With the good weather comes the change of footwear and, although it may seem contradictory, at the same time the consultations with the physiotherapist increase. The pathologies occur because they go from wearing ‘the stuffed foot’ during the winter to ‘releasing it’ when it’s hot. Aspects such as the difference in height between the heel and the front of the foot (drop) or how narrow the toe of the shoe influences. The clearest example is that of women who go from wearing heels to sandals.
“When we walk in heeled shoes, the Achilles tendon is in a shortened position. By removing that rise, we suddenly stretch it and perhaps it is not capable of assuming that length. That is when inflammation or tendonitis can occur”, explains Miguel Angel Martínez, a physiotherapist at Fisiopremia, a teacher at Tecnocampus and a member of the Col·legi de Fisioterapeutes de Catalunya.
It is clear that footwear fashion does not always accompany the comfort of the foot. In order not to have to choose between one aspect or another, Martínez proposes as a solution what he calls “compensation strategies”. This consists in that, if there is a part of the day in which the foot is “stuffed”, at home go barefoot or at least with socks, even if it is winter. “Viruses enter through the nose or mouth, not through the feet,” says the physiotherapist with a laugh, referring to this popular belief. You can also take walks on the grass, sand, etc. In this way, greater use is made of the foot musculature “which is the great forgotten”.
Therefore, Martínez believes that summer is the ideal opportunity to continue “liberating the foot” during the rest of the year and thus avoid problems in the future. He gives an example of a second pathology that also occurs in the summer: plantar fasciitis (an inflammation of the fibrous tissue on the sole of the foot). By using a wider shoe, that fabric receives “more tension, more load.” “That’s why I say that, during the year, it would be more interesting if we did practices in which the foot trained,” says the physiotherapist. Although not widely considered, the muscles of the foot “go lazy” if they are not used.
People who run regularly and in summer plan to do it barefoot through the sand, should also take certain aspects into account. Martínez says that it is not as simple as saying if it is good or bad to do it, but it depends on the type of beach and the footwear that is used regularly. There are runners who do have the habit of going barefoot because it feels like a more natural gesture, but for those who have worn shoes all year, the change can be detrimental. First of all, running shoes tend to have more height in the heel (drop) and going from two centimeters to zero is a change for which the foot needs time. A time that can be between six months and twelve months, according to Martínez.
In addition, the type of beach is a factor to take into account. The shores of the Cantabrian Mountains are usually flat due to the effect of the tides. It is when we see that smooth and humid area. On the contrary, on the shores of the Mediterranean beaches there is usually an unevenness and quite a few undulations. Therefore, if there is a runner who has chosen to leave the sneakers to run, know that the decision can lead to injury. What could be done on the beach are exercises that awaken the foot muscles, also called ‘neuromuscular awakening’. In any case, it is necessary to avoid doing it in a very abrupt way, since this can lead to shoelaces and that some type of damage can be produced.
A curious observation that Martínez makes is that in tribes that do not wear footwear it is common to see that their members have the front of their feet wider than the rear. He gives it as an example to show to what level the foot can suffer with very narrow shoe tips or large gaps between the front part or the heel. Shoes that take comfort and the natural shape of the foot into account usually have very thin soles, very wide toes and a flat area. The problem, he says, is that they are expensive and unsightly. That is why he insists that, even if you wear common shoes or that press your foot during a certain time of the day (such as at work), you find a time to exercise it.
The physiotherapist explains that he is struck by when, from a very young age, shoes with drop soles are put on babies with the idea of ??protecting their feet. “It is that the foot of the child does not have to be protected. The child has to adapt, to get strong just like with the neck, right that when we are babies we can’t hold our heads? But they don’t put a collar on us for that, ”he points out. For this reason, it is important to choose footwear that gives mobility to the foot and its muscles so that it can be exercised. What must be avoided is “corseting the foot”.
