Exercise Your Feet

At least now and again you exercise other body parts--your arms, your legs, your abs--to strengthen them. What have you done for your feet lately? Even walking, while healthful, exerts a pressure of more than 125,000 pounds per mile per foot for a 120-pound person, according to the American Podiatric Medical Association. No wonder those dogs are barking! Aging can bring on aches and pains, but don't let them sideline your workout. In fact, staying active is one of the best ways to lubricate joints and ultimately ease stiffness.

Here are some exercises experts recommend to relieve achy feet and help prevent or heal from injuries:

To relieve toe cramps and strengthen calf muscles
While standing, raise your toes. Hold for five seconds. Repeat 10 times. Curl your toes. Hold and repeat. Point your toes. Hold and repeat.

To relieve foot cramps or arch pain
Massage the bottom of your foot by rolling a small ball under the ball of your foot for about two minutes.

To strengthen arches, relieve toe cramps, ease pain in the ball of your foot

Place a small towel on the floor just in front of your bare foot. Without moving your heel off the floor, try to grasp the towel using only your toes. Repeat five times.

To speed recovery from plantar fasciitis, common cause of heel pain
Sit in a chair barefoot, with ankle of the affected foot on opposite knee. Using the same hand as the affected foot, grab the toes. Flex the ankle forward and pull toes toward shin. Hold the stretch for a count of 10, then relax. Repeat 10 times. Perform the sequence at least three times a day.

Please check with your doctor before starting any exercise routine. Scroll to the bottom of the page to view our medical disclaimer.