You know you need to exercise the rest of your body, but what do you do for your feet? Unless you are a dancer, most people take passive measures to help with foot issues, like orthotics and massage, but do not necessarily know how to actively manage them. Here are some basic foot strengthening and stretching exercises which may help with mobility and pain, or even prevent pain and cramps.
If you are having more serious pain or mobility issues with your feet, please come and see me (Kelly) for an assessment, treatment and advice. But, in the meanwhile, you can try some of these healthy feet exercises too!
- Feet cat-cows: Sit upright in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Alternate between curling your toes under and lifting through the arch then moving through a flat foot on the floor to drawing your forefoot and toes up off the floor so only the heel is in contact with the floor. Try to squeeze as far as you can into each position.
- Toe splay: Spread your toes as far away from each other as you can. Hold for 5 secs, repeat 10x.
- Toe splay stance: Spread your toes and place them gently onto the floor. Ensure the base knuckle of your 1st toe is firmly contacting the floor and hold for 5-10secs. You can stay seated or try and keep this foot position and transition into standing.
- Ball massage: Use a tennis/golf ball to massage the soft tissue of the soles of the feet for 2-5mins. I may be uncomfortable if you are very tight so go gently if you need to. You will become less sensitive the more you do it.
- Stretches: big toe, all toes, calf.
