The Foot and Tooth Parable
Why we need to keep our feet fit and strong
To consider why we need to exercise and look after our feet it is interesting to run a comparison between feet and teeth in our personal care regime.
We basically use our teeth three times a day - breakfast, lunch and dinner - and maybe in between for snacking. The food we chew is relatively soft when we think of the incredible power of the jaw and we endeavour to clean them twice a day to keep them in good condition. From childhood we are encouraged to visit a dentist at least twice a year for a check-up, and from that perhaps a bit of maintenance (e.g. filling, polish & scale etc.)
In comparison to our teeth we demand far more from our feet in every day life. The average person can take anything from 6000 to 10000 steps per day - every time our heel hits the ground the foot copes with one and a half times our body weight in impact forces (more when we are running). The foots remarkable structure of 26 bones acts as both shock absorber and propulsion unit - what a magnificent piece of engineering we have at our disposal.
It is essential to keep our feet strong and flexible so they can carry out their task of getting us painlessly from A to B.
Strong feet help in all types of sport from walking to football to golf - inreasing the strength and agility of the foot reduces fatigue and aids performance.
To keep your feet in tip top condition try our Therapy Massage Ball along with the exercises shown here on our site.
Just because we hide them in our shoes we shouldn't ignore our hard working feet!