Educational Articles: education-set-2

Achilles Tendinosis

Posted By Robyn Hughes, ND

The Achilles tendon is a strong cord made of fibrous connective tissue that attaches the calf muscle group to the calcaneus, or heel bone. The Achilles tendon is located at the lower end of the calf, and it is the continuation of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. This tendon is one of the strongest tendons in the body and is essential for performing many occupational and recreational... Read more

Big Toe Stretch

Posted By Marty Hughes, DC

In this informative video, Dr. Ray McClanahan—a sports podiatrist at Northwest Foot and Ankle and the inventor of Correct Toes—discusses (and demonstrates!) a helpful manual technique for stretching and releasing the soft tissues associated with a bunion deformity. This technique can be used by healthcare providers for their patients, or it can be used by patients as a self-care technique at home. Here’s a quote from Dr. Ray... Read more


Bunionettes: Conventional vs. Natural Approaches

Posted By Marty Hughes, DC

In this video, Dr. Ray McClanahan, a sports podiatrist at Northwest Foot and Ankle and the inventor of Correct Toes, discusses how bunionettes are treated using conventional and natural approaches. A bunionette, also known as a tailor's bunion, is a bump or prominence on the fifth metatarsal bone, at the base of the little toe. A bunionette is not a growth of bone, as is commonly... Read more

Circulation & Your Feet

Posted By Robyn Hughes, ND

The human circulatory system is made up of a pump (the heart) and a delivery system (the blood vessels) for transporting blood throughout the body. The two types of circulation in the body are called systemic circulation and pulmonary circulation. Systemic circulation is responsible for bringing fresh, oxygen-rich blood to all the body’s tissues and organs, while pulmonary circulation is responsible for carrying oxygen-depleted blood from the... Read more


Classic Study #1: A Comparison of Barefooted & Shoe-Wearing Peoples

Posted By Marty Hughes, DC

This is the first installment in what will be an ongoing series of articles examining classic research studies in the field of natural foot form and function. Many of the articles that will be reviewed here were published in reputable journals that still exist today. Many of these studies, which range in size and design, were published over 40, 50, 60, or, in this case, 100 years... Read more

Classic Study #2: Notes on Foot Disorders

Posted By Marty Hughes, DC

This is the second installment in our ongoing series in which we examine foot-related research studies published many decades ago. This study, conducted by Earl T. Engle and Dudley J. Morton, is called “Notes on Foot Disorders Among Natives of the Belgian Congo” and was published in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery in 1931. The researchers were part of an Africa expedition sponsored by Columbia... Read more


Classic Study #3: Feet & Footprints of Solomon Islanders

Posted By Marty Hughes, DC

This is the third installment in our ongoing series in which we examine foot-related research studies published many decades ago. This study, conducted by Clifford S. James, is called “Footprints and Feet of Natives of the Solomon Islands” and was published in The Lancet in 1939. The researcher, James, worked in the Solomon Islands region for over a decade. This study was conducted out of the Melanesian... Read more

Correct Toes & Exercises for Active Seniors

Posted By Marty Hughes, DC

Active seniors can perform key strength and balance exercises using Correct Toes to help create a stable support base and ensure proper alignment throughout the ankle, knee, and hip joints. The exercises demonstrated in this video are all beginner exercises that can be modified for varying fitness levels. Exercises that can be performed by active seniors include: 1. Hip Bridge; 2. Squat to Chair; 3. Step... Read more


Correct Toes & Orthotics

Posted By Robyn Hughes, ND

Correct Toes eliminates the need for conventional orthotics in most people by enabling the foot arch (i.e., the medial longitudinal arch) to support itself. In general, we DO NOT recommend wearing Correct Toes in combination with orthotics; we instead recommend weaning yourself off orthotics—slowly and progressively—when introducing Correct Toes. Correct Toes toe spacers are, by definition, an orthotic, though conventional custom orthotics are placed under your foot... Read more

Crooked & Overlapping Toes: Conventional vs. Natural Approaches

Posted By Marty Hughes, DC

In this video, Dr. Ray McClanahan, a sports podiatrist at Northwest Foot and Ankle and the inventor of Correct Toes, discusses the various types of crooked toes he sees in his Portland, OR, practice and what can be done to help straighten them out. Mallet toe, claw toe, and overlapping toe are all types of crooked toes that Dr. Ray mentions in this video. Dr. Ray also... Read more