Foot exercises: simple and effective pain relief

Feet – support of the human body, which not only ensure the movement of the body, but also maintain balance, distribute the load during the movement of a person. Discomfort and pain in the feet – a well-known and extremely common problem, the causes of which can be very different: obvious injuries, muscle imbalances, flat feet, uncomfortable shoes, and even some diseases. Ordinary fatigue resulting from standing for a long time often leads to discomfort that can be counteracted with simple foot exercises.

Causes of foot pain: do you need exercise?

Before you start doing the foot exercises below, you need to determine the reason for the pain. To do this, it is better to contact a specialist – a traumatologist (if an injury is suspected) or an orthopedist. The doctor, after the examination, may recommend special orthopedic shoes for you - in this case, you must heed the doctor's recommendation.

Possible causes of foot pain:

• wearing uncomfortable shoes (a classic and extremely common cause of pain not only in the feet, but also in the spine);
• prolonged standing;
• injury;
• plantar fasciitis;
• arthritis or arthrosis;
• gout;
• nerve fiber lesions;
• vascular disease;
• dermatological pathologies;
• flat feet;
• osteoporosis, etc.

In any case, constant pain in the feet should not be ignored: if you are wearing comfortable shoes and you are sure that they are not the cause of discomfort, see a doctor to find out and fix the problem.

Persistent foot pain should not be ignored.

If your foot pain is due to fatigue or, say, new shoes that have not yet been broken in, try the following foot exercises.

Foot exercises to help get rid of pain

If your feet hurt after a long walk, a working day spent on your feet or an event that requires wearing heels, estet-portal.com recommends doing the following exercises:

1. Sit Stretch

Sit on the floor facing a wall with your legs straight and your feet flat on the wall. For more comfort, you can put a pillow under the buttocks. Lean forward as far as you can to stretch your calves and hamstrings, which are strained when wearing high heels. Therefore, for girls and women, this exercise for the feet is ideal.

2. Finger exercise

Become as if you just stepped forward with your right foot (put your left foot behind you). Place your foot so that the upper surfaces of your toes rest on the floor. You should feel the stretch in the top of your foot as you do this. Repeat with the right leg.

Perform foot exercises daily to relieve fatigue and pain.

3. Toe Stretch

Sit on a chair and place your left ankle on your right thigh. Separate the toes of the left foot with the toes of the right hand, as shown in the picture above. Try to spread your toes as wide as possible without pulling them up or down. Repeat with another pair of limbs.

4. V-stretch

Lie on your back, position your buttocks about 5 cm from the wall, spread your arms. Place your heels on the wall so that your legs form a V. You should feel a slight tension in your inner thighs. Excessive tension in the muscles of the inner thighs can lead to overload of the arches of the feet, and this stretch will help them relax. Plus, this position of the body allows you to remove swelling and heaviness in the legs.

Will exercise help prevent foot pain?

The above foot exercises – a simple and effective way to relieve fatigue at the end of the working day. However, to prevent pain in the feet, the following recommendations must also be observed:

• maintain a healthy weight (being overweight puts more stress on your feet);
• Increase your flexibility (stretch your calf muscles, as overstretching them also affects your feet);
• choose comfortable shoes for every day (leave high heels for special occasions);
• contact a doctor in a timely manner (due to this, he will be able to identify diseases or injuries in time that affect both the condition of the feet and the whole body).

Remember that by taking care of your feet, you will not only get rid of pain, but you will also be able to avoid unpleasant consequences associated with a violation of their functions: pain in the spine, posture disorders, headaches, etc. And exercises for the feet will be excellent means to relieve fatigue at the end of the working day.