Ladies, look down at your feet for a second. What do you see?
If you have a bunion–or the start of a bunion–you have something going on with your feet that surgery cannot fix.
Sure, they can shave the bone down, pin your toe, and maybe realign the bones of your feet to make everything look pretty. But the underlying problem that led to the bunion in the first place is not going to be addressed.
Even though your bunion may be taken care of visually, the mechanics of your feet that created the bunion will still be dysfunctional. Specifically, there is one thing above all else that I have seen having worked with women and their feet for over a decade that plays a huge role in the development of bunions as well as the symptoms related to the bunions.
What is this one thing?
Muscle inhibition.
Muscle inhibition is when your muscles stop working like they are supposed to. Typically, muscle inhibition is caused by too much stress or trauma to an area of your body, but there are many other factors that can play into it, as well.
For example, the types of shoes you wear have a huge impact on how the muscles of your feet, knees, hips, and core function. Flip flops, high heels, slip ons, stiff business shoes, and supportive and cushioned shoes can create big issues from your feet all the way up to your neck.
Even if they seem necessary because of plantar fasciitis or other foot issues, having the wrong type of shoes for your feet can end up doing way more harm than good.
When it comes to bunions, getting rid of the muscle inhibition in the feet, knees, hips, and core is of the utmost importance. In fact, even if a bunion is taken care of surgically, if the muscle inhibition isn’t addressed, problems with the feet and toes will still persist.
So how do you get rid of muscle inhibition?
Over the last decade of working with hundreds of women one on one helping them to solve this exact problem, I have seen that the number one way to address muscle inhibition directly is with Muscle Activation Techniques®.
Muscle Activation Techniques®, also known as MAT®, is a specific process designed to identify where in your body you have inhibited muscles and then get those muscles working better.
Not only is the muscle inhibition able to be calmed down, through the MAT® process you also become more resilient to the stressors that would have previously created muscle inhibition.
In other words, by getting MAT® done, you can wear all of those fun, sexy shoes you love without them stressing your feet, knees, hips, or back!
The MAT® process doesn’t just help your feet move better, it actually makes them more resilient to stress and trauma all along the way.
Which, when it comes to you and your bunions, means that your feet can finally have the right mechanics they need while simultaneously getting stronger and better-able to handle everything you do with them day in and day out.
In fact, I have worked with multiple women who have absolutely no bunion symptoms whatsoever after getting their feet stronger and functioning better with MAT®.
And the thing that makes MAT® really solidify proper movement within your body is that your entire body from the tips of your toes all the way up to the base of your skull can be strengthened with the MAT® process.
Unlike typical bunion surgeries and quick-fixes that only look at your feet and toes, MAT® can evaluate your entire body to see how everything is related and make sure there isn’t muscle inhibition in your knees, feet, core, or elsewhere that is creating more stress for your feet.
If you are struggling with bunions, I would love to see you on my MAT® table soon.
You can schedule your consultation and assessment with me by clicking here and selecting the time that works best for you.
You don’t have to live with unsightly bunions for the rest of your life. You don’t have to go through painful surgeries and rehab to have feet that look nice. You don’t have to get your toes pinned straight to not be in pain.
Muscle Activation Techniques® can help address the underlying cause of why the bunions are there in the first place and help your feet and entire body get stronger and move better in the process.
In strength and health,
Julie
Julie Cates is an experienced, certified, and insured National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certified Personal Trainer and mastery level Muscle Activation Techniques® (MAT®) Rx Specialist (MATRx). She is also one of the few practitioners worldwide certified in the MAT® Athlete process.
She is one of 88 certified mastery level Resistance Training Specialists® (RTSm) in the world. This combination makes her style of training impactful and still preventative and restorative of joint and muscle issues and pain that are common with exercise.
Julie specializes in working with women 50 and over. Specifically, her main focus is working with women with bone density loss, muscle loss, Osteopenia, and Osteoporosis.
Julie has incredible experience working with brand new exercisers. Very specific types and styles of exercises are needed for restoring and maintaining bone density, and Julie guides her clients through these in a pain-free way.
She is also well experienced in helping women exercise even with various joint, bone, systemic, and neurological diagnoses. Julie is definitely your go-to personal trainer for women with Osteoporosis!
She sees clients out of her studio, Muscle Activation Schaumburg, in the northwest suburbs of Chicago.
