Sesamoids

Shorty here to tell you about some tiny bones you may not even know you have! A sesamoid bone is a bone that is held within a tendon or a muscle. Your knee cap is a sesamoid! Today I want to tell you about the sesamoids in your feet! At the base of your big toes, under the ball of your foot you have two tiny bones - sesamoids! 

These bones are floating in the flexor hallucis brevis muslce. The tendon of your flexor hallucis longus goes in between your two sesamoid bones. Both of these muscles attach to your hallux (your big toe). The FHB and FHL muscles help point your big toe, draw the toe medially (opposite of bunion!), and are important muscles in medial ankle support.

When your foot alignment gets off, or you develop strength imbalance in your feet, it is possible to develop sesamoiditis, a very painful condition where the ball of your big toe becomes painful and inflamed when you put weight into that part of your foot. It is also possible to fracture these tiny bones. OUCH.

We recommend keeping your feet strong and balanced as well as wearing footwear that doesn't put undue force through the balls of your feet!

This post is an addition to our #monthofthefoot series. Expand your foot knowledge with all the posts in the series and check out more of #ShortySwan's infinite anatomy wisdom here!

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Office Pilates: FEET!

Got some aching feet from winter boots or harsh terrain? Check out this easy series to build strength, space and awareness in your feet and lower legs. If you have a pinky ball or tennis ball you will need them!

Want more? Check out all our posts about feet in #monthofthefoot or all our at home programs in  #moveit and all our videos in #swanvideo.

Foot Magic

"Think of the magic of that foot, comparatively small, upon which your whole weight rests. It's a miracle, and the dance is a celebration of that miracle."

- Martha Graham

yoga toes

Image from yogapro.com

YOGA TOES! I have never been into these because of my particular foot type. HOWEVER, these things are awesome if you need some more space and spread through your toes and metatarsals! You can start just trying to get them on, progress to wearing them for 5 or so minutes around the house, and then try doing foot exercises with them on your feet! Let me know how it goes!

oh my god, shoes: the boot

Fall and winter are coming and you may be in the market for a new pair of boots. Here are a few options that you might want to try. Boots can be great because they provide a lot of stability for your ankles and mid foot. I would suggest not getting a boot that allows your foot to swim around inside. I always check to make sure the metatarsal break is sturdy (because I know it will break in more with time) and that I can fit an orthotic or gel insert inside as well as a thick pair of socks. There's nothing worse than dropping money on boots at the end of the summer that end up being to small when the cold weather rolls around! Below are my personal opinions and preferences based upon my foot type!

frye: I love Frye boots and I have found that the lace up ones give great support. They have SO many styles, making it easy to find one appropriate for your specific foot. The leather and the construction of these shoes is great. For those with foot injuries or pain, you may need to go a size up and either put in your orthotic (I like super feet for most anything as they are easy to find and come in varying degrees of stability) or a Spenco for extra cushion. pro: tons of styles! last forever, versatile con: not a lot of cushion, can be $$$

doc marten: This has been a standby of mine for years. They go in and out of style but are luckily in style right now. Once you break these babies in they are the most comfortable shoes! They have "bouncing soles" that are full of air that contour to your feet. The varying lace-up height gives you great support. pro: comfortable, versatile, good for standing all day con: big and bulky, takes time to break them in

blundstone: These are a great alternative stylistically to a Doc Marten if Docs are not your thing but you still want a sturdy, functional work boot. You can easily fit an orthotic inside. pro: comfortable, sturdy, lasts a long time con: not the best ankle/heel support, takes time to break in

acne (pistol): These have been the fashion day/night transition boot of the past few years. I love these shoes. I can't wear them sadly because they have a heel. Acne makes lovely shoes with great leather and they actually give good support. Try one of their flatter models if you want to be better to your feet. pro: beautiful and timeless con: $$$, its a heel so I shouldn't be reviewing it...

merrell: These hiking boots have been recommended to me while recovering from foot surgery. I haven't found a pair that had the stability through the metatarsal break that I need so I never purchased a pair. Some people swear by these shoes so they may be worth a try. pro: weather resistant and good for active people con: you may not like the style

More foot explorations here!

oh my god, shoes: the tennie

Thank god sneakers have become stylish enough to wear all the time. I am glad I can feel only slightly shameful when sporting the tennie and skirt look. I have some strong opinions about these sneakers based on my own feet and I could spend years of trying different brands and styles. Below are my personal opinions and preferences. Listen to your body and find yours!

new balance: I wore classic New Balances twice in my life. The first time I was in high school and was into vegetarianism and hardcore. These shoes were not cute, but they weren't made out of leather. I had a shaved head and wore cargo shorts. You get the picture! (Now New Balance makes a large variety of styles- even flats!)

