Regardless of your sport, ankle pain and foot problems are one of the quickest ways to end up on the sidelines

Have you ever experienced a sprained ankle, or other foot injury?  Do you know that because of a previous injury, the chances of re-injury are much higher?  All that limping around while things hurt can create muscle imbalances that may not get addressed during your recovery.  A little extra emphasis on foot care can go a long way to keeping you in the game and participating in the sports and activities you love.

This is a re-post of an article I wrote a while back with ankle exercise tips to avoid injury.  Always nice to have a reminder & refresher on things to do to keep your feet fit!   Help keep your feet and ankles in tip-top training condition with these excellent ankle strengthening exercises.

How flexible is your Foot?  Do your toes bend easily in each direction?  Can you stand or kneel and tuck your toes way under to be securely balanced on the balls of your feet?  How far do your toes bend the other direction to point, like a ballerina in a toe shoe?  Do you run or walk and have stiff ankles and tight muscles in your feet & toes?  Do your feet cramp up a lot and leave you hopping around with calf cramps or foot pain?  Do you have Hammer Toes that fold and buckle from the middle of the toe joints rather than bending from where the toes meet the foot?  Do you EVER take even 5 minutes to do foot-care exercises before or after your workouts to help improve your foot fitness? 

This simple and easy toe stretch can get you started on improving all of the things listed above, plus help you with balance, speed, and better body posture.  Enjoy the benefits of reduced risk of injury and pain-free feet with this simple and easy toe stretch from the book Fantastic Feet!

Did you know that bending the toes down from the knuckles (where the toes meet the foot) helps to stretch the tighter muscles along the top of the foot, and strengthen the weaker arch muscles under the sole of the foot.

To do this stretch and get maximum benefits – use your hands to help manipulate your feet for a great toe stretch.

Find The Knuckles – Foot & Toe Stretch

• Place your fingers under the sole of the foot and your thumbs on top of the toes.
• Pull back and down under the ball of the foot, and lengthen the toes out away from the foot while using the thumbs to bend the toes finding the knuckles for a stretch.
• Lift up underneath the foot a little more under any of the knuckles that are not “popping up.”
• Hold for at least 3-5 breaths, then release.
• Repeat this stretch on each foot at least 3 times.

You should easily be able to see all five of the knuckles of your feet ( just like you’d see the knuckles on your hand when you make a fist.)

Check out this video to see how more about how to do  this easy foot-fitness exercise.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Stretch your toes, lift your arches, and improve your foot health in a couple of quick minutes of foot-care a day!

To learn more easy foot fitness exercises and get great fitness products for your feet, visit Centerworks for foot care products to keep your feet healthy & strong.

Here is a very simple (but sometimes tricky) foot fitness exercise to improve foot and ankle alignment.  This seated heel lift foot-care exercise can increase ankle strength, and help you gain body awareness about what your feet, ankles, and legs are doing as you rise on your toes, and lower your heels.

Did You Know…?

• What the foot and ankle are doing when you rise up and lower your heels plays an important part in how well you can maintain balance and body control.
• Rolling your ankles in our out when rising up on your toes can affect your risk for spraining an ankle or torking a knee.
• Keeping the leg from the hip to the knee, knee to the ankle, toes to the heel,  in optimal alignment will strengthen the whole leg from the hip to the sole of the foot.

Develop Stronger Legs, Improve Balance & Body Control,
and Improve your Arch Support!

This correct foot action to lift & lower your heels is practiced during Pilates on the Reformer during many different exercises: Footwork #4, Stomach Massage Round, Stomach Massage Hands Back, Running – just to name a few.  It’s much easier to pay attention to your feet when you’re not having to also think about your balance!  Pilates Reformer, Chair, and Cadillac exercises take balance out of the equation to help you work on this important foot and ankle strengthening skill.

The valuable aspects of good core support (abs, pelvic floor, inner thighs, outer thighs, high hamstrings & glutes) are all required to maintain good posture and safe leg alignment while you are training your feet and ankles to work appropriately as you lift & lower the heels.  You can’t just pay attention to your feet!  You have to pay attention to the WHOLE body, while you’re working your feet!

When Do We Use This Foot and Leg Action of Lifting & Lowering our Heels?

• To rise on our tippy toes and get something off a high shelf.
• Walking – with every step you take a step, there’s a moment when you roll through your foot.
• When you run, to propel yourself forward you have to push through the foot.
• To jump, hop, or skip you have to push off through the leg, ankle, and toes.
• Climbing stairs….to lift up to the next step you should be rising on your toes.

