F O O T   R O L L I N G

Rolling of the foot comes in two different forms: Over-pronation and over-supination of the foot. Over-pronation is when the foot rolls to the inside taking the weight off the lateral side of the foot (pinky toe). Many times runners will develop this postural deviation due to excessive impact/pounding on their arches. Over-supination is when the foot rolls outward, which takes the weight off the medial side of the foot (big toe). These movement deviations primarily affect the ankle joints in the kinetic chain, as well as indirectly affecting the knee joints.

Mobility Drill: Foam roller

Stability Drill: Ankle Raises

 

Other things you could do to improve arch strength:

• Take off your shoes! We are so use to always wearing shoes that provide the support. While that makes your feet more comfortable throughout the day, our supportive muscles of the ankles and foot are let off the hook so they don’t have to work. So when you get home to do house chores, take off your shoes and make those muscles work!
• Work on toe control. That sounds weird, but it’s surprisingly challenging to be able to control movement of the toes. So next time you’re sitting at the desk or watching t.v., try to lower your toes to the ground one by one. This will help with arch support.