The Foot, arches

Continuing my reading of Body³ by Thomas Myers, I'd like to introduce a few concepts about the arch of the foot. When I teach Gyrokinesis on the stool, I always include exercises for the feet to wake up their senses and stimulate the nervous system, preparing the body for standing work.

The foot can be described as a tetrahedron or a tripod base: the heel, the ball of the big toe, and the ball of the little toe form the base, while the top of the talus in the ankle joint forms the apex of the pyramid. When you stand, your weight is distributed through springy, shock-absorbing arches between three points on the sole of the foot: the medial longitudinal arch (inside of the foot), the lateral longitudinal arch (outside of the foot), and the transverse arch (across the ball of the foot).

When you work on the sole of the foot, you may want to think three-dimensionally by including the ankle, rather than just focusing on the tripod of the sole. This way, you are fully prepared to transmit your weight when you stand up.

The balanced arch of the foot is supported by the shape of the bones, the plantar ligaments and muscles, and a balanced upward pull from the lower leg. The weight from the tibia transmits through the talus down to the first three toes. Meanwhile, the lateral arch connects the fibula to the two little toes; it doesn't bear as much weight, acting more as a balancer.

The following is an exercise I recommend to stimulate the arches, hydrate the tissues, and restore elasticity to the feet. Becoming aware of the sensations in the sole of your foot and being able to truly sense the surface beneath you will greatly improve your balance!

The Foot Awareness Exercise

Starting Position: Sit on a stable chair or stool. Ensure your thigh bones are slightly sloped, and your feet and legs are parallel, hip-distance apart.

• Step 1 (The Suction Cup): Bring awareness to the surface of the sole of your feet. As you inhale, gather and squeeze the sole of the foot as if you are lifting a plunger upward toward the top of the pyramid. Treat the foot like a suction cup, drawing the toes and heels toward each other. You may feel all the joints of your legs tightening.

• Step 2 (The Melt): As you exhale, release the tension in your feet and feel the soles melting into the floor. You may feel the joints of your legs completely release.

• Step 3 (The Wing): As you inhale, spread the tripod of the foot much wider. Lengthen your toes wide and lift them a little bit like a wing, creating more surface area to touch the ground. You may feel the joints of your legs opening.

• Step 4 (The Connection): Exhale, keeping the sole of the foot nice and wide, and lengthen the toes back down to the floor. You may feel your whole leg connect directly through its joints.

  
  

Now, you are ready to put your weight into your feet and stand!