Keeping your feet healthy is one of the ways you can keep pain and problems at bay. This is why foot exercises remain a crucial part of proper foot health, allowing you to keep your feet healthy and well throughout the years.
One of the most important payoffs of doing foot exercises is the ability to alleviate foot pain. If you are in this bind, you can do some of these exercises and reduce the risk of injury over time. Below are some 3 exercises to try to ease your aching feet.
- Ball Roll
One of the most common causes of foot pain is plantar fasciitis. This condition tends to put on additional tension on the foot and the heel itself. It can cause stabbing pain to the person, especially when it can result in small tears in the plantar fascia itself, otherwise known as the tissue that connects the heel bone to the base of the toes.
Rolling a golf or even tennis ball on your feet is a great way to relieve pain and discomfort on the arches and heels. This likewise aids in stretching the plantar fascia. Alternatively, you can also use a frozen water bottle or even a lacrosse ball to massage your feet.
To do this, simply sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Place the golf ball or tennis ball on the floor next to your foot and lay your foot on it. Press down as hard as you can and move the ball around to massage various areas on your foot for around 2 minutes.
- Standing Calf Raise
Running can likewise stress and pain in the feet, making them prone to inflammation. This can even lead to nerve pain since the nerves can get trapped between ligaments and metatarsal bones. Cramping is yet another effect of running, especially when many runners rely on their big toe to push them off.
A standing calf raise allows you to build arch strength and engage your soleus and gastrocnemius muscles in the leg. To do this, stand shoulder-width apart and raise your heels until you are putting most of your weight onto your toes. Lower your heels back to the ground and repeat.
- Stretching Your Achilles Tendon
The Achilles tendon is one of the most commonly used tissues in the body. It undergoes a lot of stress and pressure even when you’re doing simple everyday activities. It can become swollen and inflamed, resulting in tendonitis.
Keeping your Achilles tendon in shape can prevent unwanted foot, leg, or even ankle pain. Do this foot exercise by standing facing a wall and resting your palms flat against it.
Put one foot back, taking care to ensure that your knee is kept straight at all times. Bend the knee of the opposite leg. Make sure that both of your heels are kept flat on the floor. Push your hips toward the wall until you feel a stretch in your calf muscles and Achilles tendon. Repeat on both sides.
The Bottom Line
Your feet bear a lot of weight and pressure every single day. By doing these simple exercises, you can help keep the pain at bay and reduce the risk of injuries.
If your foot pain persists or if these have escalated, consulting with a reliable foot doctor is the best way to go. They can guide you through these exercises and even do the necessary surgery to keep your feet happy and healthy.
