The Benefits of a Cobblestone Tray

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A stone tray is a great way to reintroduce movement for our feet and it requires very little time or effort to make - maximum gain for minimum effort!

Variety is the spice of life so they say, and this applies as much to our feet as it does to other aspects of our lives. There’s very little variety in the terrain we walk on; it’s flat, even, predictable and doesn’t challenge us neurologically or physiologically. Convenience has its price and barefoot shoes can only do so much to restore foot mobility if we’re always walking on level ground.

Uneven surfaces and varied terrain mobilises our feet, improves balance and helps decrease structural problems up the chain (if the feet aren’t working as they should, other areas have to compensate). Transitioning from even to uneven surfaces takes time in the same way that switching to minimal shoes does; tissue needs to get used to new length and your structure needs time to adjust. Gaining mobility is a lengthly process so take this as a caveat - where the mind is willing, the body may not be completely able.

Cobblestone paths are common throughout China and are often recommended to people with a variety of health issues as, in Traditional Chinese Medicine, the uneven surfaces are said to regulate and stimulate acupressure points on the soles of the feet which to relate to specific internal organs.

It may feel painful at first as there are a lot of nerve endings in our feet that are unused to new sensations; build up tolerance to standing on it progressively and it won’t feel so overwhelming!

How

i. Buy or make a tray to put your stones in. I bought mine from IKEA (BAGGMUCK Shoe mat) for £2.25 and the dimensions are:
Length 71cm x Width 35cm x Height 3cm

ii. Buy or collect stones or varying textures, shapes and sizes.

iii. Add stones to tray.

iiii. Place stone tray somewhere you stand often (bathroom / kitchen / workstation).

iv. Every once in a while rearrange the stones.

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