Foot soldier

Plagued by aching feet? Pick a workout that restores your body balance, improving gait and foot health

It's easy to forget but impossible tooverstate the importance of healthyfeet. Whether we are walking, runningor simply standing upright,the feet play a critical role inmovement and gait. Consequently, theytake quite a battering on an everydaybasis. Even if you haven't recently runa marathon -- and your knees andfeet are constantly reminding you ofthe fact -- there's still a lot you need todo to help them recover from dailystresses and prevent future injuries.

Know your footprint
The first step towards foot health isanalysing the structure of your feet.A normal foot is neither too flat norover-arched. Heath Matthews, seniorsports physiotherapist atKokilaben Dhirubhai AmbaniSports Medicine Centre, explainshow you can understand the physiologyof your foot.

"Put a little water on a surface,walk through it and then walk ona dry surface," he says. "The middlethird of your footprint indicatesthe arch of your foot." Ifthe middle third is very broad,it probably means you have aflat foot and need to supportyour feet in order to preventimpact on your ankles,knees and back.

"If the footprint is too narrow, thenyou may have a very high arch," saysMatthews. "You need to provide extracushioning for such feet because theydon't absorb shock very well." If theimprint is as broad as three or four ofyour toes, your feet are normal.

Invest in good footwear
Since feet bear the brunt of the impactwhen we're exercising, it's only fair thatthey are adequately prepared. Don'tcut corners while choosing footwear;the right pair is a wise investment.

"Make sure that your shoe is not verystiff," says Madhuri Ruia, nutritionistand proprietor of Integym in Colaba."At the same time, the sole shouldn'tbe too flexible either. The right shoe isone that can take on the body's actionnaturally."

Your feet are a good indicator of youroverall strength and balance. "If thesoles on both feet are not wearing outsymmetrically, it may mean that oneside of your body is stronger than theother," says Ruia. While orthotic supportsuch as insoles (for flat feet) andcushioning (for over-arched feet)may help to improve your gait, youcan improve your balance -- andyour foot health -- with the rightworkout.

Fitness matters
"Ultimately, foot care is part of yourbody balance," says Matthews. "Makesure your workout has the right combinationof cardio, weight training andstretching." Ensure that you start eachworkout with a warm-up so that thereis adequate blood flow to your legs.

Initially, running on the treadmillmight mean additional impact, but youcan improve your cardio performancewith weight training. "Weight traininghelps to build muscle tissue and preserveyour ligaments, which in turnallows you to run better," says Ruia.

Truth about supplements
A diet that is rich in calcium and magnesiumpromotes bone health, whichin turn means better care for your feet."For vegetarians, nachni (or ragi) is therichest source of calcium," says consultingdietitian Jyoti Lalwani.

Milk and milk products are rich incalcium and soya beans are a powerhouseof proteins, calcium and iron. Inorder to get your daily dose of magnesium,include whole grains and sproutsin your diet.

Apart from these nutrients, you needto have adequate protein in your diet."You develop cracks on the feet becauseof low protein," says Lalwani. Eggwhites, chicken and fish are the richestsources of protein for non-vegetarians.Green peas have a higher quotientof protein than other vegetables. Apartfrom this, vegetarians also need toinclude whole pulses and sprouts intheir diet.

An often-ignored nutrient that is criticalfor bone health is vitamin D."Vitamin D3 helps the body absorb calciumbetter," says Lalwani. The bodysynthesises this nutrient from vitaminD in the presence of sunlight, so it'simportant that you spend a little timebasking in early morning sunlight.

Heel Pain
Common causesPaining heels can be the symptomof a problem in the foot or adeeper malaise in the body:
1. Inflammation of the plantar fascia,muscle tissue that extends along thesoles to the heel bone, can cause pain.
2. Physiological factors (such as highBMI) can also cause the condition.
3. Arthritis and diabetes can cause heelpain and loss of sensation in the sole.
4. If you feel a sharp pain when you stand inthe morning, you could have tiny calcifiedoutgrowths on the heel bone.

To fix the painIf the pain is caused by inflammation, thenicing the region and contrast baths help fixit. Make sure you wear proper footwear.

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