Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Episode #629
Born To Walk: How To Reclaim Your Feet, Fix Your Pain & Transform Your Health with Dr. Courtney Conley
Date: February 25, 2026

Episode Overview

In this transformative episode, Dr Rangan Chatterjee sits down with Dr Courtney Conley, a leading authority on foot mechanics and gait, as well as the founder of “Gait Happens”. Together, they break down the crucial but overlooked role of our feet in overall health, why walking is a physiological necessity on par with breathing and sleeping, and how modern footwear is compromising our bodies. Dr Conley offers practical advice, self-assessments, and a hopeful roadmap for children and adults to reclaim foot strength and function—regardless of age, pain, or starting point.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Critical Importance of Walking

• Walking as a Human Biological Imperative (03:45)
  Dr Conley asserts that walking is a fundamental human need—not just exercise, but a physiological necessity:

  “If you were to take any system in your body—cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, nervous system, lymphatic system, endocrine system—every system is benefited from this rhythmic motion of walking. It is what we were designed to do. We were born to walk.” (00:01)

• Walking, Breathing, Sleeping: The Trilogy of Survival (05:26)
  Conley frames walking as part of a trilogy with breathing and sleep:

  “When one suffers, the other two suffer… If I have a poor night's sleep, my respiration rate could be higher. I could be in a state of more stress, increased cortisol. I'm not gonna wanna do a lot of activity because I'm tired… when they're all functioning well, we're optimized.” (03:45)

• Evolutionary Mismatch & Modern Footwear
  Our feet evolved to carry us over diverse terrain, not to be restricted by rigid, narrow, highly cushioned shoes.

  “Footwear was designed for protection… but as history evolved, fashion started trumping function. And instead of footwear respecting the anatomy of the foot, it did the opposite.” (14:22)

Modern Environment, Pain & Neglect

• Underappreciated Prevalence of Foot Pain

  “One out of three adults over the age of 45 will suffer from foot pain at least one point in their lives.” (11:32)
  Yet, unlike with back pain, the approach is not “let’s strengthen and mobilize”, it’s “let’s add support or restrict movement.”

• Footwear & Weakening Feet
  Shoe companies respond to consumer pain by adding more support or cushions, often creating a vicious cycle of weakening feet:

  “If you don’t use it, you’re going to lose it… instead of training, we just create a shoe that rocks him forward.” (18:48)

Rethinking Shoe Choices

For Children

• Elementary Foot Health Habits

  • Encourage barefoot time at home and minimal interference between foot and ground (39:07)
  • Shoe priorities: wide toe box, thin and flexible sole, flat (heel and toe same plane) (40:53)
  • Don’t panic about “flat feet” in young children—it’s normal and resolves as they grow (35:45)

• Children’s Sensory–and Motor—Development

  “If you think of the foot as a sensory organ… there are thousands of receptors on the bottoms of our feet.” (33:18)

For Adults

• Three Key Shoe Features (44:45)

  1. Wide toe box—#1 non-negotiable
  2. Heel and toe on same plane (“zero drop”)
  3. Thin, flexible sole—but transition slowly if you’re not used to it

• Functional vs. Minimal Footwear Explained

  • Minimal: Wide toe box, zero drop, thin flexible sole (55:00)
  • Functional: Useful as a transitional category; wide toe box, low (≤6mm) to zero drop, some cushioning/“stack height” (58:01)
  • Gradual transition is key: “You have to earn your right to wear minimal footwear.” (55:27)

Notable Shoe Brands

• Minimal: Vivobarefoot, Bielenka, Xero (55:10)
• Functional: Altra, Topo Athletic, Notus (62:07)

Self-Assessment & Practical Drills

“It’s not too late. Our brains love novel stimulus… it is never too late to drive new information to our brains. If you’ve never put your foot on the ground, start there.” (135:31)

Daily Assessment/Exercises Include:

