Use It or Lose It: Are Your Feet Getting Weaker Without You Realising?

🎙️ Use It or Lose It: Are Your Feet Getting Weaker Without You Realising?

Most runners focus on mileage, pace, and shoes…

But what if the real problem is something you’re not even thinking about?

In this episode of The Runner’s Sole Podcast, podiatrist and runner Sharon Miller explains the powerful concept of “use it or lose it” — and how modern running habits may actually be weakening your feet over time.

Your shoes are doing more than ever — cushioning, stabilising, absorbing impact — but that comes at a cost.

👉 The more your shoes do… the less your feet have to do.

And when your feet stop working properly, your body starts compensating — leading to pain, inefficiency, and injury.

🎧 IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

✔ What “use it or lose it” really means for runners
 ✔ How modern shoes can weaken your feet over time
 ✔ Why you don’t notice problems until pain starts
 ✔ How compensation leads to injuries in knees, hips & ankles
 ✔ Why going barefoot suddenly is a bad idea
 ✔ Simple ways to rebuild foot strength safely
 ✔ Easy exercises to “wake up” your feet again
 ✔ Why balance and surface variation matter
 ✔ How to build strong, resilient feet for long-term running

👣 KEY TAKEAWAY

Your feet are not passive — they are active, complex systems.

If you don’t use them properly, your body slowly switches them off.

And the worst time to realise that… is when you need them the most.

🔗 IMPORTANT LINKS

🎧 Listen on Buzzsprout:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2545750/episodes

🌐 Official Website:
 👉 www.runnerssole.co.uk

👥 Join Our Community:
 https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17oz7x3jFe/

📩 Online Consultation:
 👉 https://runnerssole.co.uk/consultation/

🏃 ABOUT THE PODCAST

The Runner’s Sole Podcast is where running meets science, stride by stride.

Hosted by podiatrist and runner Sharon Miller, this show helps runners understand foot health, prevent injuries, and build sustainable running habits for long-term performance.

#RunningPodcast #FootHealth #RunSmart #RunningTips #InjuryPrevention #RunnerLife #RunningAdvice #Podiatry #RunBetter

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:08

Welcome back to the Runner Soul. This is the place where running meets science stride by strike. And as ever, I am Sharon, your resident podiatrist, and I'm also a runner, and you guessed it. What's our topic today, I wonder? Well, today's topic will be talking about using it or losing it. Yeah, I know. It sounds like one of those phrases people throw around without really thinking about it. This is use it or lose it from a podiatrist perspective. And it's not just a saying, it's actually a little bit of a warning. Especially if you are a runner and you're getting old, like we all are. Unfortunately, it's the only thing that doesn't go down, you age. And with aging comes lots of changes to your body. So if you're a runner, you gotta listen because whether you realize it or not, your feet might already be on the lose it side of the equation. And the tricky part, you will not notice a thing until something starts hurting. So let's talk about what's actually going on. Quick question. When was the last time your feet actually had to work? I don't mean they just existed, just they were just there inside your shoes, but when was the last time they probably worked? Because if you think about it, modern running shoes are doing a lot. They're cushioning, they're supportive, they're stabilizers, they absorb impact, guide your movement. They're basically doing everything. And at first that sounds great. But here is the catch. The more you choose to, the less your feet have to do. And your feet are not simple. No, no, they're pretty complicated. We're talking over 100 muscles, tendons, ligaments designed to support you, stabilize you, and adapt you to the ground. But if they're not being used properly, well, your body starts to think, okay, we really don't need this anymore. We'll just get rid of that. And that's where the lose it creeps in. Why do things start to break down in the body? Now, this is where runners get very confused because you're doing all the right things, you're training, you're consistent, maybe even increasing your mileage, feeling like you're pushing yourself, and then out of nowhere, your heel starts hurting, your arches feel weaker, your ankles tighten up, your knees or your hips start acting up, and you're like, what is going on? Here's what usually is happening when your feet aren't doing the job properly, your body doesn't just give up. No, it starts to compensate and adapts. So that means other areas will step in to take over, and for a while, that works pretty well. You're not gonna notice much difference until those areas get overloaded by doing jobs they are not designed to do, and that's when the pain will show up. So it's not always that you're not doing enough or you're not doing too much, it's that the load is going to the wrong places. Now, before you panic and you go barefoot overnight, now this is the part where people tend to overreact. This is when people turn into drama queens. They hear this and think, right, that's it, no more shoes for me. I'm gonna go natural, I'm gonna go barefoot everywhere. Let's not do that, please. If your feet have been supported for years, and suddenly removing all that support is gonna be a shock to the system, and I mean an absolute shock to the system. Your muscles, your tendons, your ligaments, they aren't ready for all that kind of load yet. It's like going from zero training straight into a marathon. Possible? Maybe, but is it a good idea? Absolutely not at all. What your feet actually need is time to rebuild strength and adaptability, but gradually. How do you start using your feet again? Well, lucky for you, you've got a podiatrist here talking, so if I don't know, nobody does. So instead of going extreme, then let's just keep it simple and realistic. Think of this as wakening your feet up again. We're not going to punish them anymore, we're just going to remind them that they still have a job to do. And here's where I'd start. First, let's start with basic foot exercises. So things like toe spreading or short foot exercises, they might feel a little bit weird at first, and your partner and your kids and your family might laugh at you, but that's normal. It just means those muscles haven't been used in a while. And of course, if they felt great to start off with, then you wouldn't do the exercises. But the fact that you will feel the stiffness will tell you those muscles are as tight as anything. Secondly, we work on your balance. So, a good exercise for this is to try standing on one leg while doing something simple like brushing your teeth. If you're wobbling, that's actually a good sign because you found something to improve. Also, when you feel that you can do that, okay, then I want you to stand on one foot but with your eyes closed. And again, you may start to wobble, but that's a good thing. Because again, you'll know when you have improved, because you'll stop wobbling. And third, change your surfaces a bit. If you find you're always running on surfaces that are the same old, same old, then try and give your feet some some variation. So, for instance, if you're always running on the flat pavement, then your feet don't have to adapt. So try adding grass or trails or walking along the beach, running along the beach. Gives them all a little bit more to respond to. And lastly, if you're curious about different shoes, that's totally fine. Just don't rush it, don't waste your money. Ease into any changes very slowly over time. Shoes aren't the bad guys, but you have to remember they are not everything. And just to be clear, shoes are not the enemy. They have helped a lot of people run comfortably, avoid injuries, but they are tools, not a replacement for function. And I think that's a mistake that a lot of runners make. So if your shoes are doing all the work, then your feet aren't doing enough, and they're not getting stronger, they're getting weaker, and over time that imbalance catches up with you. So, what you want is a mix. So we want to give you support when you need it, but strength when it matters. If there's one thing I want you to take away from this is the fact that your feet are meant to support you, they're meant to be strong for you. But if you don't use them properly, then you will lose a lot of the basic functioning. Your body will slowly start switching them off, and the worst time to realize that is when you actually need them. Thank you for striding through this episode with me. And if you enjoyed it, I would really appreciate it if you could leave a comment or share it and let me know where you're listening from. We're on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Buzz Sprouts, and pretty much everywhere you can think of. It genuinely helps more runners discover our podcast. And if you want to be part of the community that shares stories, tips, and supports each other along the way, come join us over on Facebook at the RunnerSoul Family. If you've got questions, everything in between, I always have. And for that reason, I offer online consultations. So no matter where you are, we can get you. And before you go, just please remember your feet aren't just along for the ride. They are the foundation of every step you take and everything you do.