Back Care Basics by Mary Pullig Schatz

Author:Mary Pullig Schatz
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shambhala

Foot Tips for the Standing Poses

The careful placement of the feet and activation of the leg muscles in the standing poses offers an excellent opportunity for correcting foot and knee misalignment. Before beginning, practice basic standing awareness. Standing with your feet parallel, see if you can center your weight so that it is neither on the right foot nor the left foot, neither forward on the toes nor back on the heels, but centered equally just in front of the ankle on each foot.

If your toe knuckles are white when you practice the standing poses or if your toes are stuck in a claw or hammer shape, you must continuously tell them to let go. Distributing the weight evenly on the sole of the foot makes it easier not to grip with the toes. If you can’t relax your toes, try to lift them off the floor without lifting the ball of the foot.

While practicing the standing poses, make sure the muscles of your legs are properly activated so your knees are straight but not locked. To remind yourself how to activate the legs, practice Mountain Pose (Chapter 6).

For Flat Feet. If your feet tend to be flat, resist this tendency by actively lifting the inner ankle bones, so your weight shifts more to the outside of your feet. As you do this, don’t allow the base of your big toe to leave the floor. Notice that when you allow your feet to collapse into their habitual flat-footed position, your knees point inward. Notice, too, that when your feet are properly aligned, your knees also assume a more balanced alignment.

For High Arches. If your feet have high arches, and you tend to bear most of your weight on the outsides of your feet, resist this tendency. Press firmly down through your heels and the base of each big toe. Notice how this action affects knee alignment: Instead of pointing outward, the knees come into a more stable alignment facing forward directly over the center of the feet.

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