My wife looked over my shoulder while I was reviewing the below video. She asked, “What are you doing with your smelly feet in the video?” I said, “Showing people how smelly feet can help with knee pain!”
Enjoy.
~ Rick
I wanted to answer a customer question, and I think it would benefit you.
Will Shoe Insoles Help the Tripod of My Foot?
The question is from Robert G., and it concerns the Tripod on foot. He said:
“I am currently doing your “Fix My Knee Pain” program. And I am trying to concentrate on the tripods of the feet when I walk. I noticed I naturally land on the inward part predominantly. Should I get store-bought inserts to force my feet and ankles into the correct position?”
Robert, the quick answer is that I would not recommend going to the store and getting store-bought or over-the-counter insoles for your feet.
What I would recommend is to work on trying to reeducate your body, your feet, and your lower body. To be in that Tripod of the foot so that your lower body ends up in better alignment. It helps to decrease the stress on your joints. Specifically, the knee allows you to build stability in that correct and good position.
Now, if you are not too sure what that Tripod of the foot is, it ends up being 3 points on your foot.
I am looking at the 3 points on the foot that I want to work on. And that’s where the foot is ideally in the best position. Or the most stable position to create the best alignment for your lower body.
I am looking at balancing on the 1st Metatarsal Phalangeal Joint, the 5th Metatarsal Phalangeal Joint, and the Calcaneus or the Heel. If I look at them, they have this triangle form.
What often happens with a lot of people are two things.
Toed Out
First, they will end up being Toed Out. That toeing out affects the alignment of that lower body, increasing the risk of putting more stress on the knees.
Flattening of the Feet
The second is the Flattening of the feet.
That toeing out and that Flattening takes us out of that ideal Tripod of the foot.
Touch Out
I move the feet more, not perfectly straight ahead, a Touch Out, but I am working on trying to be on those 3 points of the foot. Ideally, you have to take your shoes and socks off. And try to get that right connection of being on those 3 points on your feet.
This ends up being a great time. I know here in Vancouver it’s summertime, so the weather is good and nice. So it’s easier to take your shoes and socks off and have your feet better connect with the ground to provide a nice and stable platform that the Tripod of your foot provides for the rest of your legs and lower body.
Longitudinal of the Foot
Work on getting that Tripod of the foot standing in that Tripod of the foot. Another thing that might end up helping. The collapsing of the foot ends up being a lengthening of the longitudinal arch in the foot.
I can get into that position and slightly shorten up that longitudinal arch. And try to get into that Tripod of the foot. Now I will feel the Tripod a lot better if I am on a flat surface. This is a carpeted surface, so I don’t feel it because there is cushioning in the carpet. But on a harder surface, I can feel that a lot better.
The next thing to do is to shorten that arch a little bit to get more in that Tripod of the foot; I’ve moved my feet if I am toeing out to being more not perfectly straight ahead, a touch out, being on that Tripod of the foot.
And then the other thing is lightly externally rotating that tibia or lower leg and externally rotating the thigh or the femur. That will move me more out of this collapsed position on that Tripod of the foot.
Test Things Out
What I will get you to do is test out how it ends up feeling, or go squatting and see how your squat looks when it comes to how much you can lift with your feet flat and going into a squatting position and seeing how it feels and what you can lift, and then move into a good position where you get a good tripod of the foot.
Remember, I’ve shortened up that arch just a touch. I’ve externally rotated the shin and the lower body a little bit. Then I end up going into that squat and seeing how much more powerful you are with the nice stable foot, good alignment with the knees and hips, and seeing what the difference ends up being.
It’s a lot easier having a nice stable foot doing that squat movement than the toe out and flat foot and having the Tripod lost.
Wrap Up
There you go, Robert. A little bit of a long answer, as you mentioned something that I end up highlighting in the Fix My Knee Pain program because when people lack that Tripod in that foot, it puts unnecessary stress on that knee.
And just looking at my other Fix My Knee Pain and Fix My Shoulder Pain and the upcoming Fix My Back Pain programs, you will have to reshape that joint from the outside and inside to change that joint from a painful joint to a pain-free joint.
And within the knee, getting that Tripod and working on that Tripod is a key thing to changing that joint from a painful joint into a pain-free joint.
If you or one of your friends or family members, or colleagues is having knee pain, you can refer them to this video, and they can look and check the Tripod of their foot and see if that will decrease the stress on the knee and get them on the right path to pain-free knees.
If you are looking for something to help you with your knee pain, check out Knee Pain Solved:
Take care and bye-bye.
Rick Kaselj, MS.
