Move
Tootsie TRAINING Fitness consultant Craig Wise has a workout routine for your feet.
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s summer arrives, let’s take a moment to think about our feet and how we can best prepare them for the strolls, bushwalks, and day trips ahead. When we visit the gym or do a home workout, we normally concentrate on strengthening our arms, core, back, or legs. We rarely consider our feet – even though they do so much work for us. Each foot is a complex mechanical structure of 26 bones and 33 joints, along with muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Regularly exercising and stretching your feet can help ensure your feet are providing you with the best support. It can ease existing pain, prevent discomfort, and reduce the risk of injury. It can also increase their range of motion, keeping you active longer and reducing fatigue. Here are some of my favourite foot exercises. You can do them at home or even at work.
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DIABETES WELLNESS | Summer 2021
THE FULL FOOT FLEXOR
This gets your whole foot moving and helps build flexibility and mobility. It’s done in three stages. The times given are just suggestions, and some movements may be harder than others. Keep working at it – they do get easier. 1. Sit up straight in a chair, with your feet flat on the floor. 2. Keeping toes on the floor, raise your heels. Stop when only the balls of the feet and toes remain on the ground. 3. Hold this position for 5 seconds before lowering your heels. 4. For the second stage, raise the heels and point your toes so that now only the tip of the big toe is touching the floor. Hold for 5 seconds before lowering. 5. For the third stage, raise your heels and scrunch your toes so that only the tips of the toes are touching the floor. Hold for 5 seconds before lowering. 6. Repeat each stage 10 times.
‘SPLAY IT AGAIN, SAM!’
Doing this toe-splay exercise can improve control over the toe muscles. You can do it on both feet at once or alternate feet. 1. Sit up straight in your chair, with your feet gently resting on the floor. 2. Spread the toes apart as far as possible without straining. Hold this position for 5 seconds. 3. Repeat 10 times. 4. Once you’ve built up your strength, you can try looping a rubber band around the toes. This will provide resistance and make the exercise more challenging.
