You rely on your toes and feet to provide the support that helps your whole body move forward. Therefore, when you spend time exercising your body, don't neglect the vital bones and muscles in the feet. Enhanced foot and toe strength reduces foot pain, improves bone health and reduces your risk for fracture-inducing falls. Foot exercises don't have to take up excess time or be performed in a gym. Instead, you can strengthen the toes at most times of the day, even when you are sitting at your desk at work or school.
Step 1
Stretch the toes and feet to warm them before engaging in strengthening exercises. Stretches include spreading and relaxing your toes or pointing and flexing them. Perform them for about one to three minutes before beginning toe-strengthening exercises.
Step 2
Stand with most of your foot resting on a hand towel, leaving only the heel hanging off the towel. Move your toes back and forth to scrunch the towel as much as possible. When you have scrunched the towel as much as possible, use your toes to straighten the towel. Repeat the exercise on the opposite foot to strengthen the toes.
Step 3
Keep your foot flat on the ground and raise and lower your right big toe 10 times. Concentrate on keeping the other toes in the same position as you lift the big toe. Repeat the exercise on your left foot.
Step 4
Exercise your foot by standing with your feet less than shoulder-width apart and your toes facing forward. Contract your calf muscles to rise up on the balls of your feet. Hold this position for five seconds, then lower the feet to return to your starting position. Work to keep the toes spread out as you repeat the exercise by rising and lowering 10 times. To work different aspects of the feet, you can repeat the exercise with your toes turned out or in.
Step 5
Sit in a comfortable chair and drop a sock on the ground and use your right toes to grasp the sock. Lift it up to reach your hand. Continue to drop and pick up the sock five times, then repeat the exercise on the opposite foot.
Step 6
Cool down by rolling each foot over a golf ball. The golf ball acts as a mini-massager for your feet. To further increase the balls' massaging abilities, put them in a freezer. The cold temperature can soothe inflamed foot muscles.
Things You'll Need
- Hand towel
- Sock
- Golf ball
References
- Parent Giving; Building the Foundation for Balance; Deborah Quilter
- America's Podiatrist; Can Exercise Strengthen Your Feet, Arches and Toes?; Dr. Michael Nirenberg; Jan. 2010
- American Podiatric Medical Association; The Ultimate Exercises for Stylish Feet; Craig Fritz
- "Real Simple"; 4 Foot Exercises; Jacqueline Sutera