The second time I wore New Balances was right after surgery. They were the first shoes I wore out of the boot. They were boats and I was made fun of by my friends, but they served a purpose. I have always heard that New Balances are great shoes, but for me they didn't have superb arch support and my feet kind of swam inside (I do NOT have narrow feet). pro: metatarsal break pretty sturdy, wide, lots of styles, these shoes work for many people con: really wide and bulky

nike: There are so many kinds of Nikes out right now and the Nike Free is an acceptable work shoe these days. If anything gives women a break from wearing terrible shoes to work, I am pumped. However, orthopedically speaking, Nikes are pretty terrible. There is little to no arch support, the heel cup does not cup your foot, they tend to run narrow and the met break is fashionably flexible. All of this being said, I love Nikes and just bought a pair as my "dress up" shoes (how sad is my life...). pro: fashionable, can wear to work, LOTS of colors/styles, affordable con: not the best for orthopedic concerns

asics/saucony: I put these two together because they seem to serve similar purposes. Some people like Asics and some people like Sauconys. I like Sauconys. My friend Marimba wears Asics. We have very different feet but our concerns are similar: good arch support (we both put in our own actually, but the stock arch support is ok), good mid foot support, good heel support, wide toe base, sturdy met break. These shoes are in no way as fashionable as Nikes and have to just be accepted as plain ol' sneakers. pro: they feel great, orthopedically sound, not too expensive con: not the best looking, a little bulky

five fingers: I have never personally been in the barefoot shoe club. I am however a barefoot contemporary dancer so I very much understand the benefits of being barefoot and having strong, articulate feet. Five finger shoes are not miracle way to get them. Strong feet take intelligent work just like any body part or firing pattern. I can see the benefit to wearing these in nature if you want protection from rocks and sticks or in the gym if you are stable enough to lift in bare feet and understand what that means. I do not see the benefit of track running or concrete running.  From an orthopedic support perspective Five finger shoes, you make my joints ache and my MTPs cry. I can't offer a true Pro/Con as I have never worn them. 

converse/vans(and also Toms): These are the shoes of my generation (I suppose I am not the only generation who can claim converse...). Growing up, you wore one or the other depending on your musical and action sport preference. These shoes are flat flat flat and have zero arch support. They are cheap and cool but they do nothing for your body. Wearing these shoes is asking for bunions and shin splints. I hate to say it, but these shoes are not good for you. pro: cute, stylish, easy, cheap con: not good for you!

More about feet, right this way!

oh my god, shoes: the clog

When you have a foot problem, the first thing you might hear is "you should wear clogs!" If you are confused about what clog brands are out there, and what might work for your fashion sensibilities, look no further. Clogs can be great for specific ailments because they have a wide toe box, a slightly rocker bottom sole and they keep your foot from articulating too much. They are great after surgery, if you have to stand all day, or if you need to give your tootsies a rest!

Each foot is as individual as it's owner. I have what is called a 'Grecian foot', meaning my second toe is the longest and my toes taper down. My toes are long and every joint in my feet is very mobile! My arches are high but easily spread out when I put weight through them. Below are my personal opinions and preferences.

dansko: This is the ol' faithful, the "she's a dancer or a nurse" shoe. You may or may not like how they look but you most likely have an opinion one way or the other. I go back and forth between convincing myself they are fine and really not being into the boxy horse foot thing. I have recently opted for the all black version so that at least I can imagine they disappear somewhere below normal vision. Honestly, when my feet are not happy, these shoes are the VERY BEST thing to wear. pro: slight rocker bottom, room for the toes to spread, heel lift, good arch support, you can beat them up and they live forever, shock absorption from the sole con: horse feet, can hit cuneiforms if you have a high arch, easy to fall on uneven surfaces (this is true of any clogs)

no. 6: This shoe has been a favorite of mine. Not only do they have a very cute store in nolita, they do custom orders! You can order a shearling lined boot with your choice of leather and clog base. They have wood bottoms and come in three heights. There is a clog for every season: dressy and not dressy, heels and wedges. To be honest, the high heel clog cannot be considered orthopedically sound but the medium height can be made cute and did not bother my foot when it was at it's worse (actually the medium height created the rocker I needed when pushing off was causing too much pain). pro: customizable, good if you need to not articulate your mtps, super cute con: $$$ (250-550), no arch support, have to order in NYC store for customization, wood bottoms can be too hard for some

Sven: I don't have a ton of experience with Sven clogs, though I did have one pair. They are a good standby clog if you need a wooden bottom. If my rumor ears tell me the truth, No. 6 actually just uses customized Sven clogs, so maybe I have more experience that I realized. pro: not too $$$, easy to find, lots of styles con: I can't think of one

Swedish Hasbeens: pro: lots of styles, easy to find online con: narrow!!! (I could never wear these)

CLOGMASTER: This is the ultimate clog experience. You walk in to see the clog master and before you sit down she tells you your shoe size and promptly disappears to the back to bring you a few options to try on. From there, you just talk size and style and usually walk with at least two pairs of custom clog orders on the books. This is customization at its best. I saw her when she was still in LA but she is now based in Portland. She travels around the country to do fittings and take orders. pro: everything con: cost prohibitive if you're on a budget, otherwise if you don't like these, you just don't like clogs

ok there were more...

