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August 7, 2009

Respect The Feet

Our feet are our base of support. They take a daily beating just from walking. They deserve our respect, and yet, many of us neglect our feet until something goes wrong with them.

Angst about feet is age-old. Feet are at odds with our cultural imperative of cleanliness. “They can be smelly. They can be dirty. They touch the ground. A certain morality comes up around feet.”

In my massage practice, I had a special emollient lotion designed just for feet called PurePro Peppermint Pedicure. I love this stuff. Not only does it have a strong peppermint scent, it also includes a brightening note of lemongrass. Somebody's feet would have to be pretty stinky not to be overwhelmed by this stuff.

My own feet stay encased in closed-toed shoes most days. It's a requirement of my school dress code. Also, clean, white cross-trainer tennis shoes were part of my uniform as a massage therapist. One day I worked in my running shoes, grey with blue accents. I got three comments from clients that day about my shoes. People notice change and are reassured by consistency. But I digress. The advantage of closed-toed shoes is that my feet remain soft. In the summer when I wear sandals on the weekends, I notice that my feet dry out and really show up the callouses that I have.

Running creates a whole culture around feet. Runners have their feet analyzed and will pay a fortune for a good running shoe. What I find interesting is that runners rely a great deal on shoe stores for advice about their feet and the best running shoe for their foot type. Simple foot test such as the water test can be alarmingly misleading (note the comments to the cited article). And while analysts at a good running shoe store are trained to analyze the foot, they are ultimately trying to sell you a shoe. Why not go to someone more qualified to examine foot mechanics such as a podiatrist or physical therapist before buying an expensive shoe or engaging in a sport?

tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health

Posted by linda at August 7, 2009 7:24 AM