The feet, just as any other body part, are very important; however, we’re often unaware of this fact. Did you know that your feet back every movement you make? Taking adequate care of the feet actually prevents back, hip, and knee pain.
For a long period of time, acupressure has been a part of ancient Chinese medicine or more precisely, for more than 5000 years. Acupressure is a technique consisted of pressuring specific areas of the body with the aim to alleviate stress, encourage the functioning of certain organs, and even treat health problems. Acupressure is very similar to acupuncture, but without the needles. Only the fingertips are used.
In order to prevent pain in the feet, improve the balance, and make the feet stronger, we’ve prepared a list of the 5 best exercises:
Toe presses
This exercise serves as a warm up of the muscles. While in standing
position, blend the knees and then grip the floor with the toes. Hold
the position for three seconds. Repeat it three times and do ten sets.
Toe walking
Stand on the tiptoes and move forward for 20 seconds and then pause for
15 seconds and then walk again 5 more times. Do the exercise twice per
day. This exercise strengthens the toe muscles, ligaments, and the
muscles around the feet balls.
Ankle circles
Lie on the back and then extend one leg over the head. Next, rotate the
ankle of the extended leg clockwise and count to ten. Then do the same
with the other leg. The mobility and flexibility of the ankles are
crucial. Very often, the overload of the body is the main reason for
restricted and tight ankles which leads to pain in the muscles and
joints, as well as back, hip, and knee pain as a consequence of tight
muscles.
Resisted flexion
Sit on the floor and straighten the feet in front of you. Wrap an
exercise band around the bedpost and then put the bend on the top of the
feet and lean backward to tighten the band. Band the foot backwards and
maintain the position for 5 seconds. Pause and then do 10 more
repetitions. This exercises focuses on the small foot muscles that are
in charge of the balance. It will make the muscles tighter and prevent
injuries.
Toe Pencil Pickups
This exercise is very easy, simple, and fun to perform. You just need to place a pencil on the ground, and lift it off, hold it for 10 seconds, and release it. You need to make 5 repetitions for both feet.