…And I’m sure if you took a moment to think about other activities and exercises you do throughout the day, you’d begin to see how often you need this important this foot and ankle action for health, fitness, and daily life activities.

Why is standing up to work on lifting & lowering your heels more of a challenge?

A)     You’re full weight bearing.

B)      Balance becomes an issue

To make things easier, I like to start in a seated position to practice lifting & lowering the heels.  Sitting in a chair will be easier, seated on a lower box or on the floor can be a different type of challenge.  If you can sit in front of a mirror to watch your feet and ankles stay in good alignment throughout the exercise – that would be optimal.

Here’s a short video for you to watch the Seated Heel Lift Exercise, to see what to look for while you’re practicing this simple foot care exercise at home.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Foot Fitness Exercise:  Seated Heel Lifts

• Sit with tall posture, back lifting abs in.
• Feet parallel with the toes facing straight ahead.
• Legs can either be hip width apart, or zipped together

Breathing :

• Inhale to lift the heels – rising up on the toes
• Exhale to pull the abs in, maintain tall posture, and with control lower the heels to the floor.

What to watch for:

• Be sure the heels stay hidden behind the ball of the foot throughout the exercise.
• Be sure the ankles do not wobble, or roll in or out.
• If you tend to be hyper-mobile only rise up ¾ to your full lift, so the muscles of your feet will have to work to control the movement the entire time.
• If you have stiff, tight ankles – work to lift the heels as high as possible, then lower.
• For most people – the weight should be across your Big Toe, 2^nd and 3^rd  toes (there will be little if any weight on your 4^th or 5^th toe – if there is weight on your little toe – chances are your ankles are rolled outward.)
• Inner thighs squeezing help to keep the weight over the Big Toe so the ankle can maintain good alignment while the heels lift & lower.

Can you do this Seated Heel Lift exercise easily?  If yes, than take it to a standing position.  Hang on to something for balance, and progress to standing on your own two legs without holding on to anything!  For even more of a challenge – Can you do your heel lifts & lowers standing on one leg?

Don’t worry if you’re not able to do this heel lift exercise standing yet!  It’s something to progress to over time…  Best to start seated and really get confident with what it feels like to maintain good support along with proper leg, ankle, and foot alignment!  If you’re ankles are really wobbly seated, or it’s a challenge to keep your heels hidden behind your feet…Stick with the seated version for awhile until it’s easy.  Or do 10-15 reps seated to be sure things are working right first, then try it standing and see how it goes.

Love to hear what you think about this exercise…

Happy Heel Lifts!

Check Out the Running Shoe Tying Tips in this Video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

I can see the benefit of all three tying techniques explained in this video.

My preference is the third one discussed.  I have been encouraging clients and participants in my Fantastic Feet workshops to lace their shoes for better foot support for years.  By leaving a space for the knobby Navicular bone on the top of the foot when you tie your shoes, the arch muscles will stay active and lifted.  If there is any pressure on this knobby bone on the top of the foot when you tie your shoes, it automatically cues the muscles of the arch to relax!  Yikes…not the correct action for the foot muscles to support the body!  Pressure on the Navicular bone (which is usually where shoe companies put the loop on the tongue for you to lace through) flattens the arch and decreases available support to hold the bones of the foot in correct alignment. 

If the foot muscles aren’t working properly to support the body….then there’s a good chance that every joint above may also be out of place.  Foot pain, knee pain, hip pain, back pain, shoulder pain, neck pain…overall poor posture habits, and an increased risk of injury might all be created or aggravated by how you’re lacing your shoes!

Have you been tying your shoes in a way that helps to support your feet?  If you’re interested a few more details about my preferred shoe tying technique, click here for a copy of my free instruction guide: How To Tie Your Tennies for Healthy & Happy Feet!

Step #1 for Improved Foot Care

• Tie your shoes in a way that keeps your arches lifted for more support.

Step #2 for Healthy Feet

• Incorporate specific foot fitness exercises  into your weekly workout routine to stretch and strengthen your feet .

Regardless of how old you are, what shape your feet are currently in, how flat or high your arches are – there are lots of quick and easy exercises you can do to keep your feet healthy and pain free.  Get a copy of the book  Fantastic Feet! Exercises to Strengthen the Ankles, Arches, and Toes for a resource guide filled with exercises to help keep your feet fit!

Are You Up for a Challenge?

