Foot Health: Don't Tiptoe Around its Importance

We all know how to keep our biceps in shape, but few of us know how to keep feet and toes in good condition.

They take significant abuse from the hours we spend on our feet each day.  

The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) considers your feet a marvel of engineering.  Together, your two feet contain more than 50 bones, accounting for about one-fourth of all the bones in your body. And somehow they also make room for more than 60 joints and 200 muscles, tendons, and ligaments that hold them together and help them move.

The American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society recommends doing these simple exercises to strengthen toes and prevent foot discomfort.

All shoe wearers will benefit from these exercises.

Toe raise, point and curl:

Hold each position for five seconds and repeat 10 times. Great if you suffer from toe cramps.

Golf ball roll:

Roll a golf ball under the ball of the foot for two minutes.
This is a great massage for the bottom of the foot and is recommended for people
with plantar fasciitis (heel pain), arch strain or foot cramps.

Towel curls

Place a small towel on the floor and curl it toward you using only your toes.
You can increase the resistance by putting a weight on the end of the towel.
Relax and repeat this exercise five times.

Try these exercises recommendations the next time your feet cry mutiny.

You’ll soon be stepping lively again!



For more information on foot health go to: http://www.aofas.org/footcaremd/.aspx