What are the intrinsic foot muscles?
These are small muscles within the foot. They do not provide large movements, but instead, they act as stabilizers and also play a sensory role in our feet. They are often compared to trunk stabilizing muscles such as the deep abdominals and have been nicknamed the “foot core”. They are speculated to play an important role in foot stability and function, which may extend to overall posture, alignment, balance, and functional mobility.
Why are the intrinsic foot muscles so important?
Research has found that weak intrinsic foot muscles can lead to common foot and toe deformities such as over pronation, hammer toes, or bunions, and can even lead to poor balance and falls.
The intrinsic foot muscles provide sensory input and stability in the foot so that larger muscles, such as those in the calf, can perform effective functional movements like walking. Proper foot alignment and strength is crucial to align the rest of the body all the way up to the neck and head. In addition, the sensory input provided by the feet helps us to balance and adjust to changing surfaces or changes in body position.
Just as with any muscle—if you don’t use it, you lose it! These muscles don’t automatically work and become strong—you need to specifically train them to improve or maintain your foot strength and alignment. Our research is exploring the most effective ways to train these muscles.
