Step 1

Sit barefoot or with socks, placing one ankle on your opposite knee so your foot is free in space.

Step 2

Place your index and fore fingers, behind your small toe and gently move your foot up and down. Notice how easily your foot rises and falls.

The ease of this movement reflects your ankle’s stability or instability.

Step 3

Place your index and fore fingers on the ball of the foot and press the ball of the foot towards your knee.

Notice how easily your arch collapses.

The majority of people will experience an unstable ankle in Step 2 and a collapsing arch in this Step.

This is the dynamic that is occurring when standing, walking, or running when wearing most shoes.

Step 4

Raise your toes, and notice that immediately a natural stable arch is created and your ankle stabilizes.

While maintaining raised toes, repeat Steps 2 and 3.

Press on the ball of your foot as firmly as you can.

Notice that with your toes raised, it takes little or no muscle effort to maintain a strong, stable ankle and arch.

This is the functional strength and stability that become entrained when variable plantar stimulus is consistently available.

Step 5

Relax your toes, then press firmly against the ball of your foot, lowering the arch again. Maintain that pressure.

Without releasing the pressure, try to raise your toes.

If you cannot raise them—or can raise them only slightly with considerable effort—that indicates functional weakness and instability commonly entrained by the habitual support, cushioning or restriction associated with footwear, orthotics and insoles.

In effect, products that support, cushion or restrict tell our bodies: “You don’t need to do this—we’ll do it for you.” Our bodies adapt accordingly.

Most people we test can raise their toes only slightly, if at all.

If you can raise them with relative ease, you are exhibiting functional foot-and-ankle strength and stability under load.

The feet and ankles are the foundation of the lower-limb kinetic chain. Functional weakness and instability here contribute to compensations and problems throughout the feet, legs, knees, hips and back.

Biopods footwear and insoles provide a different message.

Subtle, varied plantar stimulus engages the nervous system, while flexible, unrestricted footwear allows the neurologically directed response to be expressed. As the muscles participate more consistently in managing activity forces, they become stronger and more efficient.

What Insoles Should I Use?

Biopods: For continuous dynamic stimulus, optimal functional strength, stability, athletic performance, comfort and relief.

Barefoot Science: For adjustable stimulus, optimal functional strength, stability, athletic performance, comfort and relief.

For best results, use insoles in soft, flexible, non-restrictive footwear.