For six weeks, she led them in a foot Yoga class.? They stripped away shoes and socks.? They stuck their fingers between their toes to stretch out their feet.? They sat in chairs and rolled tennis balls underneath their feet for a deep massage.? They practiced Child?s Pose with the tops of their feet pressed flat to the floor, and then they switched it up by pulling their toes underneath their feet to get a good stretch.? They walked on mats inlaid with stones so their foot muscles would remember what it?s like to work with the ground instead of just plopping along.? They gently exercised their stomach and back muscles to regain core strength.
An amazing thing happened.? These women began to walk without their walkers.? Their feet became stronger.? Their foot muscles remembered how to navigate different surfaces.? That strength and skill translated to the rest of their body, and they didn?t need walkers.
Then, an even more amazing thing happened.? By the end of the six weeks, those confident women had the guts to walk a balance beam set six inches off the ground ? without falling.? True!? Any balance they lost from their inner-ear stiffening with age, they regained from re-educating their feet.
I tell this story to relate the important role our feet play in our overall health.? Even if we?re not as active as we once were, it still pays to love our feet.? What better way to love our feet than to buy quality, fitting shoes?
Recently, I was fortunate enough to pay a visit to the Runner?s Edge in Missoula.? Owned by Anders Brooker (who happens to be one of my most favoritist cousins), the Runner?s Edge is the place to go in Missoula if you want quality athletic shoes.? I?d like to pass along some shoe-buying tips I got from Anders and his team?
1.????? ?Minimalist? shoes are all the rage now.? You might recognize the ?5 Fingers? brand that looks more like someone dipped their foot in rubber and let it dry to mold to the shape of their toes.? Advocates of minimalist footwear like this style because they feel their stride is more natural and less inhibited by the structure of the shoe.? That?s true, but most people can?t instantly switch from a regular shoe to a 5 Fingers.? That?s because our feet are weak.? They?ve been in shoes most of their life.? The more structure we use to support our feet when we walk, the less our foot muscles have to work.? Therefore, the foot muscles become weak if we spend all of our time in shoes.? To move into a minimalist shoe, your feet muscles have to be developed.? Thankfully, you can pick shoes that have less stability built-in; a middle-of-the-road option.? Then, through time, you can graduate to a minimalist shoe if you so desire.
2.????? Here?s a hot tip from Anders:? the insole doesn?t matter as much as you might think.? Often times, when I?ve been to other shoe stores, the clerk will pull out a shoe?s flimsy insole and say, ?See, this is nothing.? It offers no support; no cushion.? You need to buy these? (The clerk points to a display rack of high-priced insoles.)? Not so.? Beyond the initial comfort, the shoe company created their insole for only one reason:? to protect your foot from the seams in the shoe.? The manufacturer spends most of its technology and money in the structure of the shoe:? the built-in stability, the shape of the toe-box, the width of the upper.? Although, you may want to buy a special insole to work around foot abnormalities or injuries (I recommend www.footsmart.com), but be forewarned that the insole that comes with the shoe is not going to worsen the shoe?s performance.
3.????? So how much do I need to spend to get a decent shoe, and how much is too much?? According to Anders, there?s a big difference in shoe quality from the $80 range to the $100 range.? It?s worth saving up that extra $20 to get a higher quality product.? But, beyond that, in the $120, $150, $175 range, you?re paying for bells and whistles.
4.????? When is the best time to buy shoes?? Consider this:? when you?re active, blood rushes through your body to fuel the muscles doing the work.? It?s no different for your feet.? After a long walk or run, your foot swells from all that blood.? This is not the time for a shoe to be tight or rub the wrong way and cause blisters.? Therefore, the best time to try on athletic shoes is just after a good workout.? Visit the shoe shop when your foot is good and swelled.? And, when you sample shoes, don?t be afraid of a little extra room.? That way, you?re guaranteed to get a fit that matches the shape of your foot while you?re active.
5.????? Most important: ?be a ?princess? when you try on shoes.? Give yourself permission to sample as many pairs as you need to feel 100% satisfied with your choice.? Any quality shoe salesman/woman will let you take the shoes for a test walk around the block.? Like the ?Princess and the Pea,? pay attention to those little nudges of discomfort that tell you something isn?t quite perfect.? Try on a different model.? And don?t be afraid to try on a size different from your typical shoe size.? Ladies, we?ve all learned this about jeans.? Different manufacturers make different size 8?s, don?t they?? Well, the same goes for shoes.? On my last shopping adventure, I chose a men?s size 10 Brooks shoe.? But, it fits perfect.? So, I?m good with that.
6.????? Lastly, who among us hasn?t worried about safety from time to time?? When you?re on a long walk, hike, or run, what if something happened and you became unconscious?? Most of us don?t carry any identification with us.? How would any bystanders know who to call?? 
Now you?re a safe ?princess? with perfectly-fitting shoes that didn?t rip you off.? Thanks, Anders!?
Shelby is on her most revealing and thrilling adventure yet:? to find out what it?s like to lose 100 pounds in 1 year.? She began on Thanksgiving 2011.??? Will she make it?? Find out by joining Shelby on this journey, not only of the body, but of the soul and mind.? Shelby lives in Missoula, Montana where she works out at The Women?s Club Health and Fitness Center.? She also writes a blog about what it means to be true to ourselves at RadicallyAuthentic.wordpress.com.
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