Your Powerhouse & Its Backup Team: Why the Core and Neck Work Together

As the weather cools and we move into the deep stillness of winter, it’s the perfect time to reconnect with the part of your body that keeps you grounded: your powerhouse. In physical therapy, the term “powerhouse” refers to your deep core — the diaphragm, deep abdominals, pelvic floor, and small stabilizing muscles along your spine. Think of it as your internal fireplace. When it’s engaged and working well, it brings warmth, steadiness, and support to everything you do, from walking on icy sidewalks to simply sitting comfortably through holiday gatherings.

Your primary powerhouse does far more than give you strength. It stabilizes your entire trunk, supports efficient breathing, and helps distribute forces through your body in a balanced way. This matters even more during winter, when activities like decorating, shoveling, traveling, or spending long hours sitting can challenge your posture and strain your body. When your core is doing its job, everything else — your back, hips, shoulders, and even your neck — gets to relax and function more naturally.

But here’s something most people don’t realize: your neck acts as a secondary powerhouse. When the deep core isn’t fully supporting you, or when stress and cold weather cause you to hunch or hold tension, the neck often steps in to “help.” This is when those upper cervical muscles begin overworking. The result? Tight shoulders, headaches, neck pain, and that feeling of constantly “holding yourself up” through sheer effort. Your neck is strong and capable — but it’s not meant to be your body’s primary stabilizer. 

I see so many clients with muscle imbalances in their neck from trying to help their body compensate for weakness elsewhere. The "Basic 4" Exercises I teach help to engage the key core muscles in the hips, pelvis and spine, and our neck treatments and individualized Home Exercises help to "put my client's heads back on straight." These exercises go a long way in helping to stabilize the body from head to toe. 

The core and neck are deeply interconnected through posture, breath, and the fascial web that runs throughout your body. When your core activates properly, your neck doesn’t have to grip for stability. When your breathing expands your ribs instead of lifting your shoulders, the neck softens and finds its natural alignment. It’s a team effort: when the powerhouse burns steady and warm, the secondary powerhouse can finally take a well-deserved break.

This winter, try treating your body to more support from the inside out. Simple practices like diaphragmatic breathing, gentle neck mobility, and mindful posture go a long way. And if you’re following along with our December theme, incorporate this month’s three movement practices — the Holiday Hug Core Activation, Snow Angel Dead Bug, and Winter Wood-Chop — to build strength where it matters most. Consider it your seasonal gift to your future self: a body that moves, balances, and breathes with more ease all winter long.

Give Your Body the Gift of Support This Season
If you’ve been feeling neck tension, winter stiffness, or want help reconnecting with your core, I’d love to support you.  Schedule a follow-up session to assess your powerhouse, calm the secondary powerhouse in your neck, and build a plan tailored to your winter movement needs.

👉 Email me at 1212bodyworks@gmail.com to book your appointment or ask any questions. Or, you can schedule directly online now from my website or from this link: Schedule at 1212 Bodyworks

Let’s help your body move with ease, warmth, and confidence this season.

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How Gratitude Supports Physical Recovery

Most people think of physical therapy as a journey of muscles, joints, tendons, and exercises. And it is. But anyone who has navigated recovery from pain or injury also knows this: healing isn’t just physical. It’s emotional. It’s mental. It’s personal. This Gratitude Month, we’re exploring a powerful, science-backed tool that can support your recovery just as much as strengthening or mobility work: gratitude. 

