The Impact of Foot Health on Athletic Performance: Lessons from Dr. Cohen
When I first entered the NFL, I met Dr. Cohen, a podiatrist, who completely changed the way I thought about foot health. Before that, I hadn’t really considered how important my feet were to my overall performance. Dr. Cohen gave me a choice: either commit to taking care of my feet proactively, or rely on orthotics like so many NFL players do to deal with weak feet and fallen arches. That conversation was a turning point for me. It made me realize the potential problems of relying on orthotics and the importance of proper foot care.
Dr. Cohen explained that while orthotics can offer support for weak feet, they often become a crutch, preventing the feet from getting stronger and more resilient. He pointed out that in today’s world, we’ve become way too dependent on quick fixes, and the foot care industry is no different. Orthotics were being prescribed as a catch-all solution for foot pain, but Dr. Cohen had a different philosophy. He believed that feet need freedom and movement to function at their best. Instead of relying on external supports, he emphasized a long-term approach to foot health—training your feet like any other part of the body, focusing on strength and mobility.
Taking his advice to heart, I switched to a lifestyle with minimal shoe usage. I stopped wearing big, clunky shoes and started going barefoot as much as possible. This shift didn’t just help keep my feet healthy—it made them stronger. Over time, I noticed that my balance, agility, and overall movement improved as I allowed my feet to function the way they were naturally designed to.
I also adopted a Japanese-style tradition of taking off my shoes at the door. Not only did this promote stronger feet, but it also helped keep my house cleaner by not tracking in dirt. I extended this practice to my kids, too, holding off on introducing them to shoes until they were about three years old. That way, their feet had time to develop naturally without the constraints of shoes too early on.
In the end, my journey with foot care showed me the limitations of relying solely on medical solutions like orthotics, and it highlighted the huge benefits of going barefoot and strengthening the feet naturally. Even though this conversation with Dr. Cohen happened early in my NFL career, the lessons I learned from him still resonate with me today, and they’re an important part of what I pass on through Power Athlete training systems.
JOHN WELBOURN
John Welbourn is Founder/CEO of Power Athlete Inc and former NFL player. John was drafted with the 97th pick in 1999 NFL Draft and went on to be a starter for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1999-2003, appearing in 3 NFC Championship games, and started for the Kansas City Chiefs from 2004-2007. In 2008, he played with the New England Patriots until an injury ended his season early with him retiring in 2009. Over the course of his NFL career, John started over 100 games regular season games with 10 play-off appearances. He was a four-year letterman while playing football at the University of California at Berkeley. He graduated from the college of letters and sciences with a bachelor's degree in Rhetoric in 1998. And did his Masters work at the UC Berkeley School of Education in 1999. Since retiring from the NFL, John has worked extensively with the NFL, NHL, MLB, Olympic athletes, the US Army and Naval Special Warfare. He works as a consultant and advisor for several companies focused on improving human performance through training, nutrition and fitness-based technologies. John provides daily coaching and mentorship to over 5000 athletes around the world through his Power Athlete Coaches Network and training program delivery platform. Since in 2013, John has hosted a weekly podcast, Power Athlete Radio; a podcast dedicated to improving performance and connecting with some of the smartest people on the planet. With more than 700 episodes Power Athlete Radio has proven to be on the top podcasts in the strength and conditioning realm. John travels the world lecturing on performance and nutrition for Power Athlete and as a keynote speaker. John is a married father of three and resides in Austin, Texas. You can catch up with him at his personal blog, “Talk To Me Johnnie”, at Power Athlete or on social media @johnwelbourn.