Foot Awakening Sequence | Over-pronation ("flat" feet), bunions, high arches, foot/ankle mobility

[@lily8261]

Amazing sequence, just tried and it noticed the difference

[@KitLaughlin]

very pleased.

[@ElijahLevy-xr6eu]

Golden. Thank you for sharing this!

[@samd95]

Hi Kit, as someone who has dealt with overpronation and flat feet all my life, this video has helped me a great deal. I have far fewer aches and pains and notice that my arches are beginning to form on their own, naturally. Question: I have pretty limited range of plantar flexion on my right foot from an old injury. I think this is a limiting factor in my arch developing fully and strongly. How much can I do the instep stretch (top of the arch), and for how long. As this is my weak point, I’d like to really work this area maximally to gain mobility. Thanks so much for all you do!

[@KitLaughlin]

If you do the contractions with the instep stretch, then once or twice a week. If no contractions, whenever you like, but give the body a chance to recover, and adapt. Also, go to kitlaughlin.com/forums/index.php?/topic/33-flat-feet-pronation-in-response-to-a-q-from-coach-sommer/; there is an excellent and simple strengthening exercise on the first page that will help this process.

[@samd95]

@@KitLaughlin thank you! 🙏

[@jayraval9034]

This is a perfect fantastic sequence. I regularly practice your daily 5, can i Club this with it?

[@KitLaughlin]

Not sure what you mean here-can you elaborate?

[@jayraval9034]

@@KitLaughlin Can I Do foot awakening on daily basis with your daily 5 stretches kzbin.info/aero/PL0jOVQj5DpT9BSY8QEPRxfy4Utgua9Jys. I also do bodyweight workouts 3 times a week.

[@Methodz57]

Hi Kit, I am having a great deal of trouble doing the toe stretches. For the first one I cannot get my entire ball of the foot on the ground and I also cannot get my knee on the ground or form the 90° angle necessary. For the second one I cannot get my instep on the floor without a lot of discomfort and wrenching in my knee and can't put my other foot out front. My little toes curves inward a severe amount due to what I assume is tailors bunion and the rest are all clawed (excluding the big toe). I am currently 30kg overweight and quite inflexible in general. Is this something I should perhaps revisit upon fixing these issues first?

[@KitLaughlin]

In brief: yes. But don't rush this weight-loss process: use tried and true methods, and take your time. if you are carrying 30kg excess weight, plan on a year to address this. WRT the exercises you describe, many people share feet flexibility limitations, but here too, go gently. For example, if you can't get the whole of the ball of the foot on the ground, just work in the range of movement you have, and over time, try to increase it. And you mention that you can't get your knee on the ground-most people can't, in the beginning. Put the knee on a support that's 2-3" thick instead, like a yoga block (this reduces the toe angle) and do what you can. And remember that walking is rally good exercise and make sure you include a few hills, in time. Best, KL

[@Methodz57]

Thank you very much Kit!

[@AppliedMathematician]

So most of this is to generate controlled feedback for the brain to learn better fine control of the feet?

[@KitLaughlin]

That is one of the many ways to look at this activity; another is that the doing of it *feels* good. As well, it makes the feet more mobile and you feel more from them as a result. Most people cannot feel (for example) their right little toe.

[@AppliedMathematician]

@@KitLaughlin : Well, ok, but I also feel that something is wrong in my left foot, aside that it is stiff as f**ck. In any case thank you, I probably should consult a doctor.

[@KitLaughlin]

@@AppliedMathematician You sound like a smart guy; you probably don't need a doctor. The problem in your L foot is probably fascial, and few doctors understand this stuff. Please try the sequence above, and see how that food feels afterwards. Pay close attention to the sensation you experience while you are doing this, too.

[@AppliedMathematician]

@@KitLaughlin : I tried, sadly I do not know the medical vocabulary to describe my problem. The sequence does help with relaxation. However, there is part in my foot that just does not quite feel right! After the sequence the feeling was more clear. Something is wrong there. Further, this foot might still have a titanium screw in it, due to a very severe accident. I did powerlifting before the corona lockdowns and am slowly starting again. This too did stabilizes my foots before a lot - aside from one problem, it just remains unaffected and I go into compensation movement patterns.

