Move Your DNA with Katy Bowman

Plantar fasciitis! What is it, exactly?
How can a problem in such a small area of the body have such a big impact on the entire body?
How can exercise fix the issue if moving hurts?
What if plantar fasciitis isn't only an overuse issue, but also an issue of underuse?
Biomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Dr Jeannette Loram get into what’s happening in the various tissues of the foot (including that it's not really an issue of inflammation as much as it's an issue of plantar fascia degeneration) and what to do about it. Jim Leuty of My Happy Feet joins in later, to talk about toe-spreading socks, foot mobility and making foot care part of everyday life.
Enhanced Show Notes and Full Transcript

00:15 Questions about plantar fasciitis
02:44 Dynamic Collective sponsors
04:52 What is the plantar fascia and what are its roles?
11:12 What is plantar fasciitis exactly? symptoms and pathology
15:26 Is plantar fasciitis an underuse or overuse issue?
21:02 The role of the Achilles tendon and the calves
24:29 What to do about plantar fasciitis
30:11 Katy talks to Jim Leuty from My Happy Feet about toe spreading socks and foot care
46:30 Key exercises for helping treat and prevent plantar fasciitis
Connect with My Happy Feet
Find out more about the socks · My Happy Feet on Instagram

Books & Research Mentioned 

Move Your DNA by Katy Bowman
Whole Body Barefoot by Katy Bowman
Simple Steps to Foot Pain Relief by Katy Bowman
Shinohara, H. et al. (2025). Reconsideration of the load-bearing functions of the plantar fascia and intrinsic foot muscles in the windlass mechanism. Scientific Reports 15, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-97477-3
Tseng WC. et al. (2023). Plantar Fasciitis: An Updated Review. J Med Ultrasound.31(4):268-274. doi: https://doi.org/10.4103/jmu.jmu_2_23
Miller LE &  Latt DL. (2015) Chronic Plantar Fasciitis is Mediated by Local Hemodynamics: Implications for Emerging Therapies. N Am J Med Sci. 7(1):1-5. PMC4325390.

Related Podcasts
Ep 150: How I Feel About Minimal Shoes After My Foot Injury 

Connect, Move & Learn with Katy

Walking Well Program with Katy Bowman & Jill Miller 
Katy’s Virtual Studio: learn to move your feet, calves and legs well with over 250 classes. Take one week free! 
Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses
Follow Katy on Substack
Made Possible By Our Wonderful Sponsors:
ScreenFit™: a complete online vision training program —take $200 off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENT
Venn Design: Beautifully upholstered ball-shaped Air Chairs and floor cushions that encourage dynamic sitting
My Happy Feet: Toe-spacing socks that gently realign toes for comfortable shoe recovery—take 20% off with code MYDNA
Freet Barefoot: creators of comfortable barefoot shoes built for natural movement, flexibility, and durability— use code DNA10 for 10% off.
Ikaria Design: The Soul Seat® offers height-adjustable, multi-position sitting—get 10% off new chairs and desks with code DNA10
Earth Runners:  makers of minimalist earthing sandals designed for natural foot movement and connection to the ground— use code DNA10 for 10% off
Movemate: Active standing boards with smoothly articulating wooden slats. Designed to keep you moving without interrupting your focus.

Frozen shoulder (also known as adhesive capsulitis) can cause pain, stiffness and a significant loss of shoulder range of motion. In this episode, biomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Dr Jeannette Loram explain what’s actually happening inside the shoulder capsule during frozen shoulder. They discuss the different stages of the condition — including the freezing, frozen and thawing phases — as well as its connections with inflammation, menopause and diabetes.
They also explore why movement matters for shoulder health, and during recovery from frozen shoulder. To understand how movement can affect the shoulder capsule, it’s important to distinguish between movement in the shoulder and movement of the shoulder. Katy and Jeannette also look at everyday habits that may limit capsule movement and share some practical daily movements for maintaining shoulder mobility. Plus, they answer a listener's question about using hand paddles when swimming.

Enhanced Show Notes and Full Transcript
00:00 Why we're talking about frozen shoulder
02:45 Dynamic Collective sponsors
05:05 What is frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)?
14:28 Frozen shoulder, inflammation, menopause & other risk factors
24:37 The freezing, frozen & thawing stages — and treatment
29:16 Movement as prevention: moving in the shoulder vs movement of the shoulder
33:00 Daily prehab & rehab movements
37:22 Why, in this case, pain might be the way through
40:58 Everyday shoulder habits: bags, carrying & asymmetry
43:13 Should you swim with hand paddles? — listener question sponsored by ScreenFit™
51:00 Your shoulder movement diet: climbing & clambering, hanging & “paint the globe”

Research Mentioned 

Millar, N. L. et al. (2022). Frozen shoulder. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 8, 59. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41572-022-00386-2
Navarro-Ledesma, S. (2025). Frozen Shoulder as a Systemic Immunometabolic Disorder: The Roles of Estrogen, Thyroid Dysfunction, Endothelial Health, Lifestyle, and Clinical Implications. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 14(20), 7315. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14207315
Salamh, P. et al. (2025). An International Consensus on the Etiology, Risk Factors, Diagnosis and Management for Individuals with Frozen Shoulder: a Delphi study. Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy, 33(4), 309–320. https://doi.org/10.1080/10669817.2025.2470461
Podcasts mentioned
Ep 187: Diabetes and Exercise: How Exactly Muscle Movement Manages Blood Sugar
Ep 208: Too Much Sitting, Spiky Cholesterol and Heart Disease

