Many patients who come in with foot pain don’t understand the importance of stretching their feet on a daily basis. Below are 5 stretches that can help keep your feet limber and prevent injury.
1. The Towel Stretch: On the floor with your legs straight out in front of you, take a dish towel and place it around your toes and pull the towel towards your head (gently, but hard enough to feel the stretch). Hold for about 15-30 seconds and let go. Repeat three times.2. Towel Lifts: Sit in a chair and place a towel on the floor and lift the towel with your toes. For a challenge, try lifting it with your little toes. Repeat 5 times for each foot.3. Step Stretch: Stand with your toes on a step of a staircase with your heels off the edge. Lower your heels down for about 10-15 seconds, and then lift to return to the starting position. Repeat 7 times.4. The Toe Stretch: In a chair with your feet on the floor, spread your toes apart for a few seconds and then release. Repeat 10 times.5. The Foot Roll: Take a golf ball (tennis balls and frozen water bottles work just as well) and roll it back and forth fro