The human foot is made up of 26 bones and approximately 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments. It is also the part of the body that bears most of the weight; it is therefore not uncommon for people to experience pain in their lower extremities at one point or another or to be diagnosed with some foot disease. The problems that cause suffering are hallux valgus, pronation, flat arches, hammer toes, plantar fasciitis, cramps and muscle contractures. You can solve several of these ailments by doing exercises to stretch your muscles and reduce tension.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Strengthening Exercises
Step 1. Get advice
If you experience pain in your feet and ankles, you should see your family doctor or podiatrist. If the pain doesn't go away even with rest, ice and limb lifting, there could be a fracture. This injury is even more likely if the disorder is accompanied by swelling, bruising or discolouration of the skin; you must seek medical attention and undergo an x-ray to confirm or rule out this possibility.
If you have a broken bone or other injury, ask your doctor if there are any physical therapy exercises you can do
Step 2. Try toe raises
Sit with your feet flat on the ground; lift your big toe slightly while keeping the other toes on the floor. Keep practicing this way until you can lift each toe, one at a time, starting with the big toe and ending with the fifth; then lift each finger individually in reverse order. Repeat two sets of 15 lifts.
- If you experience difficulty at first, just raise and lower your big toe until you develop good control. then gradually move on to the other fingers until you are able to move all five individually.
- This exercise is designed to strengthen the extensor muscles that cause the fingers to rise and fall. According to the US Summit Medical Group, having strong extensors and flexors is a great help for balance, stride and to protect the feet from injuries resulting from accidents.
Step 3. Curl your fingers
Place a cloth on the ground under your right foot; straighten your fingers and then curl them in an attempt to grab the fabric. Lift the sheet 3-5 cm from the floor and hold it for 5 seconds; bring it back to the ground and do five repetitions before switching to the left foot.
- Relax your muscles after each hold;
- Gradually increase the duration of the exercise by holding the cloth raised for 10 seconds each time;
- This movement mainly strengthens the flexor muscles.
Step 4. Lift the marbles
Put 20 on the ground along with a small bowl and sit on the sofa or chair leaning back in a relaxed manner; use one foot to grab one marble at a time and transfer it to the container. Afterwards, put the balls back on the ground and repeat the whole procedure with the other foot. The exercise focuses on the intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the lower limbs; It is also very useful for managing plantar fasciitis, as well as for recovering from injuries, such as a sprained big toe joint.
Step 5. Write the letters of the alphabet
Sit on the sofa and relax by leaning back; straighten one leg and lift it so that the foot is several inches from the floor. Trace the alphabet in the air using the big toe as a "pencil"; then switch to the other leg and repeat the exercise. By doing this, you make your extensors and flexors stronger.
- You can also reduce pain caused by plantar fasciitis and bunion sprain, as well as pain from other issues. it is particularly effective during ankle rehabilitation.
- Make small movements and use your ankle, foot and toe joints.
Step 6. Try finger extensions
Wrap a rubber band around the middle portion of all five toes on your right foot. Make sure the band offers medium resistance so that it yields slightly; stretch your toes trying to separate from each other, so that the elastic stretches as far as possible. Hold the tension for five seconds and then relax; repeat five extensions for each limb.
- Remember to relax your muscles for about five seconds;
- This movement involves the extrinsic and intrinsic musculature, it represents a part of the treatment for plantar fasciitis and for the distortion of the big toe.
Step 7. Do the big toe pulls
Wrap a rubber band around your big toes, keeping your feet close to each other and spreading your toes apart without separating your ankles; try to stretch the elastic as much as possible. Relax your muscles for five seconds between each tension and repeat the movement five times.
In this way, you stimulate the intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the feet
Step 8. Do ankle inversions with resistance
Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you. Tie the end of an elastic resistance band to a stable object, such as a heavy table leg. the object should be on the side of your body, near your feet. Wrap the other end of the band around the extended forefoot towards the table; move your ankle to move your foot away from the table trying to overcome the resistance exerted by the elastic band.
- Perform two sets of 15 movements;
- This exercise helps strengthen the tibia and malleolus muscles located on the sides of the ankle, as well as preventing and treating sprains.
Step 9. Perform resistance ankle eversions
This exercise is very similar to the one described above. Sit on the ground with your legs stretched out in front of you; the elastic band is in the same position as the one for inversions, but this time you need to wrap it around the arch of the foot instead of the forefoot. Move your foot up and out in the opposite direction to the resistance of the elastic.
- Do two sets of 15 repetitions;
- With these movements the tibial and fibula muscles located on the sides of the ankle become stronger, treating and preventing joint sprains.
Step 10. Engage in calf raises
Stand upright in front of a wall, shelf, or other stable object. Place your hands on the wall in front of you and lift onto your toes by lifting your heels; from this position return to the ground again, while keeping your balance with your hands on the wall. Repeat the exercise 10 times, taking care to rest the sole of the foot completely on the floor.
