The feet are the unsung heroes of the human body. They not only transport us and endure each one of our steps, but they also set the foundation for how we cove the rest of our bodies.
Here's a comprehensive list of sensory mats and floor texture devices to help you strengthen your body and optimise your movement.
Why Do Sensory Mats Exist, What's The Problem?
Think about the environment and types of floors that you spend most of your time in...
If you're anything like me, that's smooth consistent surfaces with barely any variance. I'm thinking concrete, wooden floors, carpets. Nothing to make the foot move in a dynamic way.
This is a problem for one main reason. The foot is designed to move across a landscape that is NOT smooth. These smooth surfaces are a modern thing. Whilst for sure comfortable, it means that by not working out these smaller muscles in our feet, they weaken over time, just like an arm in a cast.
You end up with weak, underused feet leading to overuse injuries in the muscles you do use and potentially severe injuries if you encounter a surface you're not used to (like when hiking).
Of course, the simplest solution would be to go barefoot in nature across a variety of surfaces, but sadly that's not possible for most of us. So if you can't go to the floor, bring the floor to you.
Enter sensory mats. Designed to stimulate the nervous system and provide the variance most of us are missing in our lives, here's a list of texture devices you can easily add to your life.
Naboso Standing Desk Mat
Naboso mats are designed to stimulate the bottom of the feet when working at a standing desk. It promotes blood flow and helps avoid postural fatigue by waking up the body and nervous system throughout the day.
Get 10% discount with code: MINIMAL-LIST
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Xero Shoes Rox Mat
Do you want to work out your feet or stretch them? Do you have a tight area that needs to be exercised? Or would simply caring for your soles appeal to you? The Xero Rox Mat is fantastic if you want to exercise your feet or give them a nice stretch.
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Kone X Active Mat
This mat is softer and compresses more underfoot. They sell interconnecting mats so you can chain them together to use the KONE-X Active Mat for your workouts, showers, yoga, cooking, and even just relaxing.
Get 10% discount with code: MINIMAL-LIST10
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Barefu Floor Dots
By standing and gently trampling on 12 pieces of DOTS, which can be placed anywhere in any pattern you want, you activate and stimulate individual points on the sole of the foot. They're also beautiful and sustainable.
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Muffik Sensory Mats
The Muffik Play Mats have a variety of hard and soft surfaces in both regular and mini sizes making them flexible for who you want them in your home. They're marketed towards kids but don't be fooled, these will work for adults too.
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Conclusion
So there you have it! A variety of sensory mats and floor texture devices to suit your every need. Be sure to check out the websites for more information on the products, as well as reviews from others who have used them.