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It goes without saying that your feet and legs very important parts of your body.
It’s equally important to take care of them regularly so they perform properly.
However, oftentimes our feet become sore and even experience pain.
With this in mind, learning how to do stretches for sore feet will help relieve this.
Avoid Bigger Problems
These problems often occur from wearing the wrong shoes when you’re running, working out, or even at work.
Unfortunately, this leads to a host of problems down the road.
For example, you might deal with plantar fasciitis. The pain from PF is quite unbearable, making it feel like you’re walking on glass shards.
Also, it's important to understand that the muscles in your feet and legs work together, not independently.
Subsequently, aggravating your feet muscles will likely cause a strain in that relationship. But as the old saying goes: “One ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.
In order to help relieve sore feet and help prevent more serious issues from occurring some intervention on your part needed.
That's why it’s very important to adopt a stretching routine.
With that being said, if you are dealing with foot pain right now, be sure to treat it appropriately.
More importantly, if it lingers for days or becomes more severe, please consult with your doctor.
The first step is to kick off your shoes. You want to stretch one foot at a time. Let’s begin with some of the basic stretches for sore feet:
The Basics Are Always The Best Place To Start
- Take one foot and trace circles using your big toe. Start in a clockwise direction for 15-20 circles, then go in a counterclockwise direction for another 15-20. Repeat with the other foot.
- Cross one of your feet and rest it on the opposite knee. Grab your toes and pull the foot back towards you and hold for 15 seconds. Do this three times on each foot.
- Raise one foot, roll your toes inward and keep the balls of your feet raised for 5 seconds each. Do these 10 times for each foot.
- Step one foot back. With that back foot, raise the heel and stretch the bottom of the foot for 20-30 seconds. Be sure to keep your toes on the ground while doing this.
- Using a set of steps, place the ball of your foot on the step and point your heels down toward the lower step. Hold for 15-30 seconds for 3 times on each foot.
- Massage the bottom of your feet with a spiky ball for two minutes. Start with one foot, end on the other.
- If you have a resistance strap, wrap it around both feet. With your toes pulling against the band, maintain enough resistance in your grip that maintains a tension between your arms and feet. Then, hold for 10 seconds and release the band. Repeat this for anywhere between 5 to 10 times.
- Lunges are great for both your feet and leg muscles. With your feet together and your toes forward in a standing position, lunge forward with your right foot. Make sure your right heel strikes first before the rest of your foot hits the ground. Be sure that your knees are aligned with your ankles. Perform 10 lunges on one side, then repeat on the opposite side.
- Give your knees some “love”. Perform this knee hug stretch by sitting on the floor with your legs out in front of you. Then cross your right leg over to your left with your right knee bent. Hug your right leg to your chest. Once you put your right leg back on the floor, repeat using your left leg by crossing it over to your right.
It's Easy To Overlook Things Around Your House
Here’s something you probably hadn't considered...did you know that your towels can be useful in stretches for sore feet?
This simple household item is so effective for stretching, we’ve decided to dedicate a section to its use. Here’s what you can do:
Towel Lift: This is another great stretch for feet and ankles. Sit on the floor with your legs in front of you. Wrap the towel around your right ankle and use it to pull your leg up. Also, make sure you bend your left knee and keep your left foot flat on the floor. While keeping your buttocks on the floor, keep your right leg straight as you lift it. After holding for several seconds, lower your leg switch to the opposite
Towel Scrunch: This should be done while you are seated. With your bare feet on the floor, pretend you have a towel wrapped under your toes. Scrunch your toes as if you’re bringing the “towel” towards your heels. Then push your toes out, pushing the “towel” away from your heels. Repeat this 10 times.
You now have 11 stretches in your arsenal that will give you relief from those sore feet.
By doing these on a regular basis, you can be proactive about the health of your feet and ward off other serious feet related issues.
And if you happen to be a runner, make sure you try these after those long runs!