Connect, Move & Learn with Katy

Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses
Follow Katy on Substack
Find a shoulder class in Katy's Virtual Studio: Try it  free for 7 days! 
Made Possible By Our Wonderful Sponsors:
Venn Design: Beautifully upholstered ball-shaped Air Chairs and floor cushions that encourage dynamic sitting
Freet Barefoot: creators of comfortable barefoot shoes built for natural movement, flexibility, and durability— use code DNA10 for 10% off.
ScreenFit™: a complete online vision training program —take $200 off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENT
Ikaria Design: The Soul Seat® offers height-adjustable, multi-position sitting—get 10% off new chairs and desks with code DNA10
Movemate: Active standing boards with smoothly articulating wooden slats. Designed to keep you moving without interrupting your focus.
My Happy Feet: Toe-spacing socks that gently realign toes for comfortable shoe recovery—take 20% off with code MYDNA
Earth Runners:  makers of minimalist earthing sandals designed for natural foot movement and connection to the ground— use code DNA10 for 10% off.

You hear the Move Your DNA message: you need more movement spread throughout your day, not just more exercise. But how is that possible if you work a conventional 9–5 office job?
Join biomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Dr. Jeannette Loram as they walk through a typical day for an office worker, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., looking at ways to find more movement both during and beyond the workday. They share practical ideas for building movement into how you get dressed, shower, eat, commute, work, do chores, relax and spend time with family and friends — without needing to carve out more hours for exercise.
At 9 a.m., Katy is joined by Sohail Shariff, co-founder of Movemate, to explore how to bring more movement into your workstation while staying productive. They discuss why simply switching from sitting to standing isn't necessarily the answer, and how varying your position is both “cyclical movement” and “cyclical rest,” allowing different parts of the body to take turns being moved and loaded. Your low back will thank you!
Katy and Jeannette also discuss getting away from your workstation to move and tackle a common concern: won't taking movement breaks make me less productive? Katy suggests that stepping away can actually support productivity and shares some of her own “tells” that she's no longer doing focused work — like jumping between tasks — explaining how recognising these moments can become a cue to move and then return to the task refreshed.
Whether you're tied to a desk for 8 hours or simply spend too much of your day sitting, this episode offers practical ways to find more movement throughout the whole day.

Enhanced Show Notes and Full Transcript
00:00:00 – Getting more movement when you have an office job
00:03:43 – Dynamic Collective sponsors
00:06:15 – Start with the most flexible hours of your day: moving more outside work hours
00:06:58 – 6am to 9am: opportunities for movement in how you shower, eat breakfast and commute
00:15:50 – 9am: dynamic workstation with Sohail Shariff of Movemate
00:35:34 – 10am to 5pm: upper-body office moves, eye exercises, roaming meetings and active lunch breaks
00:49:36 – 5pm to 10pm: everyday movement around food, family time and sleep
01:03:17 – Listener question: how do I move more and still be productive

Connect with Movemate™
Find out more about the board · Movemate on Instagram

Books mentioned

I Know I Should Exercise But… by Diana Hill and Katy Bowman
My Perfect Movement Plan by Katy Bowman
Diastasis Recti by Katy Bowman
How to Get More Movement in a 9–5 by Katy Bowman
Slow Productivity by Cal Newport
Deep Work by Cal Newport
Walk When the Moon Is Full by Frances Hamerstrom

Podcasts mentioned 

Ep 184: Dynamic Wardrobes: How Clothes Can Restrict, Encourage or Stabilize Movement
Ep 212: Use Your Eyes and Ears to Improve the Way You Move

Connect, Move & Learn with Katy
Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses
Follow Katy on Substack
Try Katy's Virtual Studio Free for 7 days!
Made Possible By Our Wonderful Sponsors:
Ikaria Design: The Soul Seat® offers height-adjustable, multi-position sitting—get 10% off new chairs and desks with code DNA10
My Happy Feet: Toe-spacing socks that gently realign toes for comfortable shoe recovery—take 20% off with code MYDNA
Earth Runners:  makers of minimalist earthing sandals designed for natural foot movement and connection to the ground— use code DNA10 for 10% off.
ScreenFit™: a complete online vision training program —take $200 off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENT
Freet Barefoot: creators of comfortable barefoot shoes built for natural movement, flexibility, and durability— use code DNA10 for 10% off.
Movemate: Active standing boards with smoothly articulating wooden slats. Designed to keep you moving without interrupting your focus.
Venn Design: Beautifully upholstered ball-shaped Air Chairs and floor cushions that encourage dynamic sitting

