Shoes, Sitting, and Lower Body Dysfunctions

[Steven Low]

Shoes, Sitting, and Lower Body Dysfunctions. Part 1 of 5.

An examination of shoes and sitting on the development of lower body dysfunctions. This covers how they arise, evaluation of their development, and improvement of injury conditions.

http://www.eatmoveimprove.com/2009/1...-dysfunctions/


New parts will be added pretty much everyday from today (Sun) until Thanksgiving Thurs.

Would love to have your guys' feedback either here or on the article comments.

[Brian Stone]

Interesting stuff so far. I'll wait until the conclusion of all parts to comment on the entirety.

The benefits of going barefoot have become a popular theme lately. Do you know if there has been any investigation into the practical effects of such natural conditions over time in our concrete jungle type of environment? The overwhelming majority of surfaces to which we are exposed on a daily basis are artificially hard and unyielding. To this extent, could cushioning be argued in the long run as being a better tradeoff for the joints? A cushioned sole, it would seem, provides a small artificial surface that more closely emulates something natural than does concrete or linoleum.

Just a thought in all this.

[Steven Low]

Well, you do have the studies on the barefoot people in African/South American/Australia/etc.... Most places are packed dirt where barefooted people go and I'd say they're fine as far as joints go. Heck, take a look at most of the marathoners who run barefoot or close to barefoot. Their joints are fine (plus the fact that they're using correct running technique).

As far as concrete goes I know that most of us will get ourselves torn up by the rough surfaces, and it's not exactly accepted to go barefoot most places unfortunately.

But I do know a couple of my friends who do go barefoot everywhere, and you do actually build up a tolerance. You can think of it as similar to building up calluses on your hands when you do pullups or other weightlifting activity. Our bodies are made to handle such stress.

[Steven Low]

Part 2 of 5 is now up:

In this post we discuss the systemic biomechanical issues that arise from part 1.

http://www.eatmoveimprove.com/2009/1...ysfunctions/2/

If you haven't read part 1:
http://www.eatmoveimprove.com/2009/1...-dysfunctions/

Enjoy! Feel free to comment here or there.

[Jeremy Shepard]

My main concern with going barefoot isn't damage to the joints or feet, it's parasitic infections.

[Steven Low]

Originally Posted by Jeremy Shepard

My main concern with going barefoot isn't damage to the joints or feet, it's parasitic infections.

Yeah, that is definitely one of them that is good to avoid.

[Craig Brown]

Five fingers are foot condoms?

[Steven Low]

Originally Posted by Craig Brown

Five fingers are foot condoms?

Haha, that's one way to put it...

[Gittit Shwartz]

Steven, thanks! Facebooked the article.

As a practical solution for when I do have to sit a large part of the day, I have a fitball at my desk in place of a chair. It's helped a lot with the neck lower back pain I used to get with chairs.

[Steven Low]

Part 3: Evaluation of lower body dysfunction and corrections

http://www.eatmoveimprove.com/2009/1...ysfunctions/3/