[@KitLaughlin]

@@AppliedMathematician Understand completely. Do read up on how fascia adapts to injury.How long ago was the injury? And be aware that the compromised movement following the injury *by itself* will always result in diminished movement around all the joints. This is why rehab is always recommended following any injury or surgery. If you break your arm (let's say the humerus) and your elbow is immobilised for six weeks, the elbow's range of movement will be near zero when the plaster is removed. The restrictions noticed are both fascial and neuromuscular, and that ROM comes back quickly. But if the foot injury was years ago, and the foot's movement has been compromised that that time, restoration of full ROM will take more time, but it can be done.

[@dingosmith9932]

Hi Kit, love the channel. Quick question (if there is such a thing) I've had tightness and cracking in my left ankle since forever. It can be very injury prone. I've been looking at videos on the tendon conditions associated with this (can't remember the name for them.) Any advice? I'll certainly be trying this sequence. Thanks.

[@KitLaughlin]

I make some recommendations in the comments below; please read them. As well, read all this: kitlaughlin.com/forums/index.php?/topic/33-flat-feet-pronation-in-response-to-a-q-from-coach-sommer/&tab=comments#comment-76 It's hard to make more detailed recommendations without much more information, but loosening tight bits and strengthening weak bits always improves the situation.

[@dingosmith9932]

@@KitLaughlin thanks kit, no matter what I've done the relief has only been temporary and then it's back to CRACK! I'll look through it ...

[@kjhjttyyy77766]

Any thoughts on fixing the underlying cause of hallux limitus or rigidus? I walk barefoot to strengthen my feet but only have about 30 degrees of toe dorsiflexion left on one side. I originally thought that if i practiced dorsiflexion it would come back but ive developed a spur on top of my first mtp and lost range of motion. Most podiatrist want to use an orthotic to control pronation and stop flexion at the first mtp but that doesnt seem to fix the underlying cause. May have to get a cheilectomy but if i have poor biomechanics it seems like it will just come back. Want to avoid having to get a fusion down the road.

[@KitLaughlin]

On of my students became a student because after using the seated calf machine (and eventually, the full weight stack) to loosen up his ankle, he found that a bone spur that had been causing his ankle to lock while running had been completely re-absorbed by the body. Been to see two specialists, and both of them had taken x-rays which showed the bone spur and the subsequent x-rays showed that the spur had completely disappeared. It is definitely possible to change these things - the trick is to generate enough force to create the stress that will facilitate the change, but not so much that you hurt yourself.

[@onetrue217]

@@KitLaughlin very interesting. I am not sure hallux rigidus could be reversed though, if advanced. It is a degenerative process with loss of cartilage (osteophytes/bony spurs are formed early on in the disease). As mentioned elsewhere I am recovering from fusion of 1st MTP for this condition. I hope by using this video to improve the health of my feet going forward, I have a new appreciation of foot health since I acquired hallux rigidus. Thank you Kit for your content.

[@onetrue217]

Matt, have you implemented this video routine over the past year? How have you got on?

[@ezrahines3819]

Hi Kit, do you have anything to correct pinky toes that curl inward? It would be very much appreciate thank you.

[@KitLaughlin]

Yes: at 3:01, I show how to interlace the toes with the hand of the opposite arm-you do the same, and focus on the little toe. And when you are doing the stretching and pulling of the toes, do the same: focus on the little one. Y really can hange the shape of your feet, but it's not a 'just-do-it-once' thing. A weekly practise is about right.

[@cinmac3]

Hi , thanks good info I still don't know if my feet , may not be , or my hips or what is , my challanges that give me pain. because of what you said, now, , about my feet ,. My hips , lazy glutes , tight back legs ,back".? My sense of well was ok, i I where have finger shoes, I did find help with until my injury's, now, even the sense my shoes.

[@KitLaughlin]

Please become a member of the forums, and ask any questions there. The security question answer is "cat".

[@jarxale]

Hello Kit, I have problem getting into the final position for the instep stretch, unable to straighten the non working leg fully, getting slight knee discomfort on the working leg as well. Is there any way I can ease myself slowly into the position ?

[@KitLaughlin]

Yes, two ways: sit on a mat and let your toes and end of the instep hang over the edge of the mat (this way, less stretch on the instep) and put a cushion in between your glutes and the lower leg (lessens the knee closing angle).

