There are plenty of smaller muscles within the bottom of the feet and in all probability due to their size they haven't yet received much significance. It has started to change recently as studies have begun to demonstrate just how crucial those muscles are to natural function and dysfunction of the feet. They seem to perform a very important function in the way you balance and disorders of these small muscles would probably be a consideration in most of the digital deformities. This topic was answered within a newly released show of the podiatry live show which is broadcast live on Facebook known as PodChatLive. In that show the hosts spoke with Luke Kelly who has written substantially in the area of plantar intrinsic foot muscle function and just how necessary they are. He talked about the spring-like purpose of the human feet when walking and also the purpose of those muscles in that. He also discussed exactly why it is false to believe a flatter foot might be a “weaker” foot. Luke also explains exactly why he's personally NOT a fan of the ‘short foot exercise’ and simply the reason building up the intrinsic musculature will never make the medial longitudinal arch ‘higher’ which can be a widely believed myth.
Dr Luke Kelly PhD has more than fifteen years of clinical experience assisting people with pain because of bone and joint injury as well as chronic medical ailments. He has carried out a Doctor of Philosophy in biomechanics and is also actively involved in research which attempts to enhance our understanding and treatments for frequent foot disorders, including plantar heel pain, foot tendon problems, arthritis in the feet along with children’s sports disorders. He is right now a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Sensorimotor Performance at the School of Human Movement & Nutrition Sciences at the University of Queensland in Australia. Luke’s present scientific studies are analyzing how the mind and spinal cord brings together sensation feedback to adapt the mechanical purpose of the feet during running and walking.