Change how you’re tying your shoes to improve arch support.  Re-lace one shoe and put the pair on.  Can you see or feel a difference between your feet?  Now re-lace the other shoe so your feet can be even and well-balanced before you go out for a walk or a run.  If you can seriously feel the difference, please pass this post along, and share this info with a friend, or friends!  Lets help more people  enjoy the benefits of improved arch support.

I’d love to hear from you! 

Drop me a comment and let me know what you think about this helpful shoe tying tip for lifted arches and healthy feet.

Have you ever sprained your ankle?  Did it turn into a nagging chronic injury?

I recently came across a synopsis of a study that was published in the June online edition of the AJSM (American Journal of Sports Medicine) that shows a correlation between ankle alignment and ankle sprains.    Ankle sprains are the most common sports-related injury, and many people develop chronic instability and repetitive ankle injuries.

Now they’re planning to do research to determine if targeted interventions can influence how people walk and run, and perhaps even treat or prevent ankle sprains.

From my own experience, I have to say that improving foot and ankle strength, flexibility, and mobility can definitely make a huge difference in helping to keep the feet and ankles injury-free.  I have seen many Pilates clients over the years who have completely changed their gait and improved the alignment of their ankles.  In high school was sidelined from my sport due to ankle pain.  It hurt to walk as a teenager, and I thought as an adult I’d probably be in a wheelchair!  But thanks to some great foot and ankle exercises that I have continued to do throughout my lifetime – I’m happy to say my feet and ankles are healthier than ever – and running my first 1/2 marathon in May is proof that my continuing efforts to take care of my feet and ankles are paying off.

As with any injury, there are muscle memory patterns established in our system.  We might limp around on a sore ankle for a couple of weeks, and that limping muscle pattern gets ingrained in our muscle memory.  We are reinforcing the limping pattern with every step we take.  At some point the ankle feels better and we start to walk more nomally, but the limping muscle pattern is still in our system – Unless we do enough re-strengthening, and re-balancing to remove that muscle imbalance from our body.  This is one of the reasons why it’s so much easier to injure something again and again, and chronic ankle problems can develop.  But limping on a sore ankle doesn’t just affect the feet! Whole-body posture and the alignment of everything from the feet up and is affected and changed by a foot or ankle injury.

The likelihood of repetitive injury doesn’t just apply to the ankles.  Any part of the body that suffers pain and injury has the potential to develop chronic instability and be plagued with repetitive injury.  I love Pilates because the work helps to identify your strengths, weaknesses, and muscle imbalances and then a good teacher can help create a Pilates program to re-balance the body for optimal wellness and whole-body health.

If you’re a runner or walker and are interested in being pro-active to take care of your ankles and feet, there are lots of wonderful things you can do to help maintain the strength and flexibility of your feet.  Two of my favorite foot fitness products are the Centerworks Super-Ankles Foot Fitness Board, and Yamuna Foot Savers.

The Foot Fitness Board is a superior way to strengthen the ankle for medial / lateral movement which is key for reducing the risk of an ankle sprain!  And there are other great exercises on this ankle board that can help train the foot and ankle for better motion for improved gait.  This is a great tool to use before and/or after a walk or run to keep your ankles strong and flexible so if you happen to step off a curb funny, or land in a pothole, you won’t suffer the pain of an ankle sprain (or worse!)

The Yamuna Foot Savers are excellent for helping reduce the risk of Plantar Fasciitis – another very common foot problem for runners and walkers.  If you experience pain, or extreme tightness along the sole of your foot, the Yamuna Foot Savers help to release the unnecessary tension in the muscles and fascia on the bottom of the feet.  My Foot Savers travel with me everywhere, and are also lovely end of the day treat for gals who spend lots of time wearing high-heeled shoes!

In addition to these two easy to use foot-care products, there are lots of simple foot stretching and strengthening exercises you can incorporate into your training program to help keep your feet and ankles healthy.  Most people don’t realize that even a short 3-5 minutes of focused foot fitness exercises can make a huge impact on helping you avoid foot pain and foot injuries. 

• If you are interested in cross-training with Pilates, there are many wonderful exercises to work/stretch the legs, feet, and ankles on the Reformer, Cadillac, and Chairs, and it can be helpful to have the expert eye of a well-trained Pilates Teacher help tweak your body alignment, and find the right muscles to get the most from your workouts.  Everything you learn about using your body correctly with Pilates should, in time, transfer back to walking, running, and every other activity you do.
• If you’re looking for some quick and easy exercises to do at home before or after a walk or run, grab a copy of Fantastic Feet!  Exercises to Strengthen the Ankles, Arches, and Toes.  This book is filled with lots of great foot-care exercises that you can easily do on your own.

