The Way You Move Tells a Story: What the Feet Can Tell Us About the Body & Nervous System with Dr. Jen Perez

Send Vanessa a text or a voicemail!What if the way you walk, stand, load your feet—or even grip the ground—is telling a story about far more than your feet? This is not simply an episode about foot pain. In fact, you don’t need to have foot pain at all to get something from this conversation.Today I’m joined by Dr. Jen Perez of Gait Happens, a chiropractor whose work centers around functional movement, biomechanics, gait and lower-extremity assessment, for a fascinating conversation about what the feet can reveal when we stop looking at them in isolation. We talk mechanics, gait, loading, recoil, footwear, and orthotics—but we also go somewhere conversations about the feet rarely go: the nervous system.How might fear change the way we move? What does compensation tell us about what the body has adapted to? Can our mental and emotional experiences influence the way the body moves, protects, and holds on? And what happens when a diagnosis stops being something we have and slowly becomes part of who we believe we are?Gait Happens has spent the last decade helping change the conversation around foot health, filling a much-needed gap in education and challenging us to think beyond the conventional, isolated approach to pain and dysfunction.In this episode:Why foot pain isn’t always simply a foot problemThe two-way relationship between the feet and the rest of the bodyThe fascinating connection between the feet, gait, and nervous systemWhat the way someone walks and carries themselves can tell usSurprising signs of fight-or-flight that may show up through the feetFear of movement and how pain can change the way we moveAdaptation, compensation, and the body’s ability to protectThe mental and emotional components of painWhy language matters when talking about pain and the bodyGait, loading, recoil, and healthy foot mechanicsFootwear as a tool (not a universal prescription)The nuance around orthotics and individual needsWhat Dr. Jen looks for in footwearBuilding capacity and resilience rather than simply chasing symptomsConnect with Dr. Jen & Gait Happens:Gait Happens YouTubeGait Happens InstagramGait Happens Toe SpacersGait Happens Toe StrengthenersBe Lenka Barefoot Shoes — Use code GAITHAPPENS for discountAltra RunningSUPPORT INTENTIONALLY WELL: A few of my current favorites: Mitolife Vitamin C — My go-to vitamin C. Use code VANESSA15 to save 15%.Mitolife KDF Shower Filter — The shower filtration system I use in my own home. Use code VANESSA15 to save 15%.Equip Foods — My favorite grass-fed protein + clean protein bars. Use code VANESSA15 to save 15%.Purchasing through these links is an easy way to support the podcast at no additional cost to you. See all of my favorite products + listener discountsWant to support the podcast directly? Buy Me a Coffee – Intentionally WellConnect with Vanessa and IWP:IWP Website: Intentionally Well PodcastSubstack: Intentionally Well ReflectionsPodcast on InstagramVanessa on InstagramPodcast on YouTubeVanessa on TikTokVanessa on XEmail: [email protected] the showThis episode is for informational purposes only. Please consult a trusted health practitioner for individual concerns.