot problems and eventually deformation of the feet can occur. “Shin splints” (pain in the lower leg while walking or running), "Dropped Arches" or “Flat feet” and "Plantar Fascitis" can also be caused from the muscles of the feet not working properly.

Reflexology of the foot has become very popular as an alternative treatment for health problems. There are reflexes that are related to organs, glands and other parts of the body on the bottom of the foot. The reflexology practioner will find the reflexes that are active and use acupressure-like stimulation on these points to treat the reflexes which in turn helps these organs, glands and body parts to work better. What causes these reflexes to be present are the misalignment of the bones of the foot causing tender spots or trigger-points. With Applied Kinesiology diagnosis and treatment of the foot, these bones will be adjusted back into their proper places. When the bones are aligned properly, the reflexes on the bottom of the foot will be stimulated as you walk.

When your foot is working properly, you are getting automatic reflexology while you walk or run.

Misalignments of the bones of the feet also cause problems with the acupuncture meridians that travel through the foot. Meridians are highways of energy in the body that flow in general areas and directions. When they are blocked, by a misaligned bone, health problems can be caused to the related organs or glands. The foot contains meridians related to the Spleen, Liver, Stomach, Kidney, Bladder and Gallbladder. Since all of the acupuncture meridians of the body either begin or end on the feet or hands, the health of you foot is important for a proper balance of the acupuncture energy system. In Chinese medicine, the definition of disease is an imbalance (either too much or too little) of energy (Chi) in the body.

Problems with the feet can send confusing information to the central nervous system which can cause mechanical problems in the body.

The foot has many nerve receptors in it that send important information into our central nervous system. This information is used to track where certain parts of the body are at every moment and in what direction, how fast they are moving and how much pressure they are receiving. Problems with the feet can send confusing information to the central nervous system which can cause mechanical problems in the body. As we walk, each joint of the foot sends information to the nervous system so that it can turn on and off our muscles. The turning on and off of the muscles allows us to walk, if they didn’t turn on and off we would not be able to move properly. This is one way that foot problems can cause knee, hip, neck, shoulder, jaw problems and even headaches. If a muscle is not turning on when it is supposed to, then a muscle on the other side of the body will become too tight because the balance is upset. When it becomes too tight, it pulls the bones out of alignment causing problems.

Is it a good shoe?

Shoes that are too tight will shut off your positive support mechanism which keeps your body standing in an upright position. If the positive support mechanism is not working properly, you will start to slouch with your shoulders and head forward as you stand. This can cause discomfort throughout the body, even chronic neck/back pain and will eventually cause permanent posture problems and bone deformation.

It is important to treat the foot with respect and to invest in its good health. Applied Kinesiology treatment is very important to restore the proper function to the foot. Another important factor for prevention and to maintain the health of your feet is wearing good shoes. A good shoe will support the foot well and prevent injury and deformation. A good shoe will support the foot while standing, walking or running. There are many misconceptions about what a good shoe is. Here are guidelines on what to look for when buying shoes:

• A good shoe will have laces; the more eyelets the shoe has for laces the better. The laces help the shoe to form to the foot so that the foot can work properly. Lace-up shoes are much better to walk in than slide on or most strap on shoes. Make sure you lace up you shoes so they are snug but not too tight. Do not wear your lace up shoes with the laces loose because your foot will flop around in it and cause problems.

• A good shoe has a heel support and a firm shank to support your arch but will still be flexible when you walk. The heel should not be higher than a medium height.

• Proper width and length are important. Your toes should not touch the front of the shoe and the foot width should not hang over the side of the shoes. You should try on or be measured for shoes at the end of the day because your feet expand during the day due to gravity and your body weight while you are walking. At the end of the day you can trace your bare foot on a piece of paper. Place your shoes on top of the template and make sure that the shoe totally covers the outline of your foot-- no lines should stick out or else your shoe is too small.

There are some misconceptions that certain shoes are good for your feet.

Footwear such as clogs, Dansko or sandals such as Birkenstock, and Teva may be fine while you are standing in one place, but as soon as you start walking they cause problems with the muscles of the foot and body. Slip on dress shoes for men and women are not good either, the best will be oxford style and bowling style/running style shoes with laces and a low to medium heel. The same rules apply for athletic shoes. One of the biggest problems with athletic shoes is that people wear ones with too thick of a sole. The body is wired to function with foot to be low to the ground, the higher your shoe is off of the ground the worse it is for your body. Brands of shoes that often work well are Diesel, Puma, Adidas, Converse, Kenneth Cole, Ecco, Mephisto, and many other brands with laces and proper fit. Your Applied Kinesiology doctor will be able to check your shoes against the function of related muscles and tell you if your shoes are contributing to your health problems.

Click Here to see examples of Good Shoes & Bad Shoes