Have you ever suffered an ankle sprain?  Did it turn into a chronic foot problem?  What tips do you have to help improve the strength, flexibility, and mobility of your ankles and feet?  Here’s a link to the article that started my thoughts for this post about improving the health of your feet and ankles: Foot positioning during walking and running may influence ankle sprains.

Our feet are the most used, least cared for part of the body.  I encourage you to take a little time before and/or after your workout, walk, or run to specifically treat your feet, ankles, and toes to some stretching and strengthening exercises.  Be proactive to help maintain great alignment, keep things moving properly, and ensure that you can avoid chronic ankle injuries and enjoy pain-free feet!

One of my clients brought me a copy of an article written by Rachel Saslow for the Washington Post, that was recently re-published in the Wichita Eagle newspaper about Flip-flops.  I’m so happy to see more things being written about foot Heath, foot-care, and foot fitness!  We take our feet for granted until there’s a problem – and even then, we still have to get around – so foot pain and injuries are often ignored, which can lead to even bigger problems.

I have been sharing the hazards of flip-flops for years with my clients, in my foot-fitness clinics, and Fantastic Feet workshops.  My motto is, “train right with the right shoes-always!” I encourage people to throw their flip-flops away (and all other strapless shoes!) because all these poor shoe choices are doing is reinforcing incorrect muscle habits for your feet.  Barefoot is better than bad shoes!

If you have to wear flip-flops here are the three places they might be briefly appropriate:

1. In the shower at the gym
2. To get across hot pavement from a deck chair to the pool
3. To drive home from a pedicure

But… If you were wearing a sandal that was tied onto your foot and ankle instead of a flip-flop, it would be a much better choice.

The other thing I think a lot of people don’t realize is how much can be done to improve foot fitness, posture, and body alignment with simple foot care exercises. If you have flat feet, they will get worse wearing flip-flops.  If you had a good lifted arch, but flip-flops are your primary shoe choice, expect to see your arches drop in time with knee, hip, and back problems to follow…  You can change habits with better exercise choices, but all the exercises in the world won’t make much of a dent, if you don’t change your shoe choices too.

It makes me extremely sad to see aisles filled floor to ceiling with Flip-flops at the mall.   Is anybody else out there concerned about our children?  The ONLY thing I see on most kids feet is a dang flip-flop! Come on parents – take care of your kids and make them wear something better so they can grow up with good health!  There is no reason for the shoe companies and foot-care specialists to get richer treating completely avoidable problems – if your feet are strong, fit, flexible, AND you’re not wearing flip-flops!

Here’s a link to Flip-Flops Forever, the article that was recently published in the Wichita Eagle.  I hope that some of this info will make you think twice before slipping into a pair of flip-flops or strapless shoes.  Remember, “train right, with the right shoes, always!”  And if you happen to be looking for exercises to help undo the damage to your flip-flopped feet, check out my book Fantastic Feet! Exercises to Strengthen the Ankles, Arches, and Toes, and the other foot fitness products I think are great to help improve your health from the ground up.  You’ll find all these foot care resources in the Centerworks store.

We only have one pair of feet!  Treat them right for a lifetime of good health!  Flip-Flop wearers, beware!

At the end of a good walk, run, or workout, or after a long day at work, do you ever experience tired, sore or achy feet and arches? Being able to prop your feet up and take a break helps, but how often do you take the time to treat your feet with a relaxing foot massage?  I know, it might be a challenge to find somebody to give you a foot massage, and paying for a foot massage daily would be great, but probably isn’t very practical for the average budget.  So here’s the secret…

You Can Get a Great Do-It-Yourself Foot Massage with a Mini-Massage Ball.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The ball I’m using came out of my Centerworks Foot Fitness Kit.   Or any size ball will work.  I’d encourage you to experiment with different sizes, textures, and densities to see what your feet enjoy the most.

• A smaller, firmer ball, like the one I’m using, can dig in a little deeper to pinpoint tight muscles for relief.
• If you’re using a softer, or larger ball, your massage will be a little gentler or less intense.
• Regardless of the ball you use, you can get  great benefits from this exercise to help your feet feel better.

How To Use Your Mini-Massage Ball for Foot Pain Relief

• Take your shoes off, socks on or off is optional.
• Find something you can hang onto for balance if needed.
• Place your mini-massage ball under the sole of one foot.
• Put as much weight on that leg as you can comfortably tolerate and begin to roll the ball around under your foot.