[@RittaTT]

I had been looking for some foot stretches and that video link popped up in my email box at the perfect time :) Thank you Kit. I also have been training/running in my five fingers or barefoot, for about 12 years now, my ankles are much stronger than before. I just followed through the above sequence and wow, brilliant feeling. How many times a week would you recommend we do this sequence? Thank you so much. Ritta

[@KitLaughlin]

Once definitely, and perhaps twice, but not more; you'll get bored with it. In a few months, your feet will be different. Thanks for commenting!

[@RittaTT]

@@KitLaughlin great. Thank you for your reply

[@hanimal3799]

Came back to this video after seven years as I recently got into barefoot climbing and remembered you. Although I have done none of these exercises in about seven years I was able to easily perform the routine without pain, in fact I could fit my whole wrist between my big toe and next toe lol. I guess all the foot stretching and movement required from climbing accomplishes the same thing naturally, I wonder tho if you have any knowledge about how far such an ability can be taken? The more simian I can make my feet the better, thanks.

[@KitLaughlin]

These adaptations can be taken far beyond what we think; give you an example. I used to be a television director at the ABC, and one of the videotape operators in the old days of 2 inch video machines was one of the early Thalidomide babies. He was born without arms. He played the piano with his feet, he could type with his feet, and he was one of the best videotape operators at the channel. No arms. In your case, I am certain that the rockclimbing has helped you adapt in this way. If you don't walk barefoot already, consider this too, and in time add some barefoot sprinting as well. This is what I do, and it's absolutely amazing for for strength, suppleness, and proprioception.

[@hanimal3799]

Kit Laughlin Kit Laughlin that’s very interesting thanks for your insight, I’m trying to work my way slowly into barefooting again, I really started getting into it for climbing because I just couldn’t understand why people would wear shoes when feet are so much better climbing aids, a shoe can’t change shape, your foot can. A foot can grip, a shoe can only balance or smear with friction.That and rock climbing shoes are very unhealthy for your feet, the whole mentality is forcing you into smaller and smaller shoes over time for more feel when they could just take the damn things off and feel everything haha.

[@KitLaughlin]

@@hanimal3799 100% agree-but these days the vast majority of climber's feet are not actually strong enough to climb without shoes. I gave up rock climbing myself in Japan, when I was about 33, because my feet could not bear those pointed toe climbing shoes. And they have to be really tight and small in order to give you the capacity to have a real smear grip, And to jam the toes tight enough together to be able to stand on really small holds. Please keep going climbing barefoot, who knows-in time there may be a whole new category of rock climbing which we might call naked or 'raw' rock climbing.

[@hanimal3799]

Kit Laughlin oh wow so you know the struggle then, with quarantine in effect atm I’ve been climbing trees barefoot, and the difference between shoes and feet is night and day, the feet trump shoes easily. I actually used trees to toughen my feet up, as you can go from climbing smoother to rougher bark as your skin adapts. I don’t know if you are aware but there are a few barefoot climbers. There is a guy in France called Charles Albert who has been crushing boulders up to 9a barefoot. There is also a guy called Vu Nguyen in Thailand or Vietnam who is amazing. The main hurdle really is people with foot phobia.

[@KitLaughlin]

@@hanimal3799 "The main hurdle really is people with foot phobia." There it is! Once I was in a shopping centre (you'd called a mall), wearing my Vibram five fingers, and a middle-aged woman who had never seen me before walked right up to me, into my face, and looked down at my feet and said, "They're hideous!" True story.

[@mehmetuzunyol1487]

Thank You

[@TheKloot03]

Kit, love the channel. Can’t wait to start the routines. I have very high arches and have developed numbness under the metatarsal on both feet. I believe I pronate and the facia is super tight. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated? Thank you.

[@KitLaughlin]

In your case, softening the feet is the solution. Please try the routine as shown above, paying particular attention to parts that do not want to move; when you get to one of these, pause, taking a full breath and as you breathe out let your tummy go soft, and very slowly move a bit deeper into the stretch itself. You will find that your feet will be very resistant to doing this! The only solution is to wait them out. Please report back so that others can benefit, too. Thanks for posting.

