It is easy to take our feet for granted & while exercising to focus mainly on the larger muscles & body parts. However our feet give us stability & are our point of contact with the ground. If our feet are not healthy & strong our whole body can be out of balance. Everyday activities will be so much more difficult & can lead to long term issues if we don't address problems with our feet.
There are 26 small bones in each foot as well as 30 joints & more than 100 muscles, tendons & ligaments which all work together to provide support, balance & mobility.
If it is safe for you to do so, walking barefoot on the beach can be beneficial as our fascia, tendons & muscles are worked & stretched differently than when contained inside shoes.
If you have painful callouses make time to take care of them. If we shift to walking on the edge of our feet to avoid a painful spot we then throw the rest of the body out of alignment. This can lead to knee, hip or back pain.
To enable good posture we need to address the feet first & work upwards, bringing the eight stacking joints (ankle, knees, hips & shoulders) into alignment.
While we do work on some of the below exercises in class there are more you can practice at home.
Click HERE to see some simple exercises you can do help strengthen your feet & ankles.
Take the time to moisturise your feet as needed, they dry out just as our hands do. Please be sure to put on non slip socks or footwear afterwards to avoid falls while walking on bare floors.
Enjoy taking care of your feet.
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