Many people experience foot or ankle pain at one time or another. Keeping your feet strong can help alleviate these pains and improve overall health and flexibility. Exercising and stretching your feet and ankles regularly helps ensure that the muscles provide the best possible support. These exercises can also increase the range of motion in the feet, allowing a person to stay active for as long as possible. Most foot exercises are simple and do not require complicated equipment. People can do them at home or at the gym as part of a regular exercise routine.
The following exercises can improve the flexibility and mobility of the feet.
1. Raise, point and curl your toes
This exercise has three stages and helps to strengthen all parts of the feet and toes.
To do this exercise:
Sit upright in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
Keeping your toes on the floor, raise your heels. Stop when only the balls of your feet remain on the ground.
Hold this position for 5 seconds before lowering your heels.
For the second step, lift your heels and point your toes so that only the tips of your big and second toes are touching the ground.
Hold this position for 5 seconds before lowering your heels.
For the third step, lift your heels and curl your toes in so that only the tips of your toes are touching the floor. Hold this position for 5 seconds.
Develop flexibility and mobility by repeating each step 10 times.
2. Big Toe Stretch
It is important to maintain a wide range of motion in the big toe. The following exercise also has three steps and is designed to stretch and relieve pain in your toes from wearing tight shoes.
To do this exercise:
Sit upright in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
Place the left foot on the right thigh.
Using your fingers, gently stretch your big toe up, down, and to the sides.
Hold your big toe in each position for 5 seconds.
Repeat this exercise 10 times before switching to the other foot.
The following exercises can help improve foot strength.
3. Separation of the toes
The finger separation exercise can improve control of the finger muscles. You can do this on both feet at once or alternate feet, whichever is most comfortable for you.
To do this exercise:
Sit in a straight-backed chair with your feet flat on the floor.
Spread your toes as far apart as possible without straining. Hold this position for 5 seconds.
Repeat this movement 10 times.
Once a person has built up strength, they can try wrapping a rubber band around their toes. This provides resistance and makes the exercise more difficult.
4. Finger Curl
Doing finger curls develops the flexor muscles in the toes and feet, which improves overall strength.
To do this exercise:
Sit upright in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
Place a small towel on the floor in front of your body, with the small side facing your feet.
Place the toes of one foot on the short side of the towel. Try to grab the towel between your toes and pull it towards you. Repeat this exercise five times before switching to the other foot.
To make this exercise more difficult, try pressing down on the opposite end of the towel with an object.
5. Collect marbles
Picking up marbles can increase muscle strength in the soles of the feet and toes.
To do this exercise:
Sit upright in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
Place an empty bowl and a bowl with 20 marbles on the floor in front of your feet.
Using only the toes of one foot, pick up each marble and place it in the empty container.
Repeat this exercise with the other foot.
6. Walking on the sand
Walking barefoot on the sand is a great way to stretch and strengthen your feet and calves. It’s good overall exercise because the soft texture of the sand makes walking more physically demanding.
To do this exercise:
Head to a beach, volleyball court, or anywhere else with sand.
Take off your shoes and socks.
Walk as far as possible. Try to increase the distance slowly over time to avoid overloading your feet and calf muscles.
exercises for pain
The following exercises may be helpful in relieving pain.
7. Toe Extension
Toe extension is helpful in preventing or treating plantar fasciitis, which is a condition that causes pain in the heel when walking and difficulty lifting the toes.
To do this exercise:
Sit upright in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
Place the left foot on the right thigh.
Pull the toes towards the ankle. You should feel a stretch along the bottom of your foot and heel tendon.
Hold this position for 10 seconds. Massaging the arch of the foot during the stretch helps relieve tension and pain.
Repeat this exercise 10 times on each foot.
Rolling a golf ball under your foot can help relieve arch discomfort and decrease pain associated with plantar fasciitis.
To do this exercise:
Sit upright in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
Place a golf ball, or other small, hard ball, on the ground at your feet.
Put one foot on the ball and move it by pressing as hard as you want. The ball should massage the bottom of the foot.
Continue for 2 minutes, then repeat on the other foot.
An ice cold bottle of water can be a relaxing alternative.
9. Achilles heel stretch
The Achilles tendon is a cord that connects the heel to the calf muscles. It can get out of shape easily, but keeping it strong can help relieve foot, ankle, or leg pain.
To do this exercise:
Stand facing a wall and raise your arms so that your palms are flat against the wall.
Step back with one foot, keeping the knee straight. Then, bend the knee of the opposite leg.
Keep both heels flat on the ground.
Push your hips forward until you feel a stretching sensation in your Achilles tendon and calf muscles.
Hold this position for 30 seconds before switching sides. Repeat three times on each side.
For a slightly different stretch, bend your back knee and push your hips forward.
Foot Health and Safety Tips
To help keep your feet strong and healthy:
Perform a thorough warm-up before exercising.
Wear supportive shoes for your daily activities and sports.
Replace worn out shoes as often as possible.
Slowly build strength and flexibility to condition feet and ankles.
Avoid uneven surfaces, especially when running. Try not to run uphill too often.
Listen to your body. Do not overdo the activities.
Prevent any recurrence of the injury by resting and seeking proper treatment.
Summary
It is good for keeping your feet and ankles healthy. Performing the above exercises can help relieve existing pain, prevent discomfort, and reduce the risk of injury.
People with a diagnosed foot condition, such as plantar fasciitis or a torn Achilles tendon, can try exercises to help. Always consult a health professional, if possible, before starting a new exercise and stretching program.
* HealthKey strives to convey health knowledge in a language accessible to all. In NO EVENT can the information provided replace the opinion of a health professional.
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Toe foot Achilles tendon