The TRUTH About Arch Support

Why you need to stop over using arch support. Collab with @thebarefootsprinter. Get my book on fixing injury here: https://amzn.to/3djgTpg Get my book 'The Squat Bible' here: https://amzn.to/3qIcFun Get olympic weightlifting programming (part 1): https://marketplace.trainheroic.com/workout-plan/program/vaughn-program-1626381817?attrib=547878-aff-squatu Get olympic weightlifting programming (part 2): https://marketplace.trainheroic.com/workout-plan/program/vaughn-program-1627319357?attrib=547878-aff-squatu It is common for many in the medical community to recommend an orthotic for those dealing with foot pain under the assumption that they need to support the foot. Unfortunately, this approach does not address the root cause of the problem. More often than not, it is the shoe that is at fault. But for a moment, let’s discuss the idea behind arch support. Podiatrist Dr. Ray McClanahan explains that the misconception stems from our poor understanding of how arches truly function. Ask yourself this question, “What is the weakest point of a bridge?” The answer depends on the architecture or design. For example, if the bridge you envisioned was an elevated flat road between two pieces of land, the middle portion that is unsupported would be the weakest. An arched bridge on the other hand uses a curved structure to distribute the weight from the center outwards towards either end. Rather than have a single weak point, the entire structure works together to hold itself up. For this reason, the arch bridge is far stronger than the traditional “beam” or straight bridge and why your feet are designed with an arch of their own! This ingenious design allows our body to efficiently support a ton of load (whether we’re carrying a backpack, pushing a sled, or trying to squat 800 pounds) An engineer will tell you that the strength of an arch depends on the support structures on either end of the curve. So, if you want an arch to remain in place (whether that arch is supporting a bridge, the historical roman aqueducts or the famous St. Louis Gateway Arch) you focus on the ends. Simple physics. If we apply this same logic to our feet, it would make sense to support the ends of our arch (the heel and forefoot joints) in order to strengthen and enhance its capacity/function. However, this is not at all what traditional orthotics are designed to do. Rather they attempt to prop up our arch by lifting from the middle. Now this isn’t to say that current “arch supports” (like the Dr. Scholl’s inserts you can find at most drug stores) aren’t helpful at all. There are some that do get a small amount of pain relief from their use. However, we must understand they should only be a temporary intervention. Think about it like this, you wouldn’t wear a cast for a broken bone in your hand forever. Of course not! After a short time of wearing it, the muscles of the arm would begin to atrophy. The same goes for how orthotics affect your foot. Long term use of these “supports” do nothing to treat the cause of many foot problems. Doing so will only lead your foot muscles to atrophy and lose strength over time. If traditional “arch supports” are not a real solution for most foot issues, let’s talk about what is. The idea of reinforcing the ends of the arch to increase its overall strength is based on the assumption that the ends of the curve are on even terrain. However, most current footwear do not hold the foot in this manner (the heel and toes are often both elevated from the ground). Therefore, the only way to establish true “arch support” is to ditch modern shoes and return the foot to its natural position with the heel and toes completely flat on the ground (this means wearing a shoe with a heel-toe drop of zero). In doing so the heel and “ball of the foot” along with the toes will be in a position to provide authentic support for the arch as they were designed. Research: Protopapas K, Perry SD. The effect of a 12-week custom foot orthotic intervention on muscle size and muscle activity of the intrinsic foot muscle of young adults during gait termination. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). 2020 Aug;78:105063. ______________________ Show Sponsors - TYR: https://www.tyr.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjw9qiTBhBbEiwAp-GE0X36o9zUVvc3KzlVGS3U56jnaPczKJzr90V1IxGnfYIheIaZjn1zDxoCm_4QAvD_BwE - Bandbell: Check out their amazing bars here: https://www.bandbell.com/?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=squatu ______________________ Music by Mark Generous - What The - https://thmatc.co/?l=7C7EB50C