Tag Archives: foot

Creating Stronger Feet, Knees, Hips & Core: 10 Way Standing Hips

This strengthening and stabilizing technique was spawned out of injured &/or elder patients not being able to get down to the floor and perform a hip strengthening technique: ( https://onebody.live/2020/01/18/8-way-hips-lateral-strength-stability-balance/ ), yet demonstrating a clear need to for hip stabilization. The other thought that drove the creation of this technique was the desire to go beyond simple, tissue specific, isolation exercises/techniques, and look to perform the movements in a more practical position; a functional movement if you will.

Specific strengthening is good and has it’s place no doubt, but if we can piece the isolation exercises together and couple that with being in the relative body position that we will be looking to have the body engage all of these tissues in a synergystic manner, it becomes more of an effective neuro-musculo-skeletal collaborative dance both in practice and through implementation throughout the day.

As stated in another recent post: ( https://onebody.live/2020/02/10/biomechanics-breakdown-short-foot-activation-a-strong-foot-the-basis-for-all-other-movement/ ), it starts with the foot for a variety of reasons, we then continue to activate and engage up the chain, AND THEN go into our additional movements in a more controlled, balanced, and powerful manner; facilitating both efficient and safer movement. When we strip it down and pay attention to details in a repetitive, systematic manner, it more easily translates to our everyday movements with less effort; reprogramming the nervous system and activations patterns necessary to walk, run, jump, lift, MOVE to the best of our ability.

Creating A Strong Foot; An Essential Component for Pain Free & Efficient Movement & Stability

In working with the body for over a decade now, massive respect and acknowledgement has amassed for the foot & the critical role it plays in virtually all weight bearing movement.  I have seen this foot exercise explained & demonstrated numerous times (best by podiatrist Emily Splichal) & have been implementing both personally & clinically for a few years now with great results.

This demo video going well beyond the short foot activation procedure & into how it is the catalyst to spark needed strength, stability, balance & power from the foot, to the ankle, to the knee, to the hip & pelvis; stabilizing the spine from the base at the sacrum upward through the lumbar, thoracic and even cervical regions.  Due to fascial connections in the body, turning the foot on in this manner is arguably the first step to truly engaging and activating the core via concurrent triggering of the pelvic floor and diaphragm.

Proper short foot activation and subsequent biomechanics are an essential component when truly looking to address virtually all injuries from the lower extremity up.

Learn.  Perform. Repeat.  Improve.