According to Bellevue Podiatry, ‘the muscles in our feet are critical in saving ourselves from falling. These muscles weaken over our lifetime, so they require a simple strengthening program tailored to your feet to keep them doing their job as best they can.’
The importance of strengthening the muscles in your feet
Your feet are one of the most used parts of your body yet are highly overlooked when trying to increase health and improve self-care. Strengthening the muscles in your feet is extremely important, if your feet are not looked after then many problems can occur as a side effect.
For example, weight is something that can massively affect your feet. If you are actively going about your day but not taking care of your feet then they it is likely they will become weak, your body may find it hard to balance your weight as you’re moving around and as a result have an overall effect on a person’s mobility. Ensuring that your feet are happy and healthy means that you do not have to worry about such problems and can go about your day in comfort.
3 introductory exercises to help strengthen your feet
Big Toe Stretches
You will find this exercise useful when you take off your shoes at the end of the day. To do this exercise first sit down and position your foot on the opposite thigh (as seen in the image).
Now gently use your fingers to manoeuvre the big toe up, down and outwards, holding the toe in each position for up to 5 seconds. Repeat this exercise multiple times and then again on the opposite foot.
Toe and heel walking
These exercises are simple and will be an easy way to slowly increase stability. For toe walking all you need to do is walk using the ball of your foot for 20 seconds, if you do this multiple times throughout the day it will help to steadily improve your balance.
Heel walking is simply just the reverse of toe walking, where you walk on only the heels of your feet for 20 seconds. These may be tricky at first depending on your current mobility however if repeated daily you should slowly begin to see signs of improvement.
Tennis ball rolling or using a massage ball (available in the Uufey accessories pack)
This again is another simple exercise; however, you will need to use a tennis ball, massage ball or something of that shape that is able to maintain shape under slight pressure.
To do this exercise, sit down and lay your feet down flat on the floor. Next place a tennis ball on the floor and roll your foot on the top of it. As you increase and decrease pressure, this will massage the bottom of your foot and loosen any muscle knots and relieve soreness.
This exercise also helps to increase blood circulation and treat foot conditions such as Plantar Fasciitis.
Targeting other areas of the body
Whilst it is incredibly important to do exercises to strengthen the muscles in your feet, it is also good to recognise that other areas of the body such as your ankles, lower legs and even your back may need to be exercised and strengthened. Foot conditions often cause problems in these areas and so it is good to check and ensure that they are in good health before any major exercise routine changes.
If you are experiencing pain in these areas, or severe pain in your feet then please seek medical advice before your condition worsens. Medical professionals will be able to create targeted exercise regimes that are better suited for you and current situation.
The impact of Uufey on your foot health
These exercises usually take around 10 minutes of your time, so what about foot support throughout the rest of your day? This is where Uufey steps in. It is extremely beneficial to find footwear that will be supportive for your feet, our shoes are built with this in mind.
Uufey Shoes feature 3 zone comfort technology to help provide stability, balance and comfort for your feet. Our products include arch support for the base of your foot to relieve muscle pain and provides ample space for toes so they can move freely. This is a great alternative to wearing poorly fitted shoes and risking potential foot problems such as bunions.
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