Exercise in any form is good and regularly exercising and stretching is good for our health. The importance of foot exercise is even more because our entire body weight rests on our foot. Taking proper care of our feet along with doing foot and lower leg exercise normally can lessen muscle irritation and keep our general foot well being improved.
Gentle stretching and strengthening exercises increase the chances of a healthy foot and improve flexibility. Foot exercise improves the range of motion in the feet and keeps you active.
While most of the foot exercise and Physical Therapy doesn’t need any gym equipment, and you can practice most of them while staying at home.
Best foot exercises for healthy feet
Exercises to extend and fortify your feet:
1. Toe raise, point and curl
- Sit straight on a chair while keeping your feet flat on the floor.
- Keep your toes flat on the ground and raise heels till the balls of feet and toes touch the ground.
- Hold for 5 seconds in this position and lower your heels.
- Point your toes as only the ends of your big and second toes, touch the ground.
- Hold for 5 seconds.
- Then raise your heels from the ground and roll your toes and let the tops of your toes touch the ground.
- Hold for 5 more seconds. You can repeat these 3 steps of exercise 10 times.
2. Toe extension
- Sit straight on a backed-chair, keep your feet flat on the floor.
- Pick your right foot up and place it on your left thigh.
- Hold your toes with your hand and pull them towards your ankle as it feels like stretching along the bottom of your foot and heel cord.
- Massage the arch of the foot with the other hand while stretching. Hold on for 10 seconds or as long as you can.
- Repeat 10 times on each foot.
3. Foot circles with toe flexed
- Keep your toe curled – don’t keep it tight as you may hurt the foot.
- Keep on making a circular structure on air from one direction to another and then switch the direction.
- You can take short breaks to relax your foot. Do 10-15 reps in each direction for 2-3 sets
4. Toe splay
Do you want to improve control over toe muscles? Toe Splay is the best exercise for this.
Steps:
- Rets your foot on the floor while sitting on a straight-backed chair.
- Without straining, try to spread your toes as much as you can.
- Hold for 5 seconds.
- You can also use a looping rubber band around your toes to improve your resistance and make the exercise a bit harder.
5. Achilles stretch
Achilles tendon is otherwise known as the heel cord is at the back of your lower leg. If you can keep it flexible, then it can prevent leg and ankle pain along with foot pain.
Steps:
- Stand up facing towards a wall and keep your arms stretched out and palms on the wall.
- Spot one foot back behind you with your knee straight, and twist the knee on your other leg.
- Change your position with the goal that the two heels are level on the floor.
- Fit forward from the hips until you feel a stretch in your Achilles ligament and lower leg muscle.
- Hold for 30 seconds before exchanging sides. Rehash multiple times on each side.
- Switch your legs and repeat.
- Don’t try this if you’ve an Ankle replacement.
6. Sand walking
Strolling shoeless on sand is an extraordinary method to extend and reinforce the feet and calves. This is a decent exercise by and large since sand’s delicate surface makes strolling more truly fruitful for your legs. It works as an Acupuncture therapy
- Start walking through sand (Beach or a volleyball court) barefoot for some time.
7. Tennis ball roll
Rolling a tennis ball under your feet can assist with alleviate uneasiness in the curves and helps in pain related to plantar fasciitis. It works as a Sports Therapy.
Steps:
- Sit straight on a chair, resting your foot on the floor.
- Place a tennis ball under your feet.
- Roll the ball around with your foot. Keep massaging your bottom of the foot.
- You can decrease or increase the pressure as needed.
- After 2 minutes, repeat for another foot.
Bottom line
Our feet and lower legs are significant, and we are unable to stand, walk, run without them. But we neglect our lower limbs until something goes wrong. Stop living with the pain in ankles, feet, and calves. Follow any or all of the exercise mentioned above to keep your foot health and strengthen. Before starting with any of the exercises, don’t forget to warm up. Walk around for some time to get some blood flowing before you stretch your ligaments and muscles.
