5 Simple Exercises for Healthy Feet
You feet bear the weight of your body.
Whether it is about running errands, standing all day long, or just doing your
job that puts a lot of pressure on your feet, they are often the last thing
that people think of taking care about. As a result, most of them often suffer
from sore feet, foot and ankle pain, or other foot disorders. Perhaps you do not
know that by doing a few simple exercises at home, you can strengthen your
feet, alleviate soreness and pain, and enjoy better foot health and
flexibility. Here are five such simple exercises:
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1. Calf raise: This is ideal
for strengthening your feet and the calves in addition to improving balance.
Stand close to a doorway or a counter and hold on to it lightly for balance. Raise
your heels a few inches until you are on your toes and your calf muscles feel a
stretch. Hold the position for 10 seconds, and then return to your original
position. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
2. Toe splay: This improves
control on your toe muscles. Depending on your level of comfort, you can do it
on alternate feet or on both feet all at once. To do the toe splays, you need
to sit up straight in a chair with your feet resting gently on the ground.
Next, without straining your toes, spread them apart as much as possible, and
hold this position for 5 seconds. Do this motion for 10 reps. Once you have
built up some strength in your toes, you can make the exercise more challenging
by looping a rubber band around your toes as it will offer a better degree of resistance.
3. Toe raise, point, and curl: This 3-segment exercise will strengthen all parts of your feet and
toes. To do it, sit in a chair with your back straight and your feet resting
gently on the ground. The first step is to keep your toes on the floor and
raise the heels until just the balls of your feet remain on the ground. For 5
seconds, hold this position and then lower your heels to the resting position.
The second step involves raising and pointing the toes upward. Hold this
position for 5 seconds and afterwards, return to the resting position. The
third step involves raising the toes and curling them inward in such a way that
just the tips of your toes touch the floor. For 5 seconds, hold this position
and then return to the resting position. Repeat every step 10 times.
4. Toe grip: This helps strengthen
the foot muscles to boost balance. Drop a handkerchief, sock, or any other
piece of material on the ground and make your toes grip and lift it off. Hold the
position for 10 seconds, and release afterwards. Repeat the motion 5 times with
each foot.
5. Calf stretch: This avoids
the plantar fasciae and Achilles tendons from getting tight. To do it, sit
straight on a chair and stretch out your left leg in front of you. Wrap a towel
around the ball of your foot and pull it back slowly so that there is a feel of
stretch in the calf and the arch of your foot. Hold the position for 10 seconds,
and release afterwards. Repeat the motion on your right leg. Do it for a total
of 10 times (5 on each leg).
Make sure to set aside a few minutes in
your daily routine to do these exercises to make your feet stronger, more
balanced, and healthy.
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