10 Ways to Strengthen Your Feet
Fix your feet
(note: this post does contain affiliate links from Amazon. You won’t pay a penny more by clicking though)
From wearing high heels to running marathons (jk I don’t run): we expect a lot out of our feet. That’s why it’s important to make strengthening and stretching your feet a part of your daily routine.
With over 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 tendons, muscles, and ligaments we have tasked our feet with the most important job: to carry our bodies throughout the day.
People! Be nice to your feet!
Week feet can cause a variety of problems including knee pain due to a weak kinetic chain and instability.
If you’re a runner, weak feet can cause a variety of running related injuries due poor posture and
Healthy feet are vital for quality life, mobility, flexibility, and strength. Studies have shown that strengthening your feet can lead to significant improvements in running speed, horizontal and vertical jump distance, and strength.
A simple test to see if your feet are strong is to trying to push your big toe down as you lift the other four toes off the floor.
Unable to? That’s can be a sign that your muscles in your feet are not as strong as they could be, and your ligaments and tendons are tight. This weakness inhibits your ability to walk, run, jump, and spin properly.
If your feet hurt, your life hurts.
It’s important to make feet strengthening a part of your daily routine. Already feeling the pain? Practicing these exercises can lead to a reduction (and, hopefully, elimination) of suffering.
The great thing about these is that they are so simple you can do them while watching Real Housewives. Your workout plan: Every time Vicki whoops it up or Shannon yells, do an exercise.
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Point and Flex
- lift one foot off the ground
- point your toes towards the ground
- flex your foot
- repeat 10x
- switch to your other foot
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Heel Raise
- sitting straight up on a chair, plant both feet on the floor
- raise your heels while keeping your toes and balls of your feet on the floor
- hold position for 5 seconds
- lower heels
- repeat 10x
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Heel Raise with Point
- sitting straight up on a chair, plant both feet on the floor
- raise one heel while pointing your big toe towards the fllor
- hold position for 5 seconds
- lower heel
- repeat 10x
- switch feet
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Heel Raise with Curl
- sitting straight up on a chair, plant both feet on the floor
- raise your heels while curling your toes inward
- hold position for 5 seconds
- lower heels
- repeat 10x
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Toe Lift
- drop a hand towel or piece of cloth on the floor
- using one foot, use your toes lift towel off the floor
- hold for 10 seconds
- repeat 10x
- switch feet
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Toe Separation
- sit straight up, with feet gently resting on the floor
- lift your toes up off the ground as far as possible
- spread the toes as wide as possible
- hold for 5 seconds
- repeat 10x
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Toe Grip
- stand straight up
- using one foot, grip the ground with your toes
- note: this is different then curling your toes. Gripping will help lift your arch
- hold for 5 seconds
- repeat 10x
- switch to other foot
- Toe Stretcher
These yoga toes are amazing and help stretch your toes, alleviate pain, and remove pressure.
9. Foot stretcher
Admittedly, this product looks INSANE. Don’t worry; I’m fully aware of how crazy it makes you. However, this product is amazing to stretch out your feet and relive plantar fasciitis pain
The HOLY GRAIL of foot care. The Pilates foot corrector is amazing at strengthening and stretching your feet and revealing pain.
Another thing to use to loosen up tight fascia (which can equal foot pain) is a trigger point ball.
Trigger Point balls are my secret weapon and I even carry one around in my purse to use at work.
Shameless plug! Want to try it? Contact me for a Pilates session: your feet will love you forever. 