This post brought to you by The Month of the Foot!

you betta werk, feet

Here are some exercises to make your feet stronger and more articulate. For all of these exercises, try 8-10 repetitions. Once you become comfortable with that many, add additional sets.  

doming

Place your feet in parallel. Trying to keep your toes long (not scrunched). Dome your MTP joints up away from the floor. You should see the joints at the bases of your toes move up away from the ground, making an even rainbow of an arch from your big toe joint to your pinky toe joint. You should feel muscle activation underneath the sole of your foot. If you feel it all in your toes, you may be scrunching them too much!

point and flex

This one is self explanatory :). Sit with straight legs and find parallel, aligning the center of your hip socket, knee cap ankle and 2nd toe. Keeping your heel on the ground, straighten your legs fully and flex through your heels. Point long through your feet and toes without letting them veer in or out. Feel like each toe is making a long extension of its metatarsal. Repeat!

foot fan on ball

Place a pinky ball underneath your metatarsals, right before they become the ball of your foot. Keeping your heel grounded and knee stable, fan your foot from right to left. Use this motion to create more width and space in your feet as well as iron out any kinks you may feel underneath. Practice finding smooth motion and equal rage on both feet.

play the piano

Sit on a chair or on the floor and find parallel alignment with bent legs. Keeping the balls of your feet grounded, lift your toes away from the floor. Try to keep the heads of all metatarsals on the ground. Now try just lifting your big toes. Often times these toes will move in towards the other toes, but try to lift them straight up. Now try just lifting the middle three toes while keeping your big toes and pinky toes grounded. You may have to use your hands to keep them down. Now pick up all of your toes again and try to place one down at at time, starting with your pinkies. Make the motion smooth and try not to crunch your toes or let them veer away from the line of your metatarsal.  

relevé

Stand up, keeping parallel leg alignment. Place a ball in between your heels. Place your hands on a solid surface for stability. Rise up on to the balls of your feet.  Hold the ball and try not to scrunch your toes. When you rise up, try to do so by really going UP rather than merely shifting your weight forward. Keep looking for balance across the balls of your feet and think about making a connection from your sits bones to your heels. Make sure to stretch your calves after this exercise!

my-my-my metatarsal

Image from Wikipedia

Meet your metatarsal bones! These long bones create length and width in your feet, continuing forward to become your toes. Your metatarsal bones are numbered 1-5 starting with the big toes, working out to your pinky toes. Sometimes these bones are referred to as the "rays" of your feet. You can think of them like rays of light shining forward from your ankle. 

Image from Wikipedia

The heads of your metatarsals are the parts that touch the floor and form joints with your toe bones. In every day speak, this is called the "ball of your foot". When balancing your weight in standing, or doing an exercise such as bridging that necessitates balance through the foot, it is important to distribute your weight across the heads of all of your metatarsals. 

Image from Wikipedia

In walking, your foot does a slight roll from outside to inside (see pronation/supination from the calcaneus post). While the calcaneus does a slight outside/inside rock, your weight waves through the metatarsals from 5 to 1 as you move from heel strike to push off. I like to think of my metatarsals being as articulate as a fan or a wave. They not only stabilize and disperse your weight into the ground, but also help your feet to be flexible, pliant, and articulate.  

Did you enjoy this post? See more from our Month of the Foot series here!

See what else Shorty Swan has to say!

Beautiful Feet.

"The human foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art." 

-Leonardo da Vinci

Calcaneus palpation/exercises

Let's try a couple exercises to get a better sense of your heel bones. If you have questions about the language in this post, look back at Meet Your Calcaneus.

First, have a seat, cross one ankle over the opposite leg and use your fingers to palpate (feel) your heel bone. How does the bone feel to you? Look at the pictures from the anatomy post and see if you can trace the whole length of the bone. Knowing that muscles, tendons and ligaments lie on top, imagine you can go below the tissue layer and really put your intention on the bone. Repeat on your other foot.

Heel rocks. Now stand on two feet in parallel (2nd toes pointing forward with kneecaps aligned--approximately :)). Take a moment to just feel your weight in your heel bones. You may feel slightly pronated or supinated. This is ok and normal! Shift your weight so you feel more on the outside of your right calcaneus and the inside of your left, then switch sides, repeating a few times. This may be easier on one side than the other. Now turn this side-to-side motion into a circle, 6-10 times in each direction. Try to make the circle smooth and feel as much of your heel into the floor as you can.

You might feel a little bit like this, but don't get too crazy:

Here's a trick for releasing. Often times, this can help with plantar fasciitis or tightness in the ankles and calves. Place a pinky ball right in front of your calcaneus, ever so slightly to the inside of your foot. Try to stand on both feet, putting as much weight into the foot with the pinky ball as in your other leg. This area may be VERY tight. Try to take 10 breaths here and let the tissue relax. Repeat on the other side. 

Stretch your calves! A good ol' calf stretch (standing in a shallow lunge) does wonders for releasing the calves and achilles, and can relieve tension through the plantar fascia of the feet. In your calf stretch, go back to your heel rocks and find the place where your calcaneus feels most evenly planted on the floor, finding weight in the back of your heel! Take 8 long breaths with a straight back leg, 8 with a bent back leg. Switch sides.