Foot Folly

I recently heard that anyone born in the month of March is doomed to have bad feet. Now this old wives tale that I have never heard before couldn't possibly have any weight to it, but I decided to do my due diligence and hit the research circuit. 

Consider my mind blown!

Now I can't sit here and tell you that there is a scientifically significant cause and effect, but there does seem to be a  correlation between birth month and foot dysfunction. 

Let me take you to a time before the rise of the concrete jungle. A time before civilization and societal convention interfered with normal human development, and yes foot and gait development. Allow me to introduce to the Tarahumara. This group of people lives today as we all did hundreds of years ago. And they are amazing long distance runners!

They run barefoot through the desert better than our best athletes who have the most advanced shoes and running surfaces man can build. So why is that? Because what man can build is still several thousand years of evolution behind the beautiful design we already have in our feet and ankles.

Just take a moment to appreciate the intricate alignment of bone, the positioning of connective tissue, the strength and pull of muscle. All this complex development was not designed to be shoved into a shoe and turned into a immobile blob. Please tell me you are starting to get the picture. We were designed to use this beautiful foot to walk on sand,grass, and dirt making minor shifts in the muscles keeping them strong and balanced. We no longer do this, and it is a huge reason so many people get foot problems, but why do people born in march have worse feet than the rest of us?

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This happy fella on the left was born in September, so approximately 9 months later when he takes his first steps in the summer they can be unimpeded by shoes. This poor child on the right was born in March. And as the old wives tale goes, she is doomed to have bad feet. Not because of some supernatural curse, but because her first steps will be in some cute, but very damaging mini UGG boots sloshing through snow. The foot does not develop strong and is thus susceptible to malformations such as fallen arches, hammer toes, bunions and the like. Sorry March babies, if you are old enough to read this, it's too late for you. But if your little one is getting ready to walk this winter, make sure they get plenty of barefoot time inside.

For the adult with bad feet. Get adjusted, get orthotics, do targeted exercises to strengthen and balance your feet. It may not be too late after all.