The feet are the start (or end, depending on which way round you look at it) of your body’s kinetic chain! If one ‘link’ in that chain is slightly ‘off’ it’ll affect the rest of those ‘links’ and put stress into different areas of the body, manifesting in aches, pains, strains, soreness, tightness ( you get the picture). If you are currently suffering with your ankles, knees, hips, lower back, neck, shoulders then take a moment to think about your feet.
Your feet carry you around all day, hold you up when you’re waiting in line, stabilise you when you land on an uneven surface, help propel you if you’re in a rush, cushion your landing when you drop from a height and generally work hard for you allll day lonnnng!
So let’s give them some thought and some TLC.
Did you know you have 33 joints in your feet and ankles and over 100 muscles!!!!!! – The human foot wouldn’t contain that many muscles and joints if it wasn’t supposed to move a LOT!
So toes… can you spread them? Go on, give it a go ( look at them if that helps!). Try spreading them in standing, seated, lying down. Try to separate and lift your big toe from the rest and vice versa… try to MOVE them as you might your fingers… this takes time. Try to connect with those toes again by practising daily, thinking about them and moving them to wake up those nerve pathways again!!! ( use it or lose it!)
How’s your arch? Flat? Weak? Tight? Stuck? Or fairly strong and flexible ( able to shock -absorb as it is supposed to)
My Top FIVE FEET FAVES…
- Spread those toes- go on really try to separate each toe and spread as wide as you can- use your fingers at the start if you need to.
- Toe segmenting- lift big toes and push rest of toes to the ground… hold this a few seconds and then reverse it if you can.
- Release work with a small ball – spiky or smooth, get rolling out the base of your foot- ball of foot to heel- wherever you feel you need it! Good old myofacial release work to loosen up those ‘soles’, release any tightness and free up some movement.
- Arch strengthening- tripod foot. Try to place the foot on the floor spreading out toes as much as you can and creating as much arch in your foot as feels comfortable and natural. Try to gently collapse the arch then push into the base of the big toe and the opposite side of the heel to draw the arch back up again gently( a cross connection through the base of the foot).
- Top of foot and toes stretch- In standing, tuck under your toes on one foot, gently push forwards and slightly down and hold for a couple of seconds before releasing and repeating a few times each side… don’t roll out on the ankle.
Happy feet, happy body, happy you.. Enjoy and ….. You’re welcome xxx
