It’s no surprise our feet hurt; our ____lbs. (insert your weight here) of body weight have been on them all day for ____ (insert your age here) years! We shove them into shoes that may or may not fit properly, we jump, kick, pound on them; even a steel beam weakens if you hammer it long enough! If you have tired, achy feet these are some easy and effective exercises to refresh those sore tootsies. Ready to start? All you need is a frozen ice water bottle, chair, a comfortable place to stand where you can stretch out, and of course, your feet!
Roll it out - Ice decreases pain by decreasing inflammation. Grab a ¾ full frozen ice water bottle and sit comfortably in a chair. Sit forward in the chair keeping your knees at a 90 degree angle and over your ankles. Lay the ice bottle on the floor on its side. Slowly roll the foot over the bottle, pressing gently into the bottle. Try going back and forth first, then angle your foot in a V shape rolling out to the right and then in to the center and rolling out to the left. Continue for 5 minutes and switch to other side. You can do this as many times as feels good for you. You might want to keep an extra frozen bottle in the fridge though!
Yoga Handshake - This is my favorite crammed toes stretch & better than YogaToes. Sit comfortably in a chair. Cross right ankle over left knee. Thread your right fingers between your toes from under your foot—index finger between 1st and 2nd toe all the way to the pinky finger between 4th-5th toe. Your thumb can wrap around to cradle the top of the foot. Focus on spreading the toes out wide. Hold for 20 seconds, switch sides. Repeat x 2
Yoga Handshake II - The same stretch from the top of the foot. Sit comfortably in a chair. Cross right ankle over left knee. Thread your left fingers between your toes from the top of your foot—index finger between 1st and 2nd toe all the way to the pinky finger between 4th-5th toe. This one is a little harder, especially if your toes are crowded. Try for 20 seconds, switch sides. Repeat x 2.
Legs Up The Wall - This is a great pose to help reduce swelling in the legs and to rejuvenate and relax your sore aching muscles. You’ll need a wall or sturdy door which you can rest your legs on. Begin by facing the wall and have a seat. Shimmy your bottom so it’s against the wall and your legs are up on the wall. Your body should be in an L shape with your bum being the apex of the L. Use your hands for balance as you shift your weight, picking up your lower body and bringing it back down. Lower your back to the floor and lie down. Rest your shoulders and head. You may want a pillow here to relax your head. Again shift your weight from side-to-side get comfortable and let your arms rest open at your sides with your palms facing up. Let your hips sink into the floor. Close your eyes and focus in on your breathing. Try it for 7 minutes at the end of the day. Come out of the pose by pushing yourself away from the wall, sliding your legs down to one side, and using your hands to help press yourself back up into a seated position.
Try these every night for a week and your feet and legs will thank you! If your feet are always tired and painful, request an appointment today!