Sprains, or how to keep your Ankles from getting Snapped like dry branches

There is one thing you might not know about sprains and it is related to your toes.

You see, my friend Sergio's daughter plays football. She is quite good at it and the best thing is that she loves it.

She's been injured for a few weeks with a sprain. In football they are very typical. A step on the foot or a sudden unexpected turn are the main causes.

But in the street, where there is no stepping or sharp turns, why do sprains happen?

There is one thing you may not know, and it has to do with the toes being clenched.

When you step barefoot, your toes spread out, to cushion and to increase the contact surface.

But.

If your toes can't open because your narrow footwear prevents it, you have a problem.

You have a rocking foot.

That is to say, when you walk, you walk with a back-and-forth rocking motion. First you land on your heel and then your toes, without taking advantage of all the surface area they give you.

And so, with this rocking foot, it is easier for you to stumble and sprain your ankles, as the contact surface is greatly reduced.

The opposite of this:

Wide shoe > toes that spread out > more contact surface > more stability > less lateral twisting > less chance of spraining.

That is reason enough for you to spend time barefoot.

At home of course.

Since there are no syringes.

No dog poo.

No pieces of glass.

And no cold in the Falkes.

No excuses.

And on the street with minimalist shoes, just in case you come across any of those things.

With these shoes, the minimalist/barefoot ones, your toes will be able to spread out without anything stopping them.

And something else that I've commented some times.

As your foot is very close to the ground, since the sole is usually only a few millimetres thick, the lateral turns when walking are very small, so the risk of suffering sprains is also minimised.

At 4-5 cm from the ground, the foot can turn laterally a lot and with more turns there is more chance of twisting.

A shoe that doesn't squeeze your toes and keeps your foot close to the ground is the Vivobarefoot Primus III:

Vivobarefoot Primus Lite III. With these you can go shopping in jeans or lift weights in the gym.

An all-rounder that is a must-have in any wardrobe.

• For women
• For men
• For kids

As you know.

Health starts with your feet.

Antonio Caballo.


Pd. When my friend Sergio told me about his daughter's sprain, I didn't hesitate to recommend the Pielaster for her recovery: Spinning, balance, proprioception and lots of fun.