The Science
The critical foot-brain connection.
Delving into the Mechanics of Foot Function and Gait.
Born out of personal necessity, our research and design journey stemmed from shared experiences with debilitating athletic injuries, persistent foot-related issues, and countless hours in rehabilitative therapy.
Our challenges revealed a common thread: many of our lower extremity problems stemmed from flawed foot mechanics.
Approaching this from an athlete's perspective of performance optimization, we sought to understand the ideal mechanics and devise ways to train and achieve them.
Over three and a half decades, esteemed medical professionals and sports training experts have scrutinized our research and products.
The essence of our combined endeavors and their endorsements can be found in the details that follow.
Fundamentals of Human Physiology
The science of how the human body works.
It helps us understand what happens in a healthy body on a daily basis and what goes wrong when problems occur.
Our Body's Incredible Capacity for Change.
Our bodies possess an innate ability to adjust and transform.
This adaptability is orchestrated by various fundamental laws and principles of Physiology:
- Davis's Law – It underscores the adaptability of soft tissues based on external forces and experiences
- Wolff's Law and Mechanostat Model – These illuminate the pathways through which bones adjust and reform themselves based on stresses and strains placed upon them.
- Neuroplasticity – A testament to the nervous system's versatility, it denotes the continual remolding and adaptation of neural pathways throughout life.
These principles demonstrate how bone, soft tissue, and the nervous system collaborate and evolve in reaction to the myriad experiences we encounter throughout our lives.
Grasping these adaptive mechanisms is pivotal for:
- Recognizing the essentials of ideal gait mechanics and ensuring their maintenance.
- Discerning the root causes of issues and devising therapeutic strategies for their restoration.
The human body is constantly adapting.
Our bodies constantly adjust to the stimuli of daily activities. Here's how:
Beneficial Activities Foster Growth: Healthy activities, which safely challenge our body’s such as Proper Technique exercise, enhance and preserve functional robustness.
Harmful Activities Induce Decline: Unhealthy activities, such as inactivity, movement restrictions, and Poor Technique exercise, introduce detrimental factors. These result in functional atrophy and imbalanced, compensatory muscle use.
These imbalances and
compensations are root causes of many musculoskeletal issues and pains.
The Mechanics of Healthy Function
Every body movement and muscle action begins in the brain, sparked by the nervous system's response to sensory stimuli.
Among these actions are the body's "Protective Reflexes", which the brain unconsciously activates when faced with potentially harmful stimuli.
1. The Need for the Right Stimulus:
The brain depends on the correct type of sensory input, termed "Right Stimulus", to achieve the best muscle activations and movements. Without this Right Stimulus, the brain's directives, including "Protective Reflexes", may not be as efficient or effective.
2. The Essence of Right Movement:
"Right Movement" denotes the body's unrestricted freedom to respond aptly to the Right Stimulus. If this movement is hindered, it can lead to suboptimal muscle functionality and alignment.
In essence, Right Stimulus combined with Right Movement form the foundation of Proper Technique exercise.
Impediments to Healthy Function
Persistent obstructions to healthy functioning gradually condition the body into a state of functional atrophy. However, this conditioned functional atrophy can be effectively reversed with the introduction of Right Stimulus and Right Movement.
Modern rehabilitation and sports training methods prioritize "Proper Technique" exercises, which combine Right Stimulus and Right Movement, to ensure the safe and consistent training of optimal neuromuscular functionality.
The laws of Physiology and how they apply to foot and gait function.
Less than 3% of habitually barefoot populations experience foot-related problems, and studies indicate that few of these problems are debilitating.
However, once these populations begin wearing shoes, the incidence of foot-related issues rises. The mechanics of natural barefoot gait is deemed ideal.
In contrast, over 85% of North Americans who regularly wear shoes will seek out a healthcare professional due to a foot-related concern on an average of 1.4 times in their lifetime.
It's evident from studies that increasing barefoot activities can decrease the prevalence of foot issues in these populations. Unfortunately, the mechanics of the typical shoe-wearing gait has been identified as maladaptive.
