Foot pain is not only uncomfortable, but it will prevent you from working or doing other activities that you like such as playing sports or running. For most people foot pain is a result of overusing your feet by standing for long periods or running a lot, being overweight or because of conditions like plantar fasciitis.

But despite the cause, stretching for foot pain relief is one of the best ways of dealing with it. There are many stretch exercises that you can do, but the following five seem to work well for most individuals.

#1 Ankle Stretch

Stretching for foot pain does not have to be complicated because some simple ankle stretches can offer you the relief that you desire. For a simple ankle exercise, you should start by looping a stretchy band around a table leg. You should then hook your feet through the band and make sure that ball (on your foot) is resting against it. The next step is to press your toes towards the ground until you feel some stretch and repeat this ten or more times.

 

#2 The Toe Raise

The toe lift is an ideal exercise when you need some relief and do not have a lot of time to spare. It is a simple stretch exercise because all you need to do is to stand up and try to raise your toes upwards. You should make sure that your pinky toe rises to the same height as the big toe and repeat this at least five times. Although this stretch sounds easy, it can be quite hard but still very helpful in exercising the bottom part of the foot.

#3 Tennis Ball Rub

A small tennis ball can be quite useful for someone with foot pain. For a simple stretch #exercise to relieve foot pain, you should place the tennis ball and roll it backward and forward with your foot. As you move the ball, make sure to apply some gentle pressure and do it for both legs. After the tennis ball roll, you can also tilt your feet so that the toes point towards the knee and stretch them out.

#4 Straight Leg Stretch

The straight leg stretch is a useful #exercise especially for individuals that wear high heels. It entails sitting with your legs straight and the feet flat against a wall. You should then lean forward while keeping your back straight. Hold this position for 15 seconds and take a 10 seconds’ break before repeating the routine for at least three times.

#5 V Stretch

The V Stretch helps to reduce swelling and to ease the pain that comes from being on your feet all day or running. This #exercise is about lying on your back and a few inches from a wall. The next step is to place the legs in a “V” shape and then straighten them. By doing this, you will feel a stretch in the inner thighs, and it will also help your arches. Apart from the V stretch you can also lie on your back and keep the feet above your chest as this also contributes to reducing the swelling.

 

Conclusion

Stretching your legs eases the tension in your muscles and ligament which is vital in relieving pain and reducing swelling. The five exercises above will be helpful for this, but others like the calf and runner’s stretch will also be useful when dealing with foot pain.

It is also a good idea to rub some essential oil like peppermint and lemongrass on your feet after the stretches to benefit from their anti-inflammatory properties. Maintaining a healthy weight is also important as it ensures that you do not put too much pressure on your feet and avoid standing for long periods.

SHARE THIS POST