Underlying Principles

There are 9 fundamental principles that underpin the Root2Being Philosophy:

1) A significant proportion of the population (estimated between 70% and 85%) is born with some degree of misalignment of one or both of the two largest bones in the feet (Calcaneus and/or Talus). The fixed position of these bones is unique to each foot;

2) Misalignments of the Talus and Calcaneus bones in the foot change the relative position of the forefoot, rearfoot and lower leg of each limb. When fully weightbearing, these positional changes compromise the structural integrity of each foot, and in order to compensate the feet are forced to function abnormally;

3) Abnormal foot function is the primary causative factor in the development of inefficient habits of movement, poor posture, joint wear and tear, repetitive injuries and the development of chronic musculoskeletal pain;

4) The body is a single living organism, and problems affecting the physical part will also affect other parts. Since learning to walk, the feet have been forced to function abnormally, which in turn has meant that the biomechanical function of the rest of the body has slowly adjusted and adapted in order to compensate. These continual adjustments and adaptations are a source of low level chronic (long term) physical stress;

5) Exposure to chronic physical stress since starting to learn to walk increases the risk of developing long-term stress-related health problems that can impact the entire health and wellbeing of the individual. Problems caused or made worse by this source of low-level stress often develop gradually over time and as a result are often not recognised as a problem by the patient. These can include sleep problems, emotional disturbances, mood swings, difficulty concentrating, changes in pain toleration limits, regularly feeling anxious, frustrated, tired, exhausted and stressed, weight gain or loss, nutritional deficiencies, digestive problems, and all-body syndromes like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and M.E.;

6) A full and proper assessment of foot function should be carried out as an integral and essential part of any healthcare consultation/assessment, and should be undertaken by a suitably qualified practitioner (either in-house or referred);

7) The practitioner must have a thorough understanding of the underlying cause of the abnormal foot function, and prescription orthoses should be prescribed to correct the underlying structural misalignment, not simply to support or cushion foot shape features like the height of the arch;

8) Accurate identification and successful control of abnormal foot function with thin, high quality, semi-rigid custom functional orthoses that combine appropriate correction for both rearfoot and forefoot misalignments is the most effective method of achieving optimal foot function;

9) Custom functional orthoses should be used as part of a holistic healthcare plan to help the whole body recover and begin the journey to improved health and wellbeing. This programme should, as a minimum, include developing an awareness and education about:

1) nutrition and food, to help the body heal and mend itself;
2) Choice of shoe styles and how this impacts the biomechanics of the body;
3) Postural awareness and the need work with and re-awaken your proprioception and kinaesthetic sense (e.g., Alexander Technique, wobble boards, fitball exercises)
4) Choice of seating and desks at home and at work. Length of time spent sitting, targets to reducing this time and encouraging all necessary sitting time to be more active for both your body and mind.