For a Lateral Arch Massage: Roll the ball along the bottom of your foot from the heel to the toes, go from the heel to the big toe and back to the heel, then heel to the 2^nd toe and back, continue rolling the ball lengthwise through each toe.

For a Medial Arch Massage: Work the ball side to side across the heel, through the arch, and under the toes.  Take your time and be sure to continue breathing throughout your foot massage!

Pinpoint Tender Spots on the Soles of the Feet: Now do little circles through the arch.   Circle one way, then reverse directions.  Pay attention to the spots where you feel extra tension or tenderness and gently spend a little more time massaging those areas with the ball.

Once you feel like that foot has had enough, step off your ball and feel the difference between your feet.  You should be able to tell which foot you just massaged and the other one is probably saying, “MY Turn, My Turn!!!”  So be sure you give them both equal time for a well-balanced treat!

A Few More Tips For Using Your Mini-Massage Ball for Foot Care

Using your mini-massage ball is another really easy foot-care exercise that you can do almost anywhere! It will be deeper and more intense the more of your body weight you put on the ball.  So standing for your foot massage will give you a deeper massage, sitting will make it a little easier. When you’re seated you won’t have to worry about balance, and there will be less body weight on your foot during the massage.  Play with this standing and seated to see what works best for you and your feet!

Enjoy taking care of yourself and your feet with this mini-massage ball foot care exercise!  Take a couple of minutes daily, or at least once or twice a week to massage your feet, and it will help relax the muscle of your arches to keep your feet healthy, fit, and pain-free.

Look forward to seeing you again soon for another Fantastic Feet exercise tip!   Have a Great Day!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Foot Care Quiz…

• Do you love your feet?
• How many hours a day are you standing, walking, or running?
• Do you ever experience foot or arch pain?
• Have you ever been challenged with plantar fasciitis?
• What have you done for to help your feet feel better?
• Do you treat your feet regularly, or only when they hurt?

I’d love to know your answers,  if the mood strikes, drop me a comment on my website, blog, or facebook fan page – http://www.Facebook.com/centerworks.

OK, back to our topic of foot fitness, and my foot-care tip for the week…

Exercising your ankles, arches and toes is important to develop the proper balance of strength and muscle control, but the other important component is flexibility. The muscles of our feet need to be both fluid and rigid so the action of work and release can happen  to help propel our bodies forward when we walk and run.  To me, fluid means flexible, or supple.  Sometimes our muscles get so tight that stretching seems impossible!  But it’s that release that will help keep our feet pain and injury free.

One of my favorite ways to help release and relax the muscles along the sole of the foot is to use my Yamuna Foot Savers.  In my opinion, this is one of the greatest little foot-care toys out there.  If you don’t have a pair yet, you’ll find them on my website at Centerworks.com in the Foot Care Products section of the store.

Here’s How I Use My Foot Savers.

• Stand with the Foot Savers under your heels.
• Maintain good, tall posture and breathe!
• Take 3-5 long, deep breaths and try to relax the heel of the foot.  If things release, you might feel like your foot sinks just a little bit into the Foot Saver.

This isn’t about balance, so find something you can hold onto.  A chair, counter, back of the couch.  Anything that’s sturdy to hang on to and help keep you upright.

• Now move the foot on the Foot Saver just a little bit forward of the heel.
• Continue with your tall posture and take 3-5 good breaths.  Focus on feeling the muscles under the foot relax.

Continue progressively moving forward along the sole of the foot through the arch.  Hold each position for your 3-5 breaths, or until you feel the muscles of the arch relax, before moving along to the next spot.

For almost everybody when you get started with these, you’re probably going to notice some tender spots along the bottom of your feet.  Sad to say, but if you feel it, you need it!  This is kind of like that love/hate relationship if you’ve ever used a foam roller along the outside of your thigh to help your IT band.  It might hurt, but it’s really helping.  I promise, the more you use your Foot Savers, the less your feet will hurt while you’re standing on these little half-balls, and the better they’re going to feel  ALL the time!

• At some point you’ll be past the tender spots and able to put your heels down behind you.  Now you’re really starting to open up the front of the foot.
• Work your way through the ball of the foot, until your foot is on the floor and toes are up on the Foot Savers.
• Then step off and notice how your feet feel.

If you’ve got flat feet, the arches may feel a little more lifted.  If you’ve got tight arches, they may feel a little more released.  What you’ve done is let gravity assist you in stretching the muscles and fascia along the sole of the foot!

