Educational Articles: Foot Rehabilitation

Here’s a common scenario some of you may find yourself in: It’s been a few months since you last pulled on your athletic shoes, and you’ve been wearing conventional shoes at work that meet the office dress code but are kind of constricting. There is a big annual walking or running event coming up in the not-too-distant future that you... Read more

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

What if there was a way to reduce your chances of knee osteoarthritis and numerous foot and ankle problems? What if this approach was simple, logical, and cost-effective? What if it could address a wide variety of conditions, from joint pain to bunions to neuromas to ingrown toenails, as well as prevent these conditions from occurring? What if the philosophy was completely rational, as well as being... Read more

There are many common causes of foot pain, especially in runners—plantar fascia problems, sesamoiditis (irritation of small bones under the base of the big toe), heel spurs, and Achilles tendinosis among them. Ingrown toenails and bunions may also cause foot pain. Fractures and other traumatic injuries can cause foot pain, too. The exercises described below may help rehabilitate your foot, improve its function, and reduce pain, especially... Read more

If you look at the foot of a young child, you will notice that his or her toes are spaced well apart. The foot of a young child is naturally designed for optimal balance and gait, and if the foot maintains this shape, optimal stride is preserved through old age: a finding observed in barefoot populations the world over. In industrialized societies, however, people spend a lifetime... Read more

In this video, Dr. Ray McClanahan, a sports podiatrist at Northwest Foot and Ankle and the inventor of Correct Toes, shares helpful tips on how to improve foot circulation (and offers suggestions on how to avoid common causes of poor circulation). Dr. Ray also highlights the importance of using products, such as warm and cool therapy gels, to enhance foot and toe circulation. Circulation is just one... Read more

Products offered by Natural Footgear are intended to improve your quality of life, reduce your likelihood of experiencing common foot and lower extremity problems, and address the underlying cause of your foot pain or discomfort. Many people derive significant benefit from our products and information, but the use of these things does not guarantee a favorable health outcome and... Read more

In this video, Dr. Ray McClanahan, a sports podiatrist at Northwest Foot and Ankle and the inventor of Correct Toes, demonstrates a two-part stretch that can be used to help rehabilitate hammertoes and restore toe alignment. Hammertoes are caused by an imbalance between toe flexor and extensor tendons. The stretches shown in this video help restore tendon balance and realign the toes to the position that nature... Read more

Can applying heat to the plantar fascia (in combination with proper footwear and Correct Toes), facilitate healing of plantar fasciosis? And since plantar fasciosis is due to insufficient bloodflow, does this mean that icing the plantar fascia should be avoided? Dr. Ray McClanahan, a sports podiatrist at Northwest Foot and Ankle and the inventor of Correct Toes, tackles these questions in this short yet informative video. Learn... Read more

This insightful video offers several simple and effective techniques you can perform to keep your feet healthy while you're at work. These techniques include going barefoot in your office as often as possible, bringing flats or sandals into your workplace, keeping some foot massage tools under your desk, and performing the Big Toe Stretch and Toe Extensor Stretch as well as other exercises that help strengthen the intrinsic... Read more