261 | Improving Our Foot's Natural Ability with Podiatrist, Andy Bryant

Do you wear orthotics? Andy Bryant, a podiatrist, shares his expertise on foot health and what it means to get the foot to move more naturally. As he shifted from principles of traditional podiatry to functional podiatry, he provides insight into the changes the has made to his advice and how chronic dependence on orthotics is leading to less function in the foot. Furthermore, he briefly describes his process of transitioning out of orthotics. He dives into conventional shoes and how they affect posture and long-term foot structure. Could the conventional she be the cause of the increased prevalence of foot pathologies? Andy share is perspective, how the addresses bunions, the benefits of foot-ground contact on stability, and how to enhance foot function! From casual to beachwear, to snow boots, they have got you covered with a zero drop profile, thin platform, and flexible shoes that allow the feet to move, feel the ground, and operate the way they should. A study suggested a 60% increase in foot strength! What does that mean? Less compensation, more foot resilience, stronger balance and more tolerance capacity! Grab your VivoBarefoot Shoes using the code 'TOB' to get 15% off (affiliate link)! **Vivo offers a 100-Day trial period. If you are not completely satisfied, you can send the shoes back and get a refund. What You Will Learn In This Interview with About Andy Bryant: 4:57 - From traditional to functional podiatrist- what would he not recommend now 6:15 - Why can orthotics be detrimental long term? 8:04 - how to transfer out of orthotics 11:29 - how does a heel lift affect the structure of the foot-ankle complex? 15:00 - How does the conventional shoe affect the structure of our body 18:47 - How toe spread affects running performance? 22:09 - What happens when you can’t move your toes? 25:10 - Could the conventional shoe be linked to increased prevalence of foot pathologies? 30:34 - Environmental influences on foot pathologies 32:08 - Addressing bunions that run in the family 38:19 - Regaining natural function progressively 38:54 - Does everyone need to change their shoes? 43:04 - How foot- ground contact affects balance? 48:19 - Big toe & stability 49:57 - Learn more with Andy Items Mentioned: Andy Bryant To learn more about Kute and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://www.docjenfit.com/podcast/episode260/ Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Optimal Body Podcast. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute to subscribe and leave a quick rating and review of the show! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tobpodcast/message