[@TheKloot03]

Thanks for the quick response. I will keep you informed of my progress. One more question, would your anti-pronation exercise ( calf raises) be good for me as well? kzbin.info/www/bejne/jpeke5RmrrOfn68

[@KitLaughlin]

@@TheKloot03 Well, your personal combination of high arches and pronation is unusual. Most people have one or the other - but because you have both, then use the softening exercises in the video above to loosen everything, and use the strengthening exercise in the other video to correct the pronation. So the short answer is yes, the other video will be useful to you too.

[@TheKloot03]

Kit Laughlin Thank you for the quick response! Hope this works for me.

[@KitLaughlin]

@@TheKloot03 Please-if it doesn't, let me know. I am just as interested, in fact more interested, in things that don't work, than things that do. If I can help in any way I will.

[@sjoliver66]

This is truly amazing!!

[@KitLaughlin]

The feet are THE forgotten body part, especially in the West. We insulate ourselves from our environment by wearing shoes. IMHO, it is essential to take shoes off, and st least stand on some grass for a moment or two, every day. Not only is this earthing (in the electricity sense), it feels wonderful. And doing this sequence wakes up this neglected part of the body, and simply feels lovely, too.

[@sjoliver66]

@@KitLaughlin After completing this sequence I definitely thought about how shoes are extremely restricting for the feet so thank you for the reminder. I felt so much space in my feet after. I recently discovered how tight my feet and ankles are; never really paid attention. I will continue to follow along with this video. Thank you so much for spreading your knowledge 💚

[@KitLaughlin]

@@sjoliver66 All any teacher needs is curious students! Sincere thanks for commenting.

[@tracygeorge6994]

I’ve had lateral knee pain (left side only) from a lot of hiking. In addition to IT band syndrome, just found out from an MRI I have a sprained LCL and tibial-fibular arthritis (which is quite rare). My left knee and ankle have always been more pronated than my right. Different specialists are telling me different things and it’s getting confusing (adductor vs abductor weakness, ankle vs hip alignment, etc). I found your videos online while searching for these issues. Do you have any thoughts on what I should be doing? I’m 32 and hypermobile, making me quite lax. All I want to do is get back on the trails!!

[@KitLaughlin]

Tracy, please go over to the forums and read the detailed posts there (the first link blue in the description above). All the problems identified in your post can be *caused* by the pronating ankle; in other words, the pronation is most likely the deepest cause, and the problems are the effects. The most important strengthening exercise (that teaches the body how to remake the desired alignment and the strength and proprioception to maintain it) will be found there. In our system, we only stretch the parts that don't want to move, and we strengthen the lax, or weak, parts. The critical exercise is here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jpeke5RmrrOfn68

[@tracygeorge6994]

@@KitLaughlin Thank you!!!

[@KitLaughlin]

@@tracygeorge6994 Please do report back; over-pronation is so common, but is also so poorly treated, unfortunately. Strengthening the intrinsic foot muscles, and the lower leg muscles that form the arch can work wonders. Some barefoot work is recommended, too, and we go into detail on this over on the forums. The forums are free to join, too.

[@glennmcguinness3586]

Thanks Kit for the stretches. Do these movements also apply to supinators? I tend to experience intense pain to the entire left metatarsal during long bicycle rides.

[@KitLaughlin]

Definitely.

[@thatshow880]

If you do have true flat feet is there anything you can do? Does this still help?

[@KitLaughlin]

There is an extensive post on the forums; see here: kitlaughlin.com/forums/index.php?/topic/33-flat-feet-pronation-in-response-to-a-q-from-coach-sommer/ In short, the strengthening exercises in particular can definitely help your feet to function better.

[@antonellamicheli1082]

Dear Kit is this sequence good for bunions?

[@KitLaughlin]

Definitely. Please try and report back; I am sure others will want to know, too.

[@antonellamicheli1082]

@@KitLaughlin Ok..Thanku and how often must we do this sequence?

[@purespeedathletes2813]

How do I know if I have true flat feet, I have had flat feet all my life and I am now 16 and I have been doing strengthening exercises for the past couple of months and it is now easier to get in the arched foot position but as soon as I do sprints I lose it. I play American football so I’m sprinting a lot. I also get pain in my big toe joint every time after I sprint. Is there anyway to resolve this and should I keep trying to get the arch even if I may have true flat feet? Thanks

[@KitLaughlin]

Seb, all babies are born with flat feet-the development of the arch is 100% neuromuscular, and some feet just do not learn this. Now you can. You wrote: "as soon as I do sprints I lose it"-this means only that you are not yet strong enough in various muscles to hold the mechanically efficient shape *under load*. And who said you had "true" flat feet? Please spend some time here: kitlaughlin.com/forums/index.php?/topic/33-flat-feet-pronation-in-response-to-a-q-from-coach-sommer/&tab=comments#comment-76&ct=1593380087 If you join the Forums (free) you can post pictures of your feet there.

