Dear Yoga Student,
Did you know that hundreds of people get knee surgery every single day?
Just in the last year, 4 of my close friends had surgery! One was a yoga teacher, another was a runner, and the last two hardly did anything physical at all.
So what’s up with our screwed up knees?
Here’s what’s going on: we wear shoes all day long that support our arches, pad our feet from the earth, and do an amazing job of creating MASSIVE muscular imbalances that make our knees prone to injury.
Let me make it really simple for you:
High Arches = Strong Knees
Flat Feet = Knee Problems
“But what if my feet are naturally flat?” you ask.
Well, then you’ve got to strengthen your arches to protect your knees, and here are some exercises to get you started:
ARCH STRENGTHENING EXERCISE #1: run up stairs or run on a stair-climber. Strong calves muscles create strong Arches; and stairs keep you “on your toes” and build arch strength very quickly.
ARCH STRENGTHENING EXERCISE #2: put a towel on the floor, and using your toes, grab the towel, lift it off the ground, and then drop it. Do this again and again until you feel your foot and calf muscles starting to fatigue.
ARCH STRENGTHENING EXERCISE #3: with your feet hips-width apart, stand up high on your toes, and bend your knees halfway down. Extend your arms parallel to the floor, and hold for 60 seconds (if you’ve ever done a Bikram class, this is part 2 of the Awkward Pose series). After 60 seconds, rest, and then do it 4 more times…
… or you could skip all of the above and move to an island like me where you can wear flip flops and go barefoot all year round:)
Keep practicing,
Lucas
YOGABODY Naturals LLC
p.s. If you’re knees are REALLY a problem, I’d also suggest focusing on the “Writs, Twists, & Ankles” series (day 5) in my YOGABODY Stretching Handbook.
at 6:16 am - 21st September 2009 Permalink
I recieved an email from you some time ago and I thought that I saved it but now no longer can find it. It was about sleeping with toe spacers on the feet, so I got around to buying the spacers but no longer remember what it was good for. Could you please comment?
at 9:00 am - 3rd October 2009 Permalink
El regalo original que, en esta ocasi
at 1:32 am - 8th August 2010 Permalink
I am very concious about my feet because my work requires my feet to be strong and firm. I am fortunate that I have natural high arches but I still do the arch strengthening exercise. Would that be okay?
at 12:24 am - 13th August 2010 Permalink
Now I found out that the arches of my feet would matter. Its funny but I’ll believe you. I have flat feet and I frequently feel pains in my feet when I walk too much. I will try your exercise tips. Thanks!
at 12:25 am - 13th August 2010 Permalink
Now I found out that the arches of my feet would matter. I have flat feet and I frequently feel pains in my feet when I walk too much. I will try your exercise tips. Thanks!