Popular Q&A: Regions

This is a great question, and one that the team here at Natural Footgear often receives from curious parents. Quickly, though, before we dive into that topic, it’s important to note that long-term foot health is an incredible gift that parents can give to their children—a gift that will pay large quality of life dividends over time. It’s natural that parents want to ensure that their little ones put their best foot... Read more

In most cases, yes! In our experience, we’ve found that a combination of certain foot exercises and proper foot and toe positioning is a helpful and effective way to build or restore your main foot arch: the medial longitudinal arch. Many people who have flat feet benefit from exercises that return the big toe to its normal anatomical position; that is, splayed away from the second toe. Proper toe orientation... Read more

Bunions are often considered to be a female-specific foot problem, but the truth is, these deformities frequently occur in people of all genders and ages (apart from the very youngest in our society, at least until conventional footwear is adopted). For women who wear high-heeled footwear frequently throughout their life, the likelihood of developing a bunion is quite high. However, due to the flawed shape and construction of modern shoes,... Read more

In most cases, the pain or discomfort associated with plantar fasciitis is usually sufficient to thwart participation in athletic activities. Still, athletes who experience this problem may wish to continue exercising while the condition heals, and this may be possible, depending on the severity of the plantar fascia pain and what steps are taken to address it. Plantar fasciitis, or more accurately, plantar fasciosis (renamed as such because the condition... Read more

Numbness in the feet, including the second toe, may be the result of nerve impingement or nerve damage, and it can be caused by numerous health problems, including diabetes, Buerger's disease and other circulatory problems, vitamin B12 deficiency, and interdigital neuromas, among other causes. Diabetes is a common cause of foot numbness, and nerve damage is one of the principal consequences of diabetes. Alcohol consumption can increase the rate of... Read more

Two of the main metatarsal pad functions—restoring proper forefoot fat pad positioning and spreading out the transverse foot arch—are quite independent. In the case of the former, it's really the toe spring built into conventional footwear—and the associated toe flexor/extensor muscle imbalance it creates—that's responsible for shifting the fat pad to a position further out on the foot, closer to the ends of the toes. Metatarsal pads, which should be... Read more

Metatarsal pads may be small and unobtrusive, but they are mighty when it comes to aiding the foot and addressing a variety of foot ills. The forefoot fat pad—a natural structure in all feet—is intended to sit underneath the ball of the foot and cushion and cradle the metatarsal heads at the point where they contact the ground. Wearing conventional shoes (i.e., shoes with elevated heels, tapering toe boxes, toe... Read more

For a lot of people, plantar taping is a simple and effective way to relieve bottom-of-foot pain caused by a variety of foot problems. This video features sports podiatrist Dr. Ray McClanahan, who demonstrates the plantar taping technique. It does take a little bit of time to become proficient at this method, especially if you’re performing it on yourself, but most people find this to be a helpful approach to... Read more

Countless individuals suffer from heel pain stemming from plantar fasciosis (or, as the condition is commonly mislabeled, plantar fasciitis). The agitating pain associated with this foot problem leaves many folks desperate for relief. Unfortunately, not all of the information about how to relieve plantar fascia pain is accurate or helpful. A lot of people, for example, have heard that stretching the plantar fascia (i.e., the bottom of the foot) is... Read more

A vestigial structure is an organ or physical attribute that has lost some, most, or all of its original or ancestral function but yet is still retained by members of a given species. Examples of vestigial structures in humans may include the palmaris longus muscle, the pyramidalis muscle, wisdom teeth, and the plica semilunaris (a fold of conjunctiva at the eye's inner corner). Suggesting that the little toe is a... Read more

While footwear alone is not likely to fully correct or heal a bunion, it can certainly have a massive impact on any bunion-related discomfort you experience as well as whether or not your bunion progresses and becomes more severe. The right footwear can also give you the best possible shot at rehabilitating your toes and restoring optimal foot health. So, paying close attention to the footwear you use on a... Read more

Shin splints is among the most painful lower leg problems experienced by athletes and active individuals. The pain associated with shin splints is caused by a disruption of Sharpey’s fibers—collagenous fibers that connect lower leg fascia to the tibia’s periosteum. The impact forces that occur during repetitive stress (especially when using poor footwear) cause excessive pulling on these fibers, which leads to irritation of the periosteum and shin splints. This... Read more

The wear pattern you see on the soles of your shoes provides important clues about your gait and how your feet are interacting with the world. The specific wear pattern mentioned above (outside, or “lateral,” heel) is typical among pretty much all wearers of conventional footwear that incorporates heel elevation, rigid soles, and substantial cushioning, and excessive wear in this location is particularly apparent in running and walking shoes. The... Read more

Every set of feet is unique! Among the many possible foot characteristics that vary from person to person are: arch height, foot and toe width, and foot and toe length. Some people (probably somewhere between 20-30 percent of the population) possess an index toe (i.e., second toe) that is longer than the big toe. This is known as Morton’s toe, and it is hereditary. In most cases, the index toe... Read more