TOOTSIE TRAINING

Fitness consultant Craig Wise has a workout routine for your feet.

As 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.

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.

THE PIGGY PINCH

Curling your toes builds up the flexor muscles of the toes and feet, improving overall strength, so get those piggies working.

1. Sit up straight in a chair, with your feet flat on the floor.

2. Lay a small towel on the floor with the edge by the ends of your toes.

3. Place the toes of one foot on the edge of the towel. Try to grasp the towel with your toes and pull it towards you, keeping your heel firmly on the ground. Then release.

4. Repeat this exercise five times before switching to the other foot, trying to move the towel slowly towards you.

5. To make it more challenging, try weighing down the opposite end of the towel.

ABSOLUTELY MARBLOUS

For this one, you need about 10 marbles. It can increase strength in the muscles on the undersides of the feet and toes, as well as help with fine coordination skills. It also doubles as a party game.

1. Sit up straight in a chair, with your feet flat on the floor.

2. Place an empty bowl and about 10 marbles on the floor in front of your feet.

3. Using only the toes of one foot, pick up each marble and place it in the empty bowl.

4. Repeat using the other foot.

SIMPLE STRETCH

With any exercise routine, stretching is an important part of the process.

1. Sit up straight in a chair, with your feet flat on the floor.

2. Place your left foot on your right thigh.

3. Pull your toes up towards your ankle. You should get a stretching feeling along the bottom of your foot and heel.

4. Hold for 10 seconds. If you like, you can massage the arch of the foot while stretching, to help ease tension and pain.

5. Repeat this exercise 10 times for each foot.

ROLL WITH IT!

Rolling a golf ball under your foot can help ease aches, pains, and discomfort, especially in the arch.

1. Sit up straight in a chair, with your feet flat on the floor.

2. Place a golf ball (or similar) on the floor by your foot.

3. Put one foot on the ball and move it around, pressing down as hard as is comfortable. The ball should be massaging the bottom of the foot.

4. Continue for 1 to 2 minutes, then repeat using the other foot.

Tip: A frozen bottle of water can be a soothing alternative if no suitable balls are available – it’s also great for cooling down your feet after that summer walk.

Shoes and socks

Appropriate footwear can make a world of difference to your whole body. If your feet aren’t sitting right or getting the support they need, then this misalignment is transferred up to the ankles, knees, hips, and back. Well fitted and appropriate footwear is key. For more on this, see page 34.

What goes between your foot and the shoe is just as important. Well fitted socks really help. Look for socks with cushioning – this helps with impact. It’s also great if you can find some in microfibre fabrics, which are designed to wick moisture. Moisture build-up in shoes contributes to all manner of issues we want to avoid – from blisters, to fungus, to smell.

Preferably look for white socks. Why? Not because it’s a sporty look (although it is), but because white socks make it easy to check for possible foot issues. If you see any staining on your socks, whether blood, yellowy liquid, or clear fluids, then you know something is wrong and can work to remedy it early. It’s not nearly so easy to see on dark or multicoloured socks.

Orthotics or shoe inserts can help with some common issues like foot discomfort, lower back pain, and knee pain. Over-thecounter shoe inserts include arch supports, insoles, heel liners, and cushioning pads.