Feet - Roots to the Earth

The Feet form the body's Foundation and their Health has an effect on the entire Structure of the Body.

Foot pain affects approximately 1 in 4 people and one of the most common reasons is plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the ligament that connects the toes and the heel bone. Each foot houses 26 bones, 33 joints, 7000+ nerves and over 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments. Potential causes of chronic foot pain include repetitive movements and overuse during physical activity, foot muscle weakness, wearing the wrong shoes or with little or no arch support as well as inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and diabetes. Various remedies can be explored to ease foot pain, such as physiotherapy; massage; arch supports; well-fitting, size and style of shoes; foot, toe and calf exercises; a foot roller or rolling over a tennis ball and a focused yoga practice to strengthen and align the feet.

The feet need to be aligned and stable. If an imbalance exists, this can be reflected elsewhere in the body as a misalignment. Yoga's advantage is that it makes us aware of our bodies and places attention on alignment, position and distribution of weight through the feet. To maintain foot alignment, point the feet forward, keep the toes down and stretched forward, lift the inner ankles and inner arches, the weight evenly distributed on the inner and outer edges of both feet, the soles and the heels. The arch lift helps to support, strengthen and align the knees. The expansion in the feet creates stability, energy and circulation.

Be light on your feet. Energetically lift the inner arches drawing energy from the earth and allowing it to flow upward throughout the entire body.

Tadasana - Mountain Pose

The foundation is firmly rooted and the body extends upward, the mind is steady and attentive. Equilibrium is delicate - a balance of gravity, alignment and lightness.