When you think about traditional fitness, you may think about your upper body, abs, and even legs; but do you ever think about the fitness in our feet? Your feet deserve attention since they are what supports your body weight all day long.
Foot pain can affect various parts of the foot like the heel, the arch, the toes, or the ball of the foot. Exercising your feet is important to avoid or alleviate foot pain.
One low impact solution is Pilates. Wikipedia defines Pilates as “the art of controlled movements.” It emphasizes “alignment, breathing, developing a strong core, and improving coordination and balance.”
The beauty with Pilates is that it can be done at home on an exercise mat. It can also be done, for the most part, in low to non-weight-bearing positions. All you need is your body weight.
Benefits of Pilates
Foot pain can be the result of weak muscles in the foot, abnormal walking, or bad posture.
Pilates, when done consistently, can improve:
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- Flexibility. Helps avoid unnecessary tension on your muscles, including your feet.
- Strength. The whole body is strengthened, but the focus is on the core.
- Posture. Provides a proper balance of weight throughout the body.
Pilates Foot Exercises
The exercises that focus on the feet can vary depending on the intensity you can handle and where you perform them. Let’s see three different exercises and how they can be done.
Calf Raises
Calf raises are not just beneficial to strengthen the calve muscles. This exercise also works on stretching your plantar fascia, which is the tissue that connects your heel to your toes.
They can be done sitting down, or standing up, following these steps:
- Start with your feet flat on the ground
- Raise slowly on the balls of your feet
- Lower yourself slowly
It’s recommended to do about 2 sets of 10 to 15 reps each. You can increase the intensity by using stairs to get a bigger range of motion when you lower past the level of the stairs.
For variations of the calf raises, follow this link.
Doming
This exercise can be done standing or sitting and works the arch of the foot.
- Start with your feet flat on the ground
- Raise your arch by tightening the muscles in your sole
- Hold a couple of seconds and then release
- Repeat it about 10 times
The key is to avoid curling the toes.
Flex and Point
This type of exercise uses a stretch band that provides resistance.
- Start lying on your back and pointing the leg up in the air.
- Another option: start in a sitting position with your leg straight out in front.
- Hold one side of the band in each hand and loop around one foot.
- Start the toes stretched towards you and adjust your pull to the desired resistance
- Push the ball of your foot outward until the toes point to the ground.
- Return to starting position
It’s recommended to increase the number of sets as you get more comfortable. Each set should be between 5 to 10 repetitions.
Canyon Oaks Foot And Ankle
Any foot pain that persists shouldn’t be overlooked. If you are looking for relief, we offer a wide variety of services that specialize in the foot and ankle.
Contact us and let us get you to feel good as new!