What Gratitude Really Does for the Brain and Body 

I recently listened to a Huberman Lab podcast episode: "The science of a Gratitude Practice and how to cultivate one" that was shared with me and was surprised to learn some of these concepts, so I wanted to share them with you. It's a very "sciency" episode, so I'm breaking it down here. Gratitude isn’t just positive thinking. Neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman explains that gratitude activates specific neural pathways in the brain linked to motivation, connection, and resilience. Research shows that consistent gratitude practice can: 

•  Lower stress and reduce inflammation markers in the body 
•  Shift your mindset from frustration to progress 
•  Increase motivation and follow-through on recovery exercises 
•  Improve emotional resilience during tough phases of healing 
•  Strengthen feelings of connection and hope 

Why Gratitude Matters in Physical Therapy

Recovering from an injury isn’t always linear. There are ups and downs. Some days feel easy and empowering; others feel slow or discouraging. This is where gratitude becomes a recovery tool—not just a mindset trick. Gratitude helps by: 

•  Reducing the brain’s "defensive" stress response that leads to tension and worry 
•  Reinforcing effort and progress by reminding your brain why recovery matters 
•  Improving consistency, which is the #1 predictor of physical therapy outcomes 

 The Most Effective Gratitude Practice (According to Neuroscience) 

 Most of us have heard of gratitude lists like "I’m grateful for my family" or "I’m grateful for my health.” While that’s helpful, Huberman points out that the most powerful form of gratitude involves a story. Research shows gratitude works best when you: Recall a real moment when someone helped you – especially a moment that made a difference. Feel what that help meant to you – let the emotion sink in for 1–3 minutes. Reflect on the impact – how it changed you or supported your journey. This could be a moment from your recovery, or any time in your life—big or small. 

A Simple 3-Minute Gratitude Exercise for Recovery 

Try this after your PT session or home exercises:  

Step 1: Choose your gratitude story. Example: "When I felt stuck and frustrated, my therapist adjusted my exercises and encouraged me. That support helped me believe I could move forward." 

Step 2: Write 2–3 short bullet points 

•  What was happening before the help 
•  The help you received 
•  How it made you feel 

 Step 3: Read and reflect for 1–3 minutes Breathe. Let yourself feel the gratitude. Notice how your body responds. Repeat 3 times per week. 

Why This Works 

This type of practice activates a part of your brain that drives "approach behavior" — motivation, effort, and willingness to engage. That means gratitude doesn’t just make you feel good. It makes you more likely to stay consistent with your recovery. 

 

Try the Gratitude + Recovery Challenge for the next 30 days: Do your gratitude reflection 3x per week.  Pair it with your PT sessions or home exercises.  Notice how your mindset and motivation change over time.  

Final Thoughts 

Recovery is more than repetition — it’s resilience. Gratitude doesn’t ignore challenges; it gives you the emotional fuel to overcome them. Whether you're rebuilding strength, restoring mobility, or getting back to the activities you love, gratitude is a powerful partner in the process. 

Looking for support in your recovery journey? I'm here for you. Simply call or text (414-405-3956) or email me (1212bodyworks@gmail.com) to schedule. 

Stay tuned this month for more recovery mindset tools designed to support your body and your brain. 

Celebrate Independence and Freedom to MOVE and Balance

As Americans, we are truly blessed to have the independence and freedom to be, do, and say what we want. Being free to move around to enjoy all that this country and our world has to offer is a privilege. Being free to MOVE is a privilege in itself. We often take that privilege for granted until something happens to our body that takes away our ability to move around comfortably. Losing our independence and having to ask for help can be a major challenge. 

Imagine the frustration of not being able to bend down and put on your pants, socks, or shoes, or having to avoid stairs due to knee pain. Losing the freedom to reach up into the cabinets for ingredients, dishes, or pots/pans, or reach down into the dishwasher or lower drawers makes it challenging to perform kitchen tasks and prepare meals. Sitting and driving with chronic back, hip, or knee soreness can impede upon comfort during work or rest times, or when taking longer road trips.  A nagging, or sometimes sharp, painful sensation on the bottom of your foot makes standing or walking around uncomfortable. Sometimes these challenges can pop up seemingly overnight and really change the way you move about your day. 

As a Physical Therapist for over 25 years, it has been my privilege to help people regain their independence and restore their freedom of movement when pain and limitations have set in. Even though accidents happen, there are many things we can do to prevent injuries and stay OUT of pain. My book "MAGIC in Motion: Foundations for Functional Fitness" highlights 8 foundations for living a well-balanced life, including guidance on how to "Treat Yourself Well,” maintain your ability to independently perform your daily functional activities, and extend your “health span" throughout your lifespan. 

