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10 foot exercises to protect your knees and back

Barefoot on the beach, with the sand caressing the soles of our feet, we awaken to their sensations. We see them, there they are, supporting us all the time. After a winter sheltered by stockings, socks and shoes of all kinds, we meet them again.

The feet constitute our link with Mother Earth, with the ground we walk on, whether it is a smooth surface in the city or an irregular relief in the countryside or the mountains.. They adapt, they give us stability, they provide us with balance.They cushion our jumps and are very light. They also preserve the bone and muscle structure of our body.

Can you ask for more? Taking into account the services they provide us, we should dedicate them a little more attention, care and affection.

A misalignment in the foot affects the whole body

Surprised to know that a foot is made up of 28 bones, of many different shapes and sizes. It is a large number of pieces that, like a puzzle, fit together perfectly.

Joints are found between each pair of bones, allowing mobility between them. The reason why the foot has so many bones and so small is precisely that: needs to continually adapt to the surfaceadopt a different position at each step.

If we look at any of the lower fingers, we will see that they are separated into two parts. Although the prehensile function, that of grasping, is almost forgotten for us, we still need that division to help us take off when it is time to take a step forward. Every bone and every joint plays an important role in that movement.: the ankle helps to move, the heel balances on all types of terrain, etc.

And how many steps do we take a day? A small mismatch in such a repeated process affects everyday life: stumbling blocks, disorientation, confusion… Sometimes it is enough to examine the sole of the shoes to verify that it is more worn on one side than on the other, an indication of a mismatch that can affect the body. That’s whyIt is important to be aware of how you stephow each foot is supported and the weight of the body is distributed.

In addition, an imbalance in the feet is transmitted upwards, so that the consequences in other parts of the body: knees, hips, back… even in the head. You will find more information at the end of the article, after the exercises.

foot exercises

That simple act of attention often improves balance and back alignment. Exercises to increase stability improve perception when stepping, are simple and require little time. They are always recommended, but they are essential if you have been immobilized for a long time.

1. Massage the feet

This exercise soothes tired feet. Place a folded bath towel on the floor and a plastic bottle filled with water on top. Massage the sole of the foot from top to bottomfrom the toes to the heel.

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On hot days you can fill the bottle with cold water, which activates the circulation and relaxes the foot. In winter, if you are cold you can do the exercise with hot water, which also relaxes.

Do it with both feet.

2. Relax the foot muscles

Sitting in a chair in a comfortable posture, bring one ankle over the knee of the opposite leg. He keep his back upright. Hold the ankle with one hand and all the toes of that foot with the other. Performing an undulating rhythmic movement mobilizes all the joints from the ankle to the base of the fingers, feeling how the bones of the foot move.

You will be able to relax and activate the ligaments, and give them flexibility. Now do it with the other foot.

This exercise regulates muscle tone and modifies the height of the plantar arch. by lowering your tension.

3. Draw circles with the ankles

In the same seated position, extend one leg without touching the floor and draw a circle in the air with your fingers. Feel how all the bones of the
foot stretch. You will be able to make the tendons and ligaments more flexible that wrap around the ankle.

Now do it with the other foot. This exercise helps maintain stability.

4. Flexion and extension

Stand up and flex one foot forward and back looking for the limit of flexion and extension. Feel how the calf muscles rise and fall. Thus, the toning of the tendons that are inserted in each of the fingers is increased and the posterior leg muscles are strengthened without receiving a body burden. Repeat the exercise with the other foot.

5. Walking on tiptoes like a cat

walk on tiptoe with bare feet imitating a cat Try to make the movement flexible and elastic. Heels and knees should remain straight, keeping feet as parallel as possible.

In this exercise you experience stability and relaxation.

6. Train the grip with the feet

Once your muscles are warmed up, try picking up a rag off the floor with your toes. Flexes all metatarsal joints. This exercise is recommended to work the stiffness of the fingers.

It also releases joint tension and prevents possible bone calcifications that form over time. It is very useful to recover after a bunion operation.

7. On one foot

Stay for about 30 seconds in the flamingo pose., as in the photo. To do this, standing with your back straight and your arms relaxed next to your body, bear your weight on one leg and bend the other one backwards, as if you wanted to bring your heel towards your buttocks.

