If you want your feet to remain strong and healthy for years to come, it’s essential that you take the necessary steps to increase your foot strength and flexibility before your feet undergo too much wear and tear. By keeping your feet healthy, you’ll be able to reduce ankle and foot pain, reduce the soreness in your foot muscles, and remain active. While there are numerous foot exercises to select from, the following are three of the top foot exercises for you to perform.
1. Toe Raise
Among the best exercises for the improvement of foot flexibility is the toe raise exercise. To begin this exercise, make sure that you’re sitting in a straight chair while placing your feet flat on the floor. With your toes flat, raise the heels until just the toes and balls of your feet touch the ground. Hold this for around five seconds. Follow this up by pointing your toes so that the first two toes are the only ones touching the ground. You should also hold this for around five seconds. You should then move your heel upwards and curl your toes under your feet so that the tips of them touch the ground. Hold this position for five seconds as well. You should then repeat all three positions 10 separate times.
2. Toe Splay
This exercise is a relatively simple one that will greatly improve the strength of the muscles in your toes. Your feet should be resting on a floor while you sit in a straight chair. You will then want to spread all of your toes apart as much as possible while still remaining comfortable. Hold this position for five seconds. Once finished, repeat the exercise 10 times.
3. Achilles Stretch
The Achilles tendon is among the most important areas in your foot. When you keep this tendon strong and flexible, you will be able to prevent leg, foot, and ankle pain. These exercises will also keep Achilles tendonitis at bay.
To begin this exercise, face a wall with your arms stretched out in front of you and your palms on the wall. Keep your knee straight while you put one foot back, and then focus on bending the knee of your other leg. Make sure both heels are flat. Learn forward slowly with your hips until you notice the calf muscle and Achilles tendon stretching. Hold this stretch for around three seconds before repeating three times. You should then switch legs and repeat the exercise.