Stretching your feet every day helps prevent a wide array of painful foot conditions.
It is no secret that our feet have some serious hard work to do every day, but simple stretches and daily foot care can go a long way! Whether you’re looking to prevent injuries, reduce pain and soreness, improve strength and flexibility, or simply to relax and unwind, relieve your feet with these at-home stretches and start incorporating them into your daily routine.
All it takes is just 5 minutes a day, 1 minute per stretch, to keep those foot conditions away:
Stretch #1: Arch Roll
Start your stretch with arch rolls as a quick warm-up and to relieve pain associated with plantar fasciitis, where inflammation happens under the heel. All you need is a small cylindrical or round accessory, like a golf ball, a can, or even a bottle of water to get started:
- Simply place the arch of your foot over your accessory of choice.
- Roll your foot forward and back for about 30 seconds each.
Stretch #2: Foot Flex
Then, get going with a foot flex to alleviate intensified foot pain like plantar fasciitis or heel spur, a condition that causes sharp pain when standing, swelling, and bone-like protrusion under the heel. You can perform a foot flex at any time of the day:
- Sit on the floor with your feet extending in front of you.
- Stretch your hands to your toes and pull back as far as you can for about 10 seconds.
- Release gently and repeat this about 2 to 3 times, alternating between both feet.
Stretch #3: Toe Splay
Once your feet are relaxed, do a quick toe splay to relieve tightness between your toes and gain better control of your toe muscles. You can perform this seated on the floor with your feet relaxed, or on a chair with your feet gently resting on the floor:
- Spread all toes apart as far as you are comfortable, and hold for 5-6 seconds.
- Release gently and repeat this about 10 times for both feet.
- Wrap an elastic band around your toes, if you like, for added resistance and strength training.
Stretch #4: Achilles Stretch
Continue your stretches with the Achilles stretch to relieve foot, ankle, or leg pain, strengthen your Achilles tendon that connects your calf muscles to the heel, and treat Achilles tendinitis, a condition with tight and stiff calf muscle and pain above the heel. Simply perform this against a wall with ample space:
- Face the wall with your palms resting flat against it.
- Step one foot back with the knee straightened, while the other foot in front of you with a slightly bent knee. Keep both heels flat on the floor.
- Gently lean your hips forward while in this position until you feel the strain in your Achilles tendon.
- Hold for 30 seconds before switching your feet and repeating on each side.
Stretch #5: Bent-Knee Heel Raise
Wrap your stretches with a bent-knee heel raise that is also focused on your Achilles tendon, designed to prepare your feet to endure contact with the ground and strengthen your muscles for running, standing, walking, and other forms of movements:
- Slowly stand on your left foot with your knees bent slightly, as you lift your right foot away from the ground to a comfortable height.
- Raise your left heel off the floor while maintaining your balance and bent knees until you stand on tiptoe.
- Hold for 10 seconds before relaxing, and repeat this 3 times each, alternating between your left and right foot.
With the progressive stress and pressure on different parts of our feet, it is important that you practice consistent foot stretches to strengthen your muscles, bones, ligaments, and tendons to protect your feet and improve overall body support. Simply repeat these stretches as soon as you get up and before bed for better results, and don’t forget to get those feet moisturized and protected with Ellgy Plus after your daily stretches to keep your feet in their best condition!
References
https://www.everydayhealth.com/fitness/stretches-to-do-right-now-if-youre-on-your-feet-all-day/
https://feetfirstclinic.com/blog/5-foot-stretches-in-5-minutes/
https://barefootscientist.com/blogs/footprint/the-5-foot-stretches-everyone-needs-to-know
https://www.everydayhealth.com/foot-health/foot-exercises.aspx
https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/foot-exercises
https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/exercises-for-healthy-feet
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320964#flexibility-and-mobility
