Foot Strengthening Exercises

80% of us have foot pain at some point in our lives.

If we do some foot strengthening exercises along with stretching and massaging our feet we can avoid the pain or keep it at bay to the most point.

One of the most important foot exercises you can do daily is to walk barefoot...on a safe and cushioned surface of course!

This a great way to help strengthen the arches of our feet and help to articulate and improve the flexibility of the foot and ankles.

The foot does many different things for us:

- Supports our body weight.

- Acts as a shock absorber.

- Serves as a lever to propel our leg forward to help our walking gait.

- Helps us to maintain our balance by adjusting the body to uneven surfaces. Walking barefoot can help with this.

Also, Doing foot and ankle exercises while balancing barefoot can help too!

So, Take care of your feet...

First, wear proper fitting shoes, make sure your toe base is wide enough to accommodate all your toes and there should be a finger width space at the top of the shoe to allow for a slight amount of foot movement forward as you walk.

Next, try these foot exercises that both stretch and strengthen your feet.

Foot Strengthening Exercise; Plantar Flexion:

Pointing the toes or plantar flexion. Doing this with the resistance of an exercise band helps you to get the maximum amount of stretch and resistance.

Position:

Sitting with your legs straight and the band wrapped wide around the ball of the foot and toes.

Tension the band with your feet flexed or pointed up to get a stretch and then point the foot or press the ball of the foot into the band to really strengthen the foot, ankle, and calf muscles.

Repeat on each foot 10-20 times.

This a good way to exercise flat feet, to help strengthen your arches.

Dosiflexion:

Pulling the toes up towards your nose, similar to lifting them when we walk.  

This is one of the best foot exercises you can do to keep your balance and avoid shuffling your feet!

Position:

Sitting with your legs straight and the band wrapped around the top of your foot and secured to an object for resistance.

Pull your toes up against resistance pointing them up to the ceiling, then release back to a pointed foot.

Repeat for 10-20 repetitions on each foot.

Check out more great information about exercises to do for treating your feet below:

Find out why your feet hurt and what you can do for them by going here.

Find out what to do for pronated or supinated feet by going to this page.

Foot Exercise Machine for Flat Feet.

Leave foot strengthening exercises and find out more about how Pilates exercises can benefit you.

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