By Kade McManus
Our feet are our foundation. A weak foundation can cause problems throughout the whole structure.
An imbalance in your feet or ankles, can likely be the cause of a host of problems anywhere on the body. Something that starts in your ankle can lead to an imbalance in your knees and hips which can throw off your spine and cause problems all over your body. To prevent this, we want to make sure that any imbalances are evened out and any tight or weak muscles are stretched and strengthened.
Along with imbalances, tight or weak muscles can lead to cramps and uncomfortable pain in your feet from tight shoes or improper walking mechanics.
To address tightness, sore muscles, cramping or pain here are two quick ways to possibly help.
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Lacrosse Balls
If you have access to a Lacrosse ball, placing it on the floor and rolling the
ball under your foot with pressure to massage the area can help alleviate
soreness and relax muscles on the bottom of your feet. Some other things you
can use if you don’t have a lacrosse ball would be a baseball, softball, golfball, or
anything of similar shape and firmness.
2. Ankle Dorsi-flexion
This can be achieved in numerous different ways and it’s really up to you how to
execute this stretch. Ankle dorsi-flexion is when your toes go up like a dorsal fin
on a dolphin. (Plantar Flexion would be when your big toe is planted in the
ground.)
Along with maintenance, it’s also important to strengthen your feet.
Most people don’t have a workout routine with movements involving foot curls and you probably won’t see your average gym bro sitting next to a squat rack pulling and pushing his feet with different tools to strengthen them, but you may benefit from these which makes them all the more worth it. For strengthening the muscles of your feet as well as your lower leg in general, give these 3 a try!
Combining the stretching and rolling with the strengthening can likely be the most efficient way to address pain and weaknesses in your foot and ankle area. Although these may seem like small random exercises to spend time doing, if they produce results then they may be worth it.
This is a very brief summary of possible solutions to foot and ankle problems/pain. Everyone’s body has their own imbalances and weaknesses and they can be for a multitude of reasons. If you notice pain in any of the areas listed above, try a couple of these stretches or exercises to help ease your pain and strengthen your body.
If you would like the help of a professional in addressing your foot issues, please follow this link, and we will reach out to you as soon as possible.
