The Aging Foot: What Changes and How to Keep Moving

Your walking speed is one of the strongest predictors of how long and how well you’ll move — and it all starts with what’s happening in your feet as you age.

Dr. Emily Splichal breaks down the five key categories of age-related foot changes: joint mobility, muscle strength, fascial health, peripheral nerve function, and skin and vascular changes. She connects each one directly to walking speed, balance, and fall risk — and gives you a clinical framework for working with these changes at every stage of life. Whether you’re treating patients, training athletes, or managing your own movement health, this episode delivers the specifics.

Key Takeaways:
– Big toe dorsiflexion below 30 degrees shortens step length, slows the calf pump, and reduces cerebral circulation and BDNF production
– Intrinsic foot muscle sarcopenia drives hammer toes, arch collapse, and forefoot pain — and is largely preventable through consistent barefoot training
– Fascial cross-links from elevated glucose silently restrict energy transfer and compound mobility loss over time
– Most peripheral neuropathy is purely sensory — motor function is largely preserved and barefoot training remains appropriate in a controlled environment
– Fat pad atrophy, skin fragility, and circulatory decline require modified approaches, not avoidance of sensory stimulation

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction: Movement Longevity and the Aging Foot
2:30 Joint Mobility: Big Toe Dorsiflexion and Walking Speed
7:00 The Calf Pump, BDNF, and Rocker Sole Recommendations
10:30 Sarcopenia: Intrinsic Muscles, Hammer Toes, and Arch Collapse
15:30 Fascia and Collagen: Hydration, Tension, and Elasticity
21:50 Nerve Changes: Neuropathy Types, Neuroplasticity, and Barefoot Training
30:45 Skin, Fat Pad Atrophy, and Circulatory Changes
35:00 Pulling It Together: Anticipating and Navigating Every Change

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👣 Connect with Dr. Emily Splichal:
Consultations: www.dremilysplichal.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/dremilydpm

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