The less control your foot has manipulating this spring, the greater chance for injury. There is evolutionary evidence that the foot arch architecture and musculature developed in response to the increased demands of load carriage and running.”² Shoe ContributionsĪrch supports and stiffened soles are common in running shoes, and may lead to weaker foot muscles and reduced arch strength as these foot muscles are asked to do less with the external supports that the shoe provides.³,⁴ This weakness contributes to an inability to control deformation of the arch and places greater stress on the plantar fascia, which could possibly lead to plantar fasciitis, a condition that may cause intense heel pain.³ When the arch deforms, it’s essentially acting as a spring. This is accomplished through the deformation of the arch, which is controlled by intrinsic and extrinsic foot muscles. McKeon and colleagues wrote that “(the foot) also possesses spring-like characteristics, storing and releasing elastic energy with each foot-strike. It has been suggested that the small, intrinsic foot muscles act as trusses, or support beams, for the arches of your feet.¹ Unlike rigid trusses, the arches in your feet have the ability to change and deform based on environmental feedback, like with stepping on a pebble. Or, could it be that the muscles in his feet are weak?
Some will say this is due to bad arch supports, worn out shoes, or even bad feet. One evening, he goes for a walk but limps the final steps to his house as his feet have become painful. Imagine someone that sits at a desk while wearing dress shoes for eight hours a day, year-after-year. A perfect example may be right underneath you: your feet.
Conversely, if there is a lack of stress or demand placed on muscle or bone, tissue wasting can occur. Walk around any weight room in America and you will see examples of tissue adaptation (think Arnold Schwarzenegger). The human body is an incredibly efficient machine that, over time, will adapt to loads and stresses by increasing the strength of its tissues.
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