The Critical Foot-Brain Connection
The mechanics of ideal barefoot gait.
The sensory feedback loop between the feet and the brain is fundamental to the optimal functioning of our feet, legs, hips, and back. This natural interplay is evident in individuals who frequently walk or run barefoot across natural terrains.
Nuanced Sensory Feedback:
As we walk, each barefoot step offers the soles of their feet a unique sensory impression upon ground contact. This variety in sensory experience causes the brain to anticipate and predict the nature of upcoming terrain.
Brain’s Protective Mechanism:
Reacting to these cues, the brain proactively triggers protective muscle reflexes before and in response to the impending “unknown” ground contact. These instinctual reflexes are evolution's safeguard, ensuring our body remains unharmed.
Role in Gait Mechanics:
Such reflexes underpin optimal alignment and efficient muscle operation. Notably, they catalyze the dynamic rising of the toes and arches before ground contact, a critical aspect for stabilizing the foot and ankle during walking or running.
It's pivotal to realize that for ideal, healthy gait to take place, it's imperative that the arches and toes remain unrestricted, allowing them to naturally rise before ground contact.
Biopods Stimulates Healthy Function
At the forefront of innovative design, Biopods transforms ordinary footwear into a Proper Technique exercise regimen.
Key Features of Biopods Footwear & Insoles:
- Right Stimulus: Each step taken in Biopods offers the correct sensory feedback required for optimal foot function.
- Right Movement: Biopods encourages the natural movement patterns of the feet, fostering an environment for optimal gait mechanics.
Benefits of Biopods:
- Addresses Foot Issues: Effectively tackles the root causes of most foot-related problems and pain.
- Performance Enhancement: Boosts efficiency and performance of foot mechanics.
- Injury Prevention: Minimizes the risk of injuries related to poor foot function.
Biopods Sneakers and Insoles are not only safe and comfortable but also user-friendly. For best outcomes, consistent use is recommended.
Why Foot-Related Problems Develop
The modern design of footwear, orthotics, and cushioning insoles has inadvertently become a hurdle to optimal foot health. Here's how:
Cushioning Mutes Sensory Feedback: Footwear cushioning isolates the soles from receiving the Right Stimulus. This deprives the brain of essential feedback, leading to a lack of protective reflex activations in feet and legs.
Artificial Support Dampens Essential Stimuli: Shoes and orthotics designed to provide support distribute force evenly across the foot's sole. This dampening effect reduces the Right Stimulus and hinders dynamic foot movement.
Stiff Soles and Restrictive Design Impede Movement: Footwear with rigid soles or constrictive design prevents the crucial rising of toes and arches. This dynamic rise is vital for proper foot and ankle stabilization.
Maladaptive Foot Modeling from Poor Design: Footwear that forces the foot to adapt to its design can lead to various problems over time.
In essence, these design elements introduce a Poor Technique environment. Over prolonged periods, this results in the training of maladaptive functions responsible for the majority of foot and leg issues.
Educational Videos
Healthy Gait
Foot Problems
How Biopods Work
Scientific Support
Critical Foot-Brain Connection Slides
Provides a high level overview of the science and Biopods Product applications.
Download
The Critical Foot-Brain Connection
A Comprehensive Guide to Natural Gait Mechanics and Therapeutic Foot Care
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Biopods Scientific Monograph
Provides the most technically in-depth presentation of the science and technology.
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Consulting Experts
Contains a list of consulting medical professionals and sports training experts..
DownloadSuccess stories
Recommended by Healthcare Professionals
I’ve reviewed the science underlying Biopods and found the product reflects the fundamental laws of biomechanical physiology and applies that in an elegant accessible way.
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I’ve been in practice for 10 years in Los Angeles. I have started to move away from prescribing orthotics because of my recent experience with Biopods products.
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In my 35 years of practice, for even the most chronic patients, there is nothing that has made a more significant difference or stabilized my patients than Biopods.
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