The American Podiatric Medical Association reported that up to 77 percent of all adults in America experience foot pain and sore feet. Whether it’s caused by being on your feet all day or not moving them enough, the good news is you can tend to your foot pain easily from home.
For many able-bodied people, the feet are responsible for carrying around bodyweight all day, every day, so it’s important to exercise and stretch, keeping them strong and healthy. Exercising isn’t limited to going for a walk; It includes putting your feet through range of motion exercises and stretches, many of which you can easily do at home. The benefits of exercise include not only weight loss and muscle building, but also pain relief, among many other things. So if you include these into your daily routine or program, you will feel that frustrating foot pain melt away.
Continue reading below to discover how to stretch feet correctly and without injury.
Big toe exercise
Do you know the awful feeling of having your toes squashed in shoes that are too tight or a bit too small? Well, this exercise has three stages designed to stretch your big toe, relieve soreness, and maintain a wide range of motion that is often limited by uncomfortable footwear.
To stretch properly, ensure that you’re sitting up straight in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Place your left foot up on your right thigh and use your fingers to slowly stretch your big toe up and down. Then pull the big toe gently from side to side to capture the full range of motion. Repeat each stretch of the same toe at least ten times, then switch feet and repeat.
Toe curls
Toe curls are a great, easy to do exercise, which helps to stretch your feet and toes’ flexor muscles.
In order to do this exercise properly, sit up straight in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Place a small towel on the floor right in front of your feet and try to grab the towel with the toes of one foot and pull it closer to yourself (using only your toes, not the sole of your foot). Return the towel to its starting position, repeat five times, then switch feet
To make this exercise a little more difficult, place a light-weight object on the opposite end of the towel to weigh it down a bit.
Sand walking
Believe it or not, walking barefoot in dry sand is one of the most effective and easiest ways the stretch your feet! You can enjoy a beautiful ocean or lakefront view while completing your daily stretching regimen. The texture of soft, dry sand makes it harder to walk and is more demanding of the muscles in your feet, strengthening and stretching your feet as you go about your day.
To do this exercise properly, find an area with fine, dry sand, such as regions with dunes, beach volleyball courts, or soft-sand beaches. Remove your socks and shoes and take a slow walk through the dry sand. Be sure to increase the distance you walk slowly, as it’s possible to overexert the muscles in your feet if you walk too much too soon.
Toe splay
For this easy exercise, simply spend a few moments spreading your toes out from each other without straining. Try doing this with both feet simultaneously and then one foot at a time.
To complete this movement properly, sit straight up in a chair and put your bare feet flat on the floor. Spread your toes out from each other as far as you can without discomfort and repeat ten times. To add difficulty to this exercise and build up more foot strength, you can place a rubber band around your toes.
Marble pickup
This exercise is designed to stretch and increase the muscles’ strength on the underside of your toes and feet, using a similar movement as the weighted towel exercise.
To begin, sit up straight in a chair and place your bare feet flat on the floor. Take two bowls and place them on the floor in front of your feet with one bowl being empty and the other bowl filled with marbles. Use only the toes of one foot and pick up marbles one at a time and place them in the empty bowl. Repeat with the other foot, slowly moving the marbles from bowl to bowl.
When to see a doctor
Minor foot pain is common and normal, especially if you spend long periods of time on your feet or wear uncomfortable shoes. The exercises listed above can help alleviate much of the suffering caused by simply using your feet too much. However, if you have constant soreness, it may be time to schedule an appointment to see your doctor. This is especially true if stretches, foot exercises, and rest don’t mitigate the pain.
BlissMark provides information regarding health, wellness, and beauty. The information within this article is not intended to be medical advice. Before starting any diet or exercise routine, consult your physician. If you don’t have a primary care physician, the United States Health & Human Services department has a free online tool that can help you locate a clinic in your area. We are not medical professionals, have not verified or vetted any programs, and in no way intend our content to be anything more than informative and inspiring.