Take care that on the supporting leg the heel remains straight and the big toe is in contact with the ground. The knee of the leg that rises it has to stay next to the other, although a little forward if you need it. The pelvis must be tilted slightly to the side of the supporting leg, with the coccyx forward to avoid forcing the lower back.

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Try to stay still in this position and breathe. Feel how the joints in your foot move and the ligaments work to maintain stability. Repeat the exercise with the other foot.

8. Muscle pump

Standing, without moving, raise first one heel and then the other, rhythmically. This way blood pumping to the muscles is activated.

When the foot does not receive weight, the venous system or return circulation is stimulated. if you lift your feet once or twice a secondthe cadence corresponds roughly to the heart rate and the pace of walking.

9. Walking in slow motion

The goal of this exercise is discover the art of the anatomical gait of the foot when we walk To do this, slow down your step as if you were doing it in slow motion and feel at each moment how the weight is distributed from the Achilles tendon to the toes.

This is done in four phases:

Feel the contact of the heel as you touch the ground. Now feel the landing of the sole of the foot flat. Raise the heel and feel the weight at the base of the toes. Pay attention to the momentum you take with the forefoot to move forward .

After takeoff, the fingers should remain relaxed. Practice for a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the movements of the foot.

10. Stretch the sole of the foot

Squat down with your knees together and drop your weight on your balls (the base of your toes). Rest your hands on the ground for greater stability. This exercise can be held for a minute or two.

The plantar stretch increases the flexibility of the tendons. foot flexors and the consistency of the ligaments that surround the metatarsal joints.

Flexible and relaxed feet: how to take care of them on a day-to-day basis

The starting point to get to work is to feel the soles of your feet, to perceive each movement, the characteristics of the ground when you step on it. it suits improve proprioceptivity (“feel your own”). Is about increase the information that the sole of the foot sends to the brainin volume and velocity.

For example, before a curb on the street we can look at how the foot adapts in such a way that we do not twist our ankle. We do this action continuously, but if we do not train attention, the ability to perceive decreases. And, with it, also the balance.

By simply perceiving this detail, we have started to feel more.

The next step is to achieve greater mobility in the joints of the foot and, at the same time, make the muscles stronger. With an elastic foot and good muscle tone, the stresses on the feet when walking are less.

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More space is created in the joints and the muscles work more efficiently. Can run without fear of injury.

And all that remains is to improve coordination. We can do that by doing exercises such as those detailed in this article and repeating them regularly. They are not difficult, but it is necessary to perform them with full attention. In the short term, what gives continuous improvement is automate and integrate these movements into everyday life. Over time they can even be done while talking on the phone or waiting for the bus.

Pain and injuries that originate in the feet

As we said at the beginning of this article, an imbalance in the feet is transmitted upwards, so that the consequences are suffered in other areas of the body. The vertebral bone structure and the musculature of the back maintain the balance of the body: transmit the load from the upper body to the hipwhich in turn transmits it through the legs to the feet.

Following this line of connection, the affectations on the feet are transferred to the head. Therefore, Inadequate postures must be corrected and inappropriate footwear must be changed. or very worn.

Generally, where the alarm signal sounds first is in the musculature, Well, in his attempt to maintain his balance, he forms contractures from his legs to his neck. Thus cervical pain can be born in sick feet.

The pathologies that are most related to the way of stepping affect the feet, knees, hips or spine:

Due to a foot problem, we can feel the leg muscles continuously tiredin tension or heavy. The knees can suffer a wear of the cartilage, generating pain and, what is worse, promoting osteoarthritis in the long run. In the back, contractures are common and, if the cause is not treated, they can become chronic .

These are just a few examples that show the importance of taking care of the part of the body that sustains us.

Bunions, plantar fasciitis and heel spurs

A part of the population presents flat feet or cavus (with excessive bridge). They would classify as structure problems. On the other hand, the bunions (hallux valgus) or generation of the big toe joint, the fasciitis plant or the heel spuramong others, are the result of our day to day.

The exercises to train the feet are useful in both cases, although in a structure problem the Orthopedic soles may be a good solution.

Possibly the most visible problem is what is usually called bunions: the big toe becomes destabilized and the joint between the last two bones begins to open. It affects young people but especially women…

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