Hi, my name is James Speck and I started this site back in 2012 to blog about my attempt to build arches in my feet. As a physical therapist, I regularly help people to move and feel better.
Around the time I started this site, I was looking for ways to address some of my own nagging issues. Near the top of that list were my flat feet and horrible pronation.
Site Origins
Growing up I was always taking apart my toys, electronics, and anything else I could get my hands on just to find out how things worked.
I broke a lot of stuff.
But that curiosity to understand how things work has always stayed with me. The way my arches collapsed was affecting my workouts. I had tried using supportive shoes and orthotic insoles without seeing any benefit.
I was very concerned about the effects on my joints from having flat feet and wanted to make a change.
Before starting this, I believed flat feet were just something I was stuck with.
When barefoot running and minimalist shoes gained popularity, I started seeing and hearing stories from people about the benefits of going with less support.
This changed my perspective, as I began to see feet as something that could, and probably should be strengthened. The more research I did into the causes flat feet, the more hope I had that my flexible flat feet could be turned into normal arches.
I’ve always liked working with computers and had been interested in building a website for a while. And I enjoyed reading blogs by people who would post regular updates on their fitness endeavors. So my attempt to fix my flat feet with exercise seemed like a good topic for a blog.
A big challenge I faced in designing a program was that there was not much information available about treating flat feet with exercise.
I spent months looking at every research study I could find on flat feet and overpronation. I spent a lot of time studying the anatomy of the foot and thinking about what exercises might be beneficial.
I then began testing my ideas through trial and error.
From my research, and after seeing how my feet transformed after several months spent working on exercises to correct flat feet, I am now convinced that many cases of flat feet can improve with exercise. The goal of this site is to share my experience with you.
More About Me
I hold a dual bachelor’s and master’s degree in physical therapy and have been practicing in the field for over 20 years. I currently live and work in San Diego, California.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions feel free to connect with me either through Facebook, Twitter, or email.
Thanks for visiting!