Have you ever stood sideways next to a mirror and noticed that the reflection of one side doesn't look exactly like you? Humans are relatively symmetrical, from side to side, but not exactly. We have one dominant, more developed side, and because of the asymmetrical sizes and placement of our internal organs, the deep hip flexor muscles (Psoas Major) and connective tissues (fascia) are slightly different from side to side. These asymmetries cause our pelvis to shift slightly forward on the left side, and we bear more weight onto our right side. Add in repetitive movements, stresses, traumas and resulting scar tissue, and bodies are certainly not perfectly balanced. Despite these subtle differences and imbalances, your body works best when you can achieve as symmetrical alignment and range of motion as possible from side to side. 

Having a regular self-care practice to assess your unique alignment, full body movements, and any asymmetries is valuable so you can maintain your pain free functions, or seek help to address any concerns as they arise. The MELT Method is a gentle, self-care system using soft rubber balls to treat your hands and feet, and rubberized foam rollers for larger body parts. These treatments help you reconnect with your internal body sense and awareness, calm and rebalance your nervous system, release stuck stress and tension in your body, and rehydrate your connective tissues. Having these gentle tools at home is helpful to independently address your unique imbalances. 

Balance and stability exercises are in important addition to your self-care and fitness routine. These can include moving through full, pain-free range of motion for each joint (head, neck, shoulders, elbows, wrist and hand, torso, pelvis, hips, knees, ankles and feet) to assess the mobility available, and to notice any difficulties moving into certain positions. Performing exercises for the foot, hip, and core will have a positive impact on balance reactions. Standing on one leg at a time is an important foundation for functional freedom, including walking, dressing, and certain hygiene activities. The whole body has to work together to make that happen efficiently.  Moving your head into various positions, as well as closing one or both of your eyes, will challenge your vestibular system involved with your balance. Building strength and stability through your spinal and scapular (shoulder blade) areas will help you achieve a more balanced posture and be able to stay upright against gravity to perform your daily functional activities. 

Contact me today for your copy of Basic Balance Challenges, whole body exercises to try at home. These activities will enhance your overall stability and reaction time, and maintain your functional freedom and independence. www.1212bodyworks.com Call/text 414-405-3956, Email 1212bodyworks@gmail.com

This blog was written for the Humble Warrior Wellness and Yoga organization's newsletter. This 501C-3 non-profit organization supports and benefits Women Veterans and First Responders. These servicewomen have done so much to help maintain our many freedoms, so the women of Humble Warrior are giving back with wellness offerings, workshops, and retreats. I had the pleasure of teaching a Balance & Stability class, working alongside and serving these fantastic women at the Lake Life Retreat (June 2025) in Valders, WI. To support them yourself or make a donation, click on the link above. Thank You! 

Love the Sun, Protect Your Skin

 

Love the Sun, Protect Your Skin

Sunscreen and Whole Body Health Considerations

Summer is fast approaching and the sunshine will be consistently emitting its rays upon us very soon! According to the Skin Cancer Foundation website, “1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70.” Since skin is the human body’s largest organ, we need to protect it and keep it healthy to allow us to keep moving comfortably and enjoying our everyday activities and daily functions. 

The skin interfaces with the connective tissue, or fascial system, which surrounds every cell, organ, muscle, and joint and holds us all together. As described in my book “MAGIC in Motion,” what we put on the outside of our body gets absorbed by the skin and becomes part of our internal environment. We need to be mindful of when and what we are putting on our skin so that we are protected from the elements when needed, while not adding unnecessary toxins to our body. The "C" in the MAGIC acronym refers to our muscles' ability to "Circulate" Lymphatic fluids. We want to ensure that our body works and moves efficiently from head to toe to pump those waste fluids out of our body.

