5 Exercises for Strong and Healthy Feet

Even the most health-conscious people can tend to neglect their feet.  It’s easy to do until you start to feel discomfort, which almost everyone will at some point in their life.

Aside from wearing shoes that provide proper support and cushioning from healthy footwear brands such as Anodyne (shameless plus), exercising is a great way to maintain your foot fitness.

Add these 5 quick moves to your daily routine to help strengthen and stretch vital foot muscles. This will ultimately help to prevent or relieve common foot pains:

1. Toe grip

Drop a pencil on the floor and use your toes to grip and lift it up. Hold the grip for 10 seconds and release. Repeat the exercise five times with each foot.

2. Toe presses

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, grip the floor with your toes for 20 seconds, relax.  Repeat 10 times.

3. Resisted toe extension

Wrap an elastic band around all five toes.  Stretch your pinky and big toes in opposite directions as far as you are able (resisting the pressure of the elastic band).  Hold the extension for 5 seconds and release.  Repeat the exercise 5 times with each foot.

4. Calf stretch

Sit with one leg straight out in front of you and the other bent comfortably inward towards your body.  Wrap a towel or exercise band around the ball of the extended foot and pull back on it gently.  Stop and hold the position for 10 seconds when you feel a challenging but still comfortable stretch in the arch of the foot and the calf.  Repeat the stretch 5 times on each leg.

5. Take a walk

Walking is the best exercise for your feet as it promotes healthy blood circulation and muscle development.  Aim to take several short walking breaks throughout the day and go barefoot if the health of your feet allow for it. This will help to target the smaller muscles that are confined in your shoes all day.

Along with healthy footwear that provides proper arch support, cushioning, & alignment in your daily routine, these few exercises will help you to recover and maintain your foot health!