TN50#188_The Dogs Of War_12 January_2025
Hi Team,
I thought it would be fun for you to see a picture of my golden-doodles, Benji (tan) and Leo (white and tan) with this title! Obviously these 2 are not dogs of war, they are more like dogs-of-leisure, but they are also incredibly important members of my pack and bring me much peace and joy!
To read about the dogs of war I’m talking about please continue!
Happy Monday and welcome to The Next 50 #188. I like to think of personal performance in 3 components: physical, mental and emotional. My framework focuses on 4 Buckets: Eat, Sleep, Move and Think. This blog is my sandbox for sharing information that you might find useful for your personal performance.
These are the “dogs” I’m talking about
People started using the slang term “dogs” for feet in the early 20th century. As in: My dogs are barking! Translation: My feet hurt!
So why the title? The Dogs Of War; well the dogs pictured above (mine) got me through 25 years of military service as an Infantrymen; including a lot of trips to… You guessed it, war. To say that my dogs have taken a beating is very much an understatement; to say that my feet aren’t great to look at might also be an understatement (-;
In the last couple decades I’ve made a much more focused effort on taking care of my dogs, this includes things like specific foot and toe exercises, mobility/recovery work and shoes specifically designed to improve the health and capabilities of my dogs and to minimize their barking!
An ultra runner client/buddy of mine recently finished reading, Born To Run, by Chris McDougall, which initiated a barefoot or “zero drop” (meaning flat bottom) shoe discussion during one of our recent coffee discussions. My client had gone all in on zero-drop shoes earlier in his running career and, like a lot of zero-drop converts I know, ended up with lower leg issues from transitioning from shoes with heals to zero drop shoes too quickly. Which is very, very easy to do.
I told him the truth, I live in bare feet (“dogs out”) at the house and exclusively cruise around in zero drop shoes otherwise, my favorite brands are XERO (catchy branding – right!?) and Altra – both Colorado Headquartered companies. I can honestly say that my dogs are living a zero drop life more than 99% of the time.
Additionally, I have Fred Flintstone feet so the wide toe boxes of Altras and Xeros works really well for me.
All of this foot focused talk made me think I should pen a short blog on the topics of foot care and zero drop shoes along with a link to one of the most useful podcasts on the subjects that I’ve ever heard.
You’ll be surprised to see that this podcast is an episode of The Drive Podcast, hosted by Peter Attia. Peter’s guest is Courtney Conley, D.C. Here’s Courtney’s intro from the podcast episode’s notes page:
Courtney Conley is an internationally renowned foot and gait specialist. In this episode, Courtney delves into the intricate world of foot anatomy and functionality. She explores the complexities of the foot, discussing its anatomy, common injuries, and the importance of understanding its structure in preventing issues. She covers a range of foot ailments, factors contributing to them, treatment options, and prevention strategies. She delves into the significance of loading, balance, range of motion, and posture, emphasizing the crucial role of strength in preventing both injuries and falls. Additionally, she sheds light on the interconnectedness of the kinetic chain, from the leg muscles down to the foot, and how issues within this chain can cascade downstream, leading to various injuries and pathologies. Additionally, she provides a comprehensive overview of footwear, discussing suitable options for both adults and children to promote foot health and mitigate potential problems.
Here’s the link: https://peterattiamd.com/courtneyconley/
Now I know what some of you are thinking, “boooooorrrrrrriiiiiiinnnnnggggg.”
So you probably already know a lot about your feet from an anatomical standpoint, right?
You never wear shoes that scrunch up your toes or have higher heals just because you like the way the shoes look, right?
You probably have never had your dogs barking (remember, slang for sore feet), right?
Never had pain in your toes, feet or ankles, right?
And even though you plan on walking and running around on your feet for another 25 to 75 years, it’s probably fine to just wing it, right?
I mean a shoe company wouldn’t sell you a pair of shoes that are bad for your toes, feet and/or ankles, right?
Yes, I’m being cheeky, but purposely so. Don’t be a dip shit when it comes to foot health, learn a few things that will allow you to maintain healthier feet and improve the foot health of your close family and friends.
When you’re walking into your granddaughter’s or great granddaughter’s wedding; you’ll be glad you did!
Who do you know that could use this information? I bet you can think of a couple of people before you click the next email, please share the post with your team and anyone who might find it useful and let me know what you think!
Have a good one,
Alex
PS. Our prayers continue to go out to all our Friends and their neighbors in and around Los Angeles, California and in and around the mountains of North Carolina back east!