[@tomstopper5281]

When I do this stretch and the left leg is over my knee the muscles of the calf tighten like an elastic that has been overstretched . I have sciatica on left leg and hernia L4 L5 . I want to make this leg good again ...

[@KitLaughlin]

Consider that piriformis might be a contributing cause of the sciatica. Search for "piriformis" on this channel, and do please report back with what you find.

[@tomstopper5281]

@@KitLaughlin wow, my pisiform is so tight... I definitely need to work on it.

[@KitLaughlin]

@@tomstopper5281 If you do, it will be "hip tightness liberation city"; I am not kidding. Tight piriformis can have serious negative effects, and it is more common these days because most of us sit for work.

[@tomstopper5281]

@@KitLaughlin I have one question if you feel like giving your opinion. I have low back issues due to herniated disks and degeneration L4/L5 and L5/S1. I’ve been dealing with it for 10 years.. in the last couple of years I developed this tightness and nerve/muscular/joints pain when I do long walks, also when I wake up it takes me at least half hour to be able to walk in some way... I have done all the test to establish if this was arthritis but nothing showed up. I use to get epidural injections to help but stopped two years ago. It has been suggested that the inflammation caused by the hernia on the sciatic nerve and maybe other nerves can cause a general inflammation on the nerves resulting in erratic pain signals. Sunday I went for a long walk and after that I had to take anti inflammatory and go to bed as my legs were burning, muscles were so tight and feet and hands were swallows... I don’t know where to turn and I started to consider having a low back operation. Stretching does help to feel more loose but the low back problem is always there. I want to be able to exercise and work out as I am 53 and I don’t want to get any works in my older age. Any advice would be appreciated.

[@KitLaughlin]

@@tomstopper5281 I cannot offer advice on this kind of problem in a simple forum like this. We have a forum where you can post links to videos and images, and people will offer advice there. The link to the forums is in the top bar of my site, above, and the favourite animal is "cat" (security question).

[@rebeccachambers4701]

I just wanted to point out I was searching for sewing with a sequence foot

[@KitLaughlin]

That made my day!

[@KitLaughlin]

That made my day!

[@mohamedorayith4626]

I don’t understand. Isn’t it better to bare weight on inside of the foot, thus preventing ankle sprains?

[@KitLaughlin]

No. And it is not a matter of only bearing weight one way-under load, the ankle is designed to pronate a little (part of the shock absorbing mechanism) but under control. The point of this exercise is the strengthen both the muscles that create the arch, and the proprioceptive mechanisms that make these muscles work when required. An ankle sprain is usually experienced when wearing shoes (the heel of the shoe effective makes the heel bone longer, in a leverage sense, adding to the length of the calcaneum), and the effect of this is to make the sprain worse. Two potential solutions, if sprains are a problem for you: one, to learn how to walk barefoot, or in minimalist shoes like the Vibram Five Fingers, and two, to increase your eversion flexibility. Last point is that no one sprains their ankles walking barefoot, usually. It's the width and height of the heel of the shoes we wear that does the damage. Thanks for commenting.

[@binayakdangi2414]

How to fix flat feet?

[@KitLaughlin]

Please read the description above, and click on the second link. That will take you to a dedicated post on the Forums on this very topic.

[@Boysoundtechniques]

Beautiful! Master

[@robbanks503]

9:32

[@indriadrayton1132]

6:34 OHHHHH!!!! 😬😬😬

[@KitLaughlin]

Hahahahaha! Yes, it's a bit intense the first time (hence my comments about resentful looks!).

[@indriadrayton1132]

@@KitLaughlin i will give it a shot! I just know my digits'll will sound like Rice Crispies in milk!

[@KitLaughlin]

@@indriadrayton1132 Do it gently the first few times; your feet will feel amazing!

[@ballweevil1590]

9:32

[@ClimateChangeItself]

9:32