• Big Toe Lift: Keep four toes down, lift big toe straight up (83:15)
  • Poor dexterity often correlates with side where people develop symptoms (84:00)
• Toe Splay/Spread: Lift all toes, then spread them apart – daylight between each toe (108:30)
• Single Leg Calf Raise: On beat to music (Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” at 60bpm) to see how many you can do—compare to age-based norms (23:06)
• Single Leg Balance Test: Crucial as 40% of walking cycle is spent on one leg; feet’s receptors dull with age, so maintain challenge and loading (123:54)
• Progressive Overload: Train feet like any body part; gradually add loads, e.g., loaded calf raises, farmer’s carries (104:09)

Bunions & Foot Deformities

• Bunions are largely a modern phenomenon, strongly related to footwear choices (85:20)
• Early intervention can reduce or slow bunion development; even with established deformities, building strength can restore function and reduce pain (96:39)

  “If you were to say what’s more important for you—get rid of the bunion or have less pain and more function? That’s a very easy question. Less pain, more function.” (96:39)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Footwear Fashion vs. Function:

  “The majority of footwear… does not respect the anatomy of the foot. Shoe designers don’t have knowledge of how the foot functions, which is wild to me.” (16:54)

• On Building Foot Strength:

  “We’re building jet engines of bodies… on paper airplanes of feet.” (25:06)

• On Hope and Empowerment:

  “If your mum or grandma had bunions… it’s not your destiny, it’s just a predisposition. Maybe that’s even more of a reason to go, ‘Wow, I don’t want that. Let me get onto it.’” (91:43)

Walking Speed as the “Sixth Vital Sign”

• Walking speed can predict onset of dementia up to seven years in advance (128:40)
• Recommended: 120–130 steps per minute for brisk walking—sustain for 30 minutes where possible (131:59)
• Crucially: Even increases from low step counts can yield dramatic health gains

The “Cost of Comfort” Principle

• Highly cushioned, supportive shoes trade off sensory feedback, weaken feet, and may reduce balance and power

  “You compromise sensory acuity… there’s always a trade off.” (49:51)

• You don’t have to wear minimal shoes 100% of the time—live on a spectrum but avoid chronic use of restrictive footwear (65:34)

For Those Who Think It’s Too Late

• Neuroplasticity applies at any age: Start where you are.
• Walking, foot exercises, and appropriate footwear always offer improvement potential (135:31)

Actionable Steps & Takeaways

For Listeners:

• Assess your own foot health with toe lifts, splay, and calf raise tests (83:15, 23:06)
• Notice the shape of your shoes—are your toes compressed?
• Start by increasing barefoot time at home
• Consider transitioning to functional or minimal shoes gradually
• Incorporate daily foot exercises, even at your desk or while standing in line (100:41)
• For parents: let children spend as much time barefoot as possible and choose shoes with wide toe boxes and flexible soles

To Remember:

“Walking is the most easily accessible, underutilized treatment that we have at our hands. It should be on every physician’s treatment protocol.” (135:31)

Important Timestamps

• [00:01] – Walking as physiological necessity
• [03:45] – Walking, breathing, sleep trilogy
• [14:22] – Evolutionary mismatch and footwear history
• [35:45] – Footwear advice for children & flat feet
• [44:45] – Dr Conley’s footwear criteria
• [55:00] – Minimal and functional shoe discussion
• [83:15] – Toe dexterity and foot assessments
• [108:30] – Toe splay, practice and correlation with symptoms
• [123:54] – Balance, aging, and feet’s sensory receptors
• [128:40] – Walking speed predicting dementia
• [135:31] – Message of encouragement: It’s never too late

Further Resources

• Dr Courtney Conley & Gait Happens:
  Website: gait-happens.com
  Instagram/YouTube: @gaithappens
• Book: “Walk: Your Life Depends on It” (Available May 5; pre-order globally)
• Practical Videos & Drills: See Dr Conley’s and Dr Chatterjee’s social media

Final Message

Every step you take is a step toward reclaiming your health—but only if you start respecting your feet and how you walk. It’s never too late to begin.

(Compiled and structured faithfully to the episode’s content, tone, and spirit, with all key topics and timestamps.)