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Natural Foot Care |
| Ray McClanahan,
DPM and Glenn Ingram, ND |
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Resources:William Rossi, DPMConditions:
Other Foot Topics:
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What
is natural foot care? Natural foot care, like the rest of naturopathic medicine, is a wholistic approach to physical medicine. It encompasses looking at the cause of physical ailments, treating them naturally with bodywork, stretching, exercise, natural anti-inflammatories, and hydrotherapy. I also recommend surgery if it is needed. I am not a surgeon, but I refer to Ray McClanahan, DPM who is a very skilled surgeon. I find that most podiatrists and orthopedic surgeons recommend surgery when there are much more simple solutions available. If surgery ends up being necessary, all of the work to improve footwear and rehabilitate the feet will only help improve the outcome of the surgery as well. How did I get so interested in foot care? My interest in foot care began as a child in rural South Carolina where we were barefoot throughout most of the year. The other kids my age and I prided ourselves on our thick-soled feet. Although I had very thick skin on the bottom of my feet, I never reached the ultimate goal of being able to stamp out a hot coal without it hurting as one cousin could. My interest in the idea of barefoot being healthy was renewed after attending Tom Brown Jr's Tracker School. In classes and in his books, Brown speaks of the benefits of being barefoot or in mocassins for being quiet and safe in the woods, but also for general health of the feet, legs, and back. For instance his teacher, Stalking Wolf, never wore a pair of modern shoes throughout his entire life. He never suffered many of our modern musculoskeletal complaints including arthritis even into very old age. After graduating from medical school, I began practicing with Ray McClanahan, DPM. He was disillusioned with his practice after his first seven years because his patients were not getting better. He decided to start reading more alternative literature and specifically the work of William Rossi, DPM. Dr. McClanahan also traveled to Liberia and observed the feet of the people there who live barefoot or in sandals. All of this study and observation led to a few important conclusions which also fit with the observations I have observed:
The best way to ultimately cure a foot problem, is to take away the cause of the problem; the most common cause of foot problems is improper shoes. I do not have people walk barefoot if they do not want to, but I do have people wear shoes that allow their foot to be positioned and move as if it were barefoot. Then people must rehabilitate their feet to correct muscle imbalances caused by poor positioning in their shoes. That sounds simple, but it is often very difficult to find suitable footwear especially for those who must wear professional shoes or participate in sports such as soccer, football, and skiing. Rehabilitating the feet often takes a long time especially if someone has developed deformities such as bunions or hammertoes, but it can always be improved no matter how old the person. Often people start getting positive results immediately not requiring further treatments to reduce pain and inflammation. I also use modern imaging to make sure there is not a structural problem in a person's body. What about all of the great technology in shoes these days? The human foot, like the rest of the body, is designed very well to perform all of the tasks that are necessary during the course of life such as walking, running, and climbing. If we ignore this wisdom and attempt to "improve" on the design of the foot using shoes, then we are going to develop problems. The foot is designed to move; most shoes do not allow it to move. If any part of the body is not allowed to move, then the muscles weaken and compensatory movement must occur in other joints leading to damage in those joints. Problems in the feet can lead to problems in literally any other area of the body. If a person is suffering from musculoskeletal problems, the positioning of the feet, the foundation for the body, must be addressed. For more information on specific conditions, see the Northwest Foot and Ankle web site. Click here to schedule an appointment. |