If you want to make the exercise a little more complex, do the exercise balancing on one leg at a time and doing 10 repetitions on each limb
Method 2 of 3: Foot and Ankle Stretch Exercises
Step 1. Check the range of motion of the ankle
Sit with your legs stretched out in front of you; point your toes towards your body without moving your legs, trying to reach maximum tension without feeling pain. Hold the position for five seconds before directing your toes in the opposite direction and tensing the muscles for another 10 seconds; finally, rotate the ankles clockwise and counterclockwise 10 times each.
- This exercise was developed by the American Summit Medical Group Physical Rehabilitation Center and allows you to increase the range of motion or flexibility of the ankles.
- According to this organization, a better flexibility and strength of the muscles of these joints (especially the tibial ones) contributes to greatly reduce injuries such as sprains.
- Use this series of movements as a warm-up phase for the rest of your other stretching exercises.
Step 2. Do plantar pushups
This is a similar exercise to warm up the muscles but more focused. Sit on a sofa with your legs stretched out in front of you and your feet perpendicular to them; Bring your toes towards your body as far as you can while keeping your legs close to the floor. Try to stretch your feet as far as possible so that your heel and toes move in a straight line; hold the tension for five seconds, relax, and then push your feet away from your body as much as possible.
- Perform 15 repetitions while moving both feet at the same time; you can do the exercise even when you are lying down.
- To achieve a deep stretch, you can use an elastic resistance band;
- By pointing your fingers away from your body, you strengthen the calf muscles.
Step 3. Try the dorsiflexions
Sit in a chair and flex your right foot; wrap a large cloth around the end and pull it towards you. Let the foot muscles stretch as much as possible without pain. hold the stretch for 10 seconds and repeat the exercise three times for each limb.
- This movement stretches the shin muscles making them more flexible; this feature, together with flexible and strong calves, allows you to completely heal from plantar fasciitis.
- You can also incorporate an elastic resistance band; wrap it around a table leg, step away from it, tie the other end around your foot and bring your toes towards you overcoming the resistance of the band.
Step 4. Try Achilles Tendon Stretches
Stand on the ladder; back up a step until only the forefoot is resting and the heels are over the edge. Grab the handrail or put your hands on the side walls to ensure balance; Gradually lower your heels towards the bottom step until you feel the stretch in the calf muscles. Hold the position for 15-30 seconds and relax; do three repetitions.
This exercise stretches the calf muscles and, according to the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society, is an integral part of treatment for plantar fasciitis. The reason lies in the fact that contracted calves make it difficult to fully flex and relax the heels, factors that are indispensable for healing from pain
Step 5. Try the calf stretch
Face a wall with your hands resting on it to ensure balance; Bring one leg forward and bend the knee slightly. Extend the other behind you without lifting your foot off the ground and lean forward until you feel the pull in the calf; hold the position for 15-30 seconds and perform three repetitions.
In this way, you stretch the soleus muscle, one of the main muscles of the calf
Step 6. Stretch your finger flexors
Stand in front of a wall with your hands supported to ensure good balance; stretch your leg behind you and point your toes to the ground. Relax the muscle and feel the stretch in the ankle; hold the position for 15-30 seconds, pausing to rest in case you feel a cramp in your fingers. Do three repetitions for each foot.
- Gradually increase the duration of the stretch up to one minute;
- This exercise is designed to stretch the flexors of the feet which aid in the movement of the extremities relative to the legs.
Method 3 of 3: Massage the Feet
Step 1. Learn the importance of massage
Doctors and physiotherapists emphasize the fundamental role of this practice, which relaxes the muscles but also increases blood circulation in the area. The massage prevents injuries, such as strains and sprains.
Step 2. Use a ball
Sit in a chair and place a tennis, golf, or lacrosse ball under your right forefoot (the tennis ball is perhaps the most comfortable solution); roll it with your foot, moving it along the sole up to the heel. Keep the movement for two minutes, you should feel a pleasant massage.
Try to move the ball towards the toes and towards the heel with circular movements to improve the effectiveness of the massage; then switch to the left foot for another two minutes
Step 3. Perform a plantar fascia self-massage
Sit on a chair, place your right foot on the left thigh and gently massage the arch of the foot with circular movements of the thumb; move along the sole of the foot trying to relax the muscles. Place your fingers between your toes and intertwine them. Hold this position for thirty seconds, then move on to a single massage of each toe to release tension.
Advice
- Before committing to this therapeutic path, ask your doctor or physiotherapist for advice to find out which exercises are appropriate for your specific goal.
- Don't ignore the pain caused by the exercises; inform your doctor or therapist immediately for further instructions, to prevent injury, or to avoid getting hurt again during the recovery phase.
- If your feet are particularly sore, soak them in warm water and Epsom salt. this product has been shown to be effective in relieving pain, stiffness and muscle cramps. Take a 10-20 minute foot bath or until the water cools.
- You should tell your doctor or physical therapist if you notice new discomfort, the pain is worse than usual, reaches or exceeds the fifth out of ten on the pain scale, prevents you from walking or putting weight on your foot, conveys a different sensation or more intense than before or is accompanied by redness, swelling or discolouration of the skin.