Movement isn't just about muscles and joints. It's also about how our bodies are taking in, interpreting and responding to the world around us.
Katy Bowman and Dr. Jeannette Loram discuss how listening can provide valuable information about how we're moving: listening to the sound of your feet landing as you walk, the rhythm and mechanics of rowing, the sound of your stroke as you swim, and even the timing and quality of the breath during exercise can attune you to the form and efficiency of your movement.
The conversation turns to vision with neuro-optometrist Dr. Bryce Appelbaum. Katy and Dr Appelbaum explore the relationship between vision and movement, including how visual information can influence balance, spatial orientation and confidence when navigating complex environments. They discuss how our ability to perceive the physical world can be diminished by prolonged, narrow focus on our screens, and how menopause can make visually demanding tasks even more overwhelming. Dr. Appelbaum shares some eye exercises to help us take in more of the world around us—improving our visual system and physical competence at the same time.
Finally, Katy and Jeannette answer a listener question about movement programmes for blind people.

Enhanced Show Notes and Full Transcript
00:00:00 – Listening to gait
00:04:36 – Dynamic Collective sponsors 
00:06:53 – Putting our senses to work: walking, rowing, swimming and soccer
00:25:29 – Vision is more than eyesight: how vision guides movement
00:30:11 – Screens, peripheral vision & taking in the world
00:48:42 – Vision and menopause: brain fog and overwhelm
00:56:32 – Listener question on movement classes for blind people sponsored by Movemate 

Books, Podcasts & Other Resources
Podcast: Can Exercise Fix Aging Eyes? Ep 186 — Move Your DNA Podcast
Podcast: What’s It Like to Slowly Go Blind? — Search Engine Podcast
Book: An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us by Ed Yong
Book: The Country of the Blind by Andrew Leland
Book: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr 

Connect with Dr. Bryce Appelbaum
My Vision First — Dr. Bryce Appelbaum’s Vision Therapy Clinic
Dr. Bryce Appelbaum on Instagram
ScreenFit™ by Dr. Bryce Appelbaum — take $200 off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENT

Connect, Move & Learn with Katy
Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses
Follow Katy on Substack
Try Katy's Virtual Studio Free for 7 days!
Made Possible By Our Wonderful Sponsors:

Earth Runners:  makers of minimalist earthing sandals designed for natural foot movement and connection to the ground— use code DNA10 for 10% off.
Movemate: Active standing boards with smoothly articulating wooden slats. Designed to keep you moving without interrupting your focus.
Venn Design: Beautifully upholstered ball-shaped Air Chairs and floor cushions that encourage dynamic sitting
My Happy Feet: Toe-spacing socks that gently realign toes for comfortable shoe recovery—take 20% off with code MYDNA
Freet Barefoot: creators of comfortable barefoot shoes built for natural movement, flexibility, and durability— use code DNA10 for 10% off.
Ikaria Design: The Soul Seat® offers height-adjustable, multi-position sitting—get 10% off new chairs and desks with code DNA10
ScreenFit™: a complete online vision training program —take $200 off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENT

Katy talks to kids raised in a dynamic, "low-furniture" home that swapped conventional couches for indoor monkey bars and balance toys. How did it go?
Katy and Jeannette also talk about raising dynamic kids as they grow up, including family movement, getting teenagers to participate, and navigating phones and screen time. Then Katy talks to Pack Matthews, creator of the Soul Seat, about his new Fidget Seat designed for children, and how flexible seating can give kids more opportunities to move while they learn and can also help with focus and attention.

Enhanced Show Notes and Full Transcript
0:00 — Katy’s dynamic home
2:50 — The Dynamic Collective
5:00 — Katy talks to kids raised in a “low-furniture” home
28:19 — Listener question: Family movement and screen time, sponsored by Earth Runners
44:00 — The Fidget Seat: Helping kids not sit still

Books, Links and Resources:

Grow Wild: The Whole-Child, Whole-Family Nature-Rich Guide to Moving More by Katy Bowman
Grow Wild
A Video Tour of Katy’s Movement-Rich Home
A Home With No Furniture: Interview with Katy Bowman

The Fidget Seat

The Fidget Seat — a movement-first chair for kids designed to let them keep moving while they learn

Use code DNA10 for 10% discount on the Fidget Seat 

Connect, Move & Learn:
Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses
Follow Katy on Substack
Try Katy's Virtual Studio Free for 7 days!
Made Possible By Our Wonderful Sponsors:
My Happy Feet: Toe-spacing socks that gently realign toes for comfortable shoe recovery—take 20% off with code MYDNA
Movemate: Active standing boards with smoothly articulating wooden slats. Designed to keep you moving without interrupting your focus.
Freet Barefoot: creators of comfortable barefoot shoes built for natural movement, flexibility, and durability— use code DNA10 for 10% off.
ScreenFit™: a complete online vision training program —take $200 off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENT
Venn Design: Beautifully upholstered ball-shaped Air Chairs and floor cushions that encourage dynamic sitting
Earth Runners:  makers of minimalist earthing sandals designed for natural foot movement and connection to the ground— use code DNA10 for 10% off.
Ikaria Design: The Soul Seat® offers height-adjustable, multi-position sitting—get 10% off new chairs and desks with code DNA10