In an article by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the constituents of a good sunscreen are highlighted. “A good sunscreen should provide equal broad-spectrum protection, against both ultraviolet, or UV, A and B rays. But the SPF value primarily reflects how well a product will protect from UVB rays, the main cause of sunburn and some skin cancers, such as squamous cell carcinoma. Sun protection products originally aimed to reduce sunburn. Today, it’s known that some UV rays, such as UVA, don’t cause sunburn but can lead to health harms. UVA rays, which penetrate the skin more deeply than UVB rays, are associated with skin aging and cancer, such as melanoma.”

To learn more about skin care and sunscreen, I consulted my favorite skin care professional, Nova Zynski, Aesthetician and Owner of “Skin Care by Nova Z” in Brookfield. One of the reasons I love to work with Nova is that part of her treatment process includes a wonderful head, face, neck, upper chest and shoulder lymphatic massage. She is able to really get stagnant fluids moving to de-puff and sculpt your face. Her techniques feel amazing and your skin truly glows! Nova has done a lot of research and is a master of her craft. I asked Nova to share her expertise to help us make sense of how we can best support our body’s health and safety this summer. Here is part of our conversation. 

E: Should we be using sunscreen every day? 

Nova: Not necessarily on a daily basis. If you're just in and out doing a few things, you need to be getting the sunshine on your skin.  Sunglasses are an issue too because people wear sunglasses too much, and to really get your vitamin D, sunlight needs to come through the eyes so the combo is important. Now, if you’re a truck driver and you have the sun on you all day every day that's different. Also, if you're sitting at your desk by a window in front of a computer all day every day, yes you should have sunscreen on, but you also want one that's going to protect you from the blue light. 

E: As an Aesthetician, what are the signs of sun damage that you see the most frequently with your clients? 

Nova: I see dark spots (hyperpigmentation) and light or white spots (hypopigmentation). Excess sun exposure accelerates the natural, gradual process of breaking down of the elastin bands in the skin. Skin becomes more lax faster, and overtime the skin becomes super thin. Also, some people’s skin will get really tough overtime because it's trying to compensate for what's been done to it. Their skin will have a lot more lines, and is sometimes really wrinkly looking, but really tough at the same time. It's not soft, supple skin anymore. 

E: What are some of the things we should be looking for in a good sunscreen?

Nova: Eminence, the Organic Skin Care line that I use with my clients, has a Radiance Protection SPF, which is also a moisturizer, and has botanicals that are good for the skin. This contains niacin-amide which has B complexes that help reduce pore size, help retain moisture levels, and build the moisture barrier. Zinc Oxide is another good ingredient to look for in sunscreen. There are many products available now that are not as thick and chalky as they used to be, and won’t leave the white film on your skin. 

E: Do you have any specific cautions regarding sunscreen? 

Nova: You want to use a “clean” product that doesn’t contain toxic ingredients. We want to steer clear of hormone disrupting chemicals. We also need to be careful of “nano-technologies” where the molecular sizes of certain ingredients are extremely small, and they can pass through the blood brain barrier. Sometimes certain chemicals in sunscreens can actually cause dark spots and do the opposite of protecting your skin. Also, even if a product is labeled “organic,” it could still have a few ingredients that you really don't want in there. It’s a misconception people have that if it says organic, that everything in there is good, but it doesn't necessarily mean that it is.  

I did a little extra research on some of the specific toxic chemicals to avoid in sunscreens. According to an article by Thais Alibadi, MD, “here are 6 questionable common chemical sunscreen ingredients:

• Oxybenzone, known as benzophenone-3, a hormone disruptor

• Avobenzone, also a benzophenone

• Homosalate, another hormone disruptor

• Octinoxate, known as octyl methoxycinnamate, a hormone and endocrine disruptor

• Octocrylene

• Octisalate, which stabilizes avobenzone”

Be sure to read your labels and avoid any of the above ingredients and lean toward using the products that are hydrating and safe for your skin, while protecting your body from excessive sun exposure. Enjoy your summer, but protect your skin and body from harmful rays and unnecessary chemicals. 