I always start going straight down the center of the foot, but we’ve actually got two long arches.  The medial arch along the inside of the foot, and the lateral arch along the outside of the foot.  If you want a little bit more, you can repeat this along the inside and outside of your foot to specifically hit both of these long arches!

I think everybody should own a pair of Foot Savers! If you walk, run, dance, play football or soccer, hike, ski, rock climb, ride horses, wear high heeled shoes, skate, cycle, do Yoga, or Pilates…..Whatever your sport,  these little foot-care toys are so easy to pop in your workout bag.  I always have mine handy at home, and when I travel they’re always in my carry-on bag because they ‘re so nice and small to pack, and so valuable to use!

I hope I’ve inspired you to get your feet on a pair of Foot Savers!  If you already have a pair, but they’ve been collecting dust, get ‘em out and start using them.  If you’re wishing you had a pair, hop on my website at Centerworks.com and get a pair ordered today.  Your feet will LOVE You for it!

Click here to view the embedded video.

One of the great things about our feet and ankles is the opportunity for a good range of motion in lots of different directions.  However, we mostly walk and run, which has our ankles moving in a flexing and pointing  direction.  When we do side-to-side activities or something that requires balance our ankles are held more rigid for stability.  Stability and Mobility are both important.  So what can we do to help improve the flexibility and mobility of our ankles?  Ankle Circles!

While you can practice ankle circles with your shoes on, I prefer to practice barefooted so I can more easily see and use my whole foot, ankle, arches, toes.

• Start lying down in a comfortable position  Hug one knee to your chest and keeping everything still but your foot while beginning to move your ankle in a circle motion.
• Strive to circle in the biggest range of motion possible.  Notice if your ankle moves easily one direction and not so far the other.  Pass through a “ballerina point” position, and the deepest flexed foot position possible.  Strive to move the foot evenly to the right and left sides.  Allow your toes to work and release as you carve the circle.
• Do 5-10 circles one direction, then reverse the circle.  After you’ve done one foot, repeat your 5-10 ankle circles in each direction with the other foot.

I’ve given you the easiest position to start this exercise so you can just focus on finding and improving the range of motion at the ankle.  However, if you want to add an additional stretch for your hamstring and calf muscles, practice your ankle circles with a straight leg to the ceiling.

Hope you’ve enjoyed this Fantastic Feet exercise today.  For more great Foot Fitness information and helpful foot care products visit Centerworks.com

Have fun incorporating ankle circles into your exercise program, and enjoy the benefits of stronger more flexible ankles for better balance and body control.

Have an Awesome Day!

When our toe joints get jammed together it affects the whole foot.  If the bones of our feet are too close together, the muscles and joints can’t move properly, which means our feet don’t work like they should when we walk and run.  It’s all about freedom of movement!  And we need good joint space to move well.

Here’s a video to demonstrate the Fantastic Feet exercise of the Week:  Toe Circles!

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Fantastic Feet exercise of the week is Toe Circles!

Sit in a comfortable position, and take your shoes & socks off so you can see your feet.  If you can’t reach your toes, find a friend and work together to practice this exercise.

1. Begin with the Big Toe.  Grab it close to where the toe meets the rest of your foot and gently pull it away from your foot to increase the space at the metatarsal joint.  Then, while you’ve created that little extra joint space, use your fingers to move your Big Toe in a circular motion about 3-5 times one direction, then switch directions.
2. Repeat this with each individual toe on one foot.
3. Stand up and see if you can notice a difference between the foot you just did your toe circles with and the one you haven’t exercised yet?

• You may notice that your weight is more evenly distributed through the foot.
• If you have more of a flat foot, you might feel like your arch is a little more lifted.
• If you have a high arch, you may feel like your arch is a little more relaxed.
• If your toes tend to drift to the right or left, they might be pointed just a little straighter ahead.

Balance is important!  Sit back down and  do your Toe Circles with the other foot.  Do 3-5 circles one direction, then reverse the circle.  Repeat this for each toe starting with your big toe and working to your little toe.

With just a couple of  quick toe circles, you will probably already start to see and feel a difference in your feet!  Imagine how they’ll feel after you’ve consistently practiced your circles a couple times a week!  Take a couple of minutes before or after your workout, while you’re watching TV, or soaking in the tub to treat your feet with Toe Circles!

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Love to hear about how your feet feel after practicing your Toe Circles!  Drop me a comment and share your thoughts.

Click on the links to visit Centerworks.com if you’re searching for more great Foot Fitness information and helpful foot care products.