Dr. Lindsay Mercier

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United States
Gilbert, AZ
Dr. Lindsay Mercier

Providing 1:1 physical therapy and movement coaching services.

03/11/2026

Don’t let the internet put your feet in a box.

Debunking one foot myth at a time and reminding you, your foot is trainable.

👇🏻✅ Follow along for foot tips and tools to strengthen them.

03/07/2026

Your arch collapsing is not a problem. It’s actually normal.

When your foot hits the ground during walking or running, the arch is supposed to lower. This motion is called pronation, and it’s one of the body’s built-in shock absorbers. As the arch gently lowers, the foot becomes more adaptable so it can respond to the ground beneath you. Without this motion, your foot would be too rigid to absorb force efficiently.

In other words: an arch that moves is a healthy arch.

But this is where terminology often gets confusing.

People often hear the term pes planus, which is the clinical name for “flat feet,” and assume it means their arch collapsing during movement is a problem. That’s not necessarily true.

Pes planus can describe two different types of feet:

• Flexible flat feet
• Rigid flat feet

The vast majority of people have flexible flat feet. With a flexible foot, an arch is visible when the foot is relaxed or non-weight bearing, and the arch lowers when standing or moving. This is a normal, adaptable foot that can still function well.

Rigid flat feet, on the other hand, are much less common. With a rigid foot, the arch is absent even when the foot is unloaded and the foot lacks the normal mobility needed for efficient movement. This is the type that may require closer evaluation.

So if you see your arch flatten a bit when you stand, walk, or squat, that’s not automatically a problem. It’s often just your foot doing exactly what it was designed to do: adapt, absorb force, and help you move.

The real goal isn’t to stop the arch from moving.
It’s to make sure the foot has the strength and control to move well.

If you want to learn how to build stronger, healthier feet, follow along for more foot health education and exercises. 🦶

03/05/2026

🦶Let’s talk pes planus: a flexible vs a rigid flat foot.

People often mistake the former for the later.

If you have any iota of an arch in your foot when you are sitting, you do NOT have a rigid flat foot.

If the arch in your foot disappears or flattens when you are standing, you may have FLEXIBLE flat feet.

And flexible flat feet can be trained.

There are 29 muscles that attach in the foot, 19 contained exclusively within the foot, which means 19 opportunities to strengthen and train to restore foot shape.

Placing a flexible flat foot in a rigid shoe or orthotic will only weaken an already weak foot.

Feet and bodies will start to depend on the external support provided by the shoes and orthotics, relying less on its own strength and support.

Looking for foot pain relief that actually works? Follow for real-life success stories and tips ✅👇🏻

03/02/2026

👋 Welcome, new faces! I’m Lindsay — your barefoot movement guide + foot pain rehab pro.

If we haven’t met yet: I’m a physical therapist who helps active humans ditch foot and ankle pain so they can hike, run, explore, and live life on their feet — without fear or frustration.

Whether you’re navigating plantar fasciitis, stubborn bunions, or just want to feel grounded and strong again, you’re in the right place.

Around here, you’ll find: 🦶 Practical tips for foot + ankle rehab 👟 Minimalist shoe talk (wide toe box lovers, unite) 🧠 Mindful movement that actually works 🥾 Real-life trail-tested strategies (from someone who hikes with a cranky knee sometimes too!)

I believe you deserve to move freely — barefoot, booted, or anything in between — feeling confident, capable, and pain-free.

So glad you’re here. Drop a 👣 below and tell me what movement means to YOU!

keepmovingforward

03/01/2026

February felt like May 🥵😮‍💨
Lucky I get to share it with some special peeps and pups 🫶🏻
…

Address

Gilbert, AZ

Website

https://pages.lindsaymercier.com/lindzmerclist

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