To learn more about Nova Zynski and her Skin Care Services, check out her website: 

Skin Care by Nova Z

To purchase your copy of “MAGIC in Motion: Foundations for Functional Fitness,” or purchase a copy for a friend or family member, learn more ways to keep your body healthy, and “treat yourself well” from the outside in and inside out, click HERE. 

To uncover your unique, bio-mechanical blockages that zap your energy and keep you from moving how you used to, or to enhance your whole body's communication and immune boosting circulation, schedule a session today: click HERE, call/text 414-405-3956, or email 1212bodyworks@gmail.com.

I'm Grounded!! (No, I'm not in trouble...)

When I was a kid, being "Grounded" meant something entirely different than what I've learned it to mean now. Being connected to the Earth's healing frequency is "grounding" to the body. The Schumann Resonance, or 7.83 Hz, is the electromagnetic frequency of the Earth that serves as a "ground" force. By being connected to this frequency, our body's voltage will decrease, bringing us back into a more balanced, regulated state where rest, relaxation, and healing is possible. The higher our body's voltage, the more likely we are to be sick or sore, so lowering our voltage is an important wellness consideration. 

Proven Benefits of Grounding:

• Reduced Inflammation
• More restful sleep
• Reductions in Chronic pain
• Improved blood flow
• Reduced stress/anxiety
• Reduced EMF interference
• Normalized Cortisol Rhythms
• Increased energy 
• Improved mood
• Decreased Muscle Tension
• Reduction in PMS symptoms
• Reduced Headaches
• Speeds up Wound Healing
• Slows free radical damage associated with skin aging
• Reduced Muscle soreness
• Alleviation of arthritic symptoms
• Stabilized blood pressure
• Less wakefulness during sleep
• Reduced time to fall asleep
• Enhanced digestion and metabolic function
• Reduction of facial puffiness
• Enhanced nutrient absorption
• Balanced Hormonal Rhythms
• Improved Cardiovascular health
• Improved HRV (Heart Rate Variability)
• Enhanced Detoxification processes
• Balances Bone Calcium metabolism

The best way to connect with this beautiful, healing frequency is to go outside barefoot and walk or sit on the grass. Swimming in a lake, river, or ocean is another way. Walking along a sandy beach is yet another option. Living in Wisconsin and working indoors, most of us don't have the luxury to do these activities often, so luckily there are some products available to help us receive this healing frequency other ways. 

We purchased fitted bed sheets from Grounding Official (Enter coupon code 1212BW to receive a 15% discount) for our bed, and I have never slept better! My sleep quality had been spotty over the years, especially as I venture into peri-menopause, and since sleeping on these, it has become much more consistently solid. Thank goodness!! With the purchase of our King size fitted bed sheets, they offered a special deal on the non-fitted sheet, so I went ahead and purchased it for our son's bed. That one is not convenient since it doesn't have fitted corners, but is just a strip that goes across the bed. It doesn't stay in place well, so I wouldn't recommend those products, personally. Now, I just need to buy some pillow cases and we'll be all set! 

I bought some grounding mats also, to go underneath our desks. These came from a different company called Grounding Well. (Enter coupon code GW20 to receive a 20% discount). When we first opened the packaging, there was a very strong odor, but we out-gassed them in the garage for a few days and they're fine now. I now have some in my office, one underneath my desk, and one for you to enjoy during your treatment sessions. I'm excited to see how you like it!  

With both the sheets and the mats, there is a wire that snaps onto the product, then is inserted into the ground part of the outlet (the small hole at the bottom of the 3 openings). It is really simple. The sheets came with a tester for the outlet to make sure that is indeed grounded. 

For book lovers, the "Earthing" book by Clint Ober, one of the leading researchers involved in the Grounding movement, is a wonderful resource where I really took a deep dive into learning more about Grounding before investing in some of the products above. The Earthing website offers many more other products. You can also watch a documentary movie about Grounding from this website, or on YouTube. 

