Most everyone's feet are cramped into narrow shoes for the majority of the day. This has the effect of squeezing your toes and the bones in your feet together, changing their shape. Combined with a raised heel common in most shoes this can have a wide-reaching negative effect. To combat this, follow this simple routine every day when you take your shoes off!
Sit down on a chair, couch, bench or the edge of your bed.
1.) Lift your heel off the ground, extend your knee and pull your toes back towards the knee.
- You should feel a stretch in the back of your calf, and a muscle contraction in the front
2.) Point your toes and your ankle as far forward as possible (opposite of #1)
- You should feel a stretch in the front of the ankle, muscle contraction in the rear
Put your feet flat on the ground for the next few steps.
3.) Spread your toes as WIDE as possible, try to separate each toe from the adjacent ones
4.) Keeping your small toes on the ground, lift only your big toe as high as possible. Push into the ground with your small toes.
5.) Keeping your big toe on the ground, lift all of your smaller toes. Push into the ground with your big toe.
6.) Lift all of your toes off of the ground, while maintaining contact at the heel and the balls of the foot.
Lift your feet up for the last one.
7.) Draw an imaginary circle with the tips of your toes, only moving at the ankle. Make the circle as large as possible.
Spend 30-90 seconds on each one and the result will be healthier feet, ankles, knees, hips and a better standing posture. Give it a shot!
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| Sketch A depicts the effect that shoe shape has on the shape of the foot, while sketch B depicts a natural foot. Note the width of the foot in sketch B. |
Sit down on a chair, couch, bench or the edge of your bed.
1.) Lift your heel off the ground, extend your knee and pull your toes back towards the knee.
- You should feel a stretch in the back of your calf, and a muscle contraction in the front
2.) Point your toes and your ankle as far forward as possible (opposite of #1)
- You should feel a stretch in the front of the ankle, muscle contraction in the rear
Put your feet flat on the ground for the next few steps.
3.) Spread your toes as WIDE as possible, try to separate each toe from the adjacent ones
4.) Keeping your small toes on the ground, lift only your big toe as high as possible. Push into the ground with your small toes.
5.) Keeping your big toe on the ground, lift all of your smaller toes. Push into the ground with your big toe.
6.) Lift all of your toes off of the ground, while maintaining contact at the heel and the balls of the foot.
Lift your feet up for the last one.
7.) Draw an imaginary circle with the tips of your toes, only moving at the ankle. Make the circle as large as possible.
Spend 30-90 seconds on each one and the result will be healthier feet, ankles, knees, hips and a better standing posture. Give it a shot!
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