Foot & ankle is the foundation of the body, they carry your entire body weight and keeps you mobile through your life. With every extra kilo you put on, the feet have to carry your burden and gradually undergo more wear and tear. So, it becomes even more important to look after them.
Common foot related issues
-Heel pain/Plantar fasciitis/Heel spur
-Pain in balls of the feet/foot arches/ankles
-Corns/Callus
-Excessive gripping/clawing of toes/Bunions/Hammer toes
-Flattened/reduced foot arches/ Flat foot
-Swelling in foot-ankle
-Varicose veins/Foot neuropathy/ Discolouration of skin
How do exercises help?
Exercising the foot and ankle helps in strengthening the weak muscles and stretching the tight ones to improve the support and stability to the bones and joint structures and also improves the blood circulation down the feet.
It helps in maintaining the correct biomechanical alignment of the foot-ankle and thus preventing further complications of joint deformity or degeneration.
Exercises for foot-ankle
Some of the simple but effective exercises to do regularly and can be repeated through the day.
Towel crunches
Ankle scoops
Toe lifts
Tennis ball roll
Single leg stand
Calf raise
Ankle theraband exercises
Written by Dr.Ritu Chauhan
Dr.Ritu Chauhan, Sr.Practitioner