So far, I can honestly say that by simply sleeping on the grounding sheets, my sleep quality has improved greatly! I can fall asleep much faster, sleep more soundly, I awaken much less frequently, and am able to resume sleeping if I do wake up in the night. I love having the mat under my desk in my office so I can enjoy the benefits while I'm sitting, which I don't do very often. Since the weather allows it these days, my favorite way to ground is still to go outside and lay down, stand, or walk on the grass. 

Looking forward to spreading the word about this natural healing treatment that is easy to implement, especially now in the late spring, early summer, and hearing about how you and others benefit from this on your wellness journey. Now, I'm heading outside to stand in the yard. 

Spring Cleaning: Body Edition

After a long cold winter, most of our bodies are ready for some more sunshine to kiss our skin, and more movement and time spent outside, breathing in fresh air. Before you hit the ground running with your Spring activities, consider these "Top 4 Tips for Spring Cleaning your Body" to prepare for this season of renewal. 

1) Water your Internal Garden! 

Hydration is key when increasing your activity level and being outside for longer durations. Not only do we need H2O for all of our cellular processing, but our gut health depends on it for helping to flush out all the toxins from our system. Using a re-usable water bottle is helpful way to transport your water where ever you go. Personally, I use a glass or non-BPA plastic bottle daily and try to keep track of how many times I have filled it up to be sure I am getting the proper amount of hydration in a day. If you need a little flavor to keep you motivated, throw in a slice of lemon, cucumber (or both), or other fruit to liven up your hydration experience. 

2) Walk before you Run!! 

Some of you may be ambitiously planning to participate in a 5K or other type of actual race this year. For others, tackling house cleaning projects or yard work may SEEM as daunting as running a marathon! Regardless of your activities, be sure to actively warm your body up before heading into more strenuous movements. If you are following a "Couch to 5K" program, or working with a coach to train for your races, good for you!! Listen to your body and take breaks as needed as it is much easier to steadily increase the demands on your body than to pick up the pieces after "over-training" injuries may occur! For those of you tackling the home/yard projects, most of them are done in front of the body or "flexed" positions. To counteract all of the sorting, lifting, scrubbing, raking, planting, and pulling positions, be sure to include some Extension activities in your routine: Stand up straight, reaching your leg back behind your body (one leg at a time). Reach your arms all the way up overhead to open your chest and shoulders. These will help to reduce tightness and soreness from the forward flexed postures that are required for your Spring Cleaning tasks. 

3) Wring out your Waists & Wastes!!

Many of you know that our muscles MOVE our bodies from place to place. Did you know that our muscles are also responsible for pumping our Lymphatic Fluids out of the body? The lymphatics are the waste removal system of the body. They rely on the pressure from muscle contractions to serve as pumps for the flow of the waste materials out of the body. Regular movement is required to keep our "pipes" clean. Even more reason to get back in for a session to make sure that ALL of your muscles are functioning efficiently!  Some other ways you can help the lymphatic flow are by dry brushing your skin, or bouncing on a trampoline (also known as rebounding). Since many of our lymph ducts are in our armpits, abdomen and groin, marching in place and bringing your opposite elbow toward your knee will allow your core muscles to massage your internal organs and flush those major lymphatic ducts.  Ask me at your next session to teach you my favorite Lymph blaster, "The Jiggle" as that one is easier to teach (and funnier to watch) in person. Hee hee! :) 

4) "Treat Yourself Well" (TYW) Exercise

My favorite new movement routine is a simple way to open your heart, allow the divine energy to flow into your body and energy centers, and shine that positive light and energy out to our planet as you share your unique gifts with the world.  This activity also helps to undo all of the stuck stress related to excessive forward flexion activities and postures. I've shared this before but it is so worth repeating, and it's so easy to remember and perform no matter where you are: at home, on vacation, at the office, wherever!!  

How to perform the TYW exercise: 

T: Spread your arms out to the sides to make your body look like a letter "T". Feel the opening of your chest as you squeeze your shoulder blades behind you. Spread your fingers wide and reach them back behind your body as you reach them away from the center of your body to feel the elongation throughout your entire arms, chest and torso. Take a few breaths in that position. 

Y: Reach your arms up and out with your thumbs facing backward, as if your body is forming a letter "Y". Feel the chest open again as you drop your shoulders down away from your ears and reach your arms up to the corners of the room. Extend your fingers again to feel the elongation through your entire arm and hand. Take a few breaths in that position. 

W: Bend your elbows with your arms open to each side, as if forming a letter "W" with your upper body. Your shoulders will be externally rotated and your chest is open again. Rotate your forearms so your pinky fingers are facing behind your body and thumbs point toward the front of your body to feel the elongation through your entire arm again. Take a few breaths in this position. 

This sequence can be performed many times per day. Try it while seated, standing, lying on your back, or for a more challenging position, lie on your stomach over an exercise ball or at the edge of your bed. Be sure to stay within your pain-free ranges of motion. Enjoy!! 

Looking forward to helping you MOVE into Spring and beyond!

Keep Moving Well!

Footprints in the Snow

The sun shining on the fluffy, white, snow-covered branches casts a sparkle outside my office windows and reminds me of the beauty present during our southeastern Wisconsin winters. But the COLD... that's something else entirely!! It makes me realize why my parents are snow-birds. These harsh temperatures make it difficult to get outside and connect with nature and take in the grounding, Earth energy beneath our feet. Heck, its even hard to walk from my car through the parking lot and into the building some days!! There is something fun about seeing the footprints in the snow as humans and animals make their way around despite the sub-zero temperatures. Seeing some footprints today gave me an idea that I thought would be fun to share with you! 

This winter, as you nestle inside, take some time to treat yourself well starting with your feet. Your feet are such amazing structures, providing the foundation on which all other parts of your body rely for your balance and stability. Part of living a well-balanced life is to have feet that feel and move well to help you stand, walk, and balance as you move around throughout your day. Whether you have foot pain, bunions, arthritic joints, are still recovering from a sprain or surgery, or want to prevent any of the aforementioned issues from joining your body's party, this post is for you. Because it is too cold here in the Midwest to do this activity outside, unless you're really brave like the person who walked in the picture below, let's get you set up to do a fun self assessment and easy foot treatment right in the comfort of your own home.

Footprint Self-Assessment

What you'll need:  A piece of paper (preferably a colored paper) and a pen

Instructions: After a shower, bath, or Epsom Salt Foot Soak, before you towel off the bottoms of your feet, place your piece of paper on the floor and step on it, one foot at a time so you don't slip. Be sure to hold onto the wall or bathroom counter for support. Place the piece of paper on the counter and use the pen to draw lines around the wet marks, so you can better visualize the outline of your footprints. 

As you look at your footprints, what do you notice? Circle A or B

1. Do you see that all 5 of your toes have left a mark on the paper? (A) Yes (B) No

2. Is your arch lifted off of the paper (A) or is it flat on the paper (B)? 

3. Do your footprints look the same (A) or different (B)?

If you circled B for any of the above, your feet could use some self treatment. Here is an easy one below to get started. If you need more help, I'm happy to see you for even more specific treatment ideas. 

Foot Self-Treatment

Toe Spread and Curl Exercise

Seated: While seated with your knees straight and heels propped on the floor, spread your toes apart from one another creating space between them as you pull them back toward your shin. Hold apart for 5 seconds. Now squeeze your toes as if you are a bird on a wire and point your feet down toward the floor. Hold the curl for 5 seconds. Repeat 3 times with knees straight. 

Now bend your knees and spread and curl your toes again. Hold each position for 5 seconds, repeat 3 times. As you curl your toes and point your feet, your heels will rise up off of the floor. 

Standing: If your balance allows, try this activity while standing. You may want to have a chair back, counter or wall nearby to use for balance if needed. 

This exercise is a great way to get your feet, ankles and lower legs energized; as you improve the function of your toes you will build arch support from within. If you can commit to doing this self treatment 3 times/week until sandal season, your footprints will look much more ideal and your whole body will thank you! 

Looking forward to helping you learn more ways to treat yourself well in 2024!