Back pain is something that is a burden to many people’s lives. It is a constant need for lying down and stretching out the back and asking for back massages to alleviate the -sometimes – unbearable pain.
Your feet play an important role in controlling your posture and your balance. A bad posture and a lack of balance can result in experiencing pain in different parts of your body.
When you exercise your feet daily, you maintain the strength in your muscles and you keep the blood flowing, so you’ll be less prone to have back problems and problems with your posture and balance that happen with age. The best place to start is with a proper pair of Protalus shoe insoles. Regardless of whether these issues are from neuropathy or other conditions, these can help alleviate the pain.
So, if you are dealing with a knee, hip, or back pain – here are 5 effective exercises that you can perform with your feet to regain your balance, improve your posture, and alleviate your pain.
1. TOE WALKING
Imagine that you are a ballerina for just 20 seconds a day. Stand up on your tippy toes and walk around for just 20 seconds and you’ll notice a drastic improvement on your feet.
The muscles and the ligaments in your feet will strengthen. Repeat this ballerina exercise 5 times with little pauses in between, two times a day. If you are lacking balance, try holding onto walls or surfaces until your balance improves which will with time and practice.
2. RESISTANCE BAND
The smaller muscles in our feet are also responsible for maintaining balance. So, this exercise is great for training these muscles to help you walk painlessly. For this exercise, you just need one exercise band.
Sit on the floor and straighten your legs in front of you. Then, wrap the one side of the exercise band around a bedpost or a stable chair and place the other side of it on the top of your feet. Then, start sliding back until the band is extended and you feel a tension. Hold this position while counting to 5 and then repeat this exercise 10 times.
3. TOE PRESSES
Toe presses are a great way for improving the blood circulation in your feet. Stand up and with your knees slightly bent touch the floor with your toes. Hold this position for 3 seconds and then release. Repeat it 10 times, 3 times a day to get the best results.
4. ANKLE CIRCLES
This exercise will alleviate the hip, knee, or ankle pain fast. All these pains are linked to poor posture because of your upper body and your lower body are not aligned, so when you move the pressure that you put on your lower extremities is uneven.
Lie down on your back and bent upwards your knees. Then, stretch out one leg above your body. Start rotating the ankle for 10 seconds clockwise and then 10 seconds anticlockwise. Then repeat the same process with your other ankle. For optimal results, repeat this exercise two times a day.
5. TOE – PENCIL – PICKUPS
This exercise is self-explaining. You need to pick up a pen or a pencil from the floor with your toes and then hold it for 10 seconds. This is an excellent exercise if you want to strengthen your toes. Do 5 repetitions with each foot, 2-3 times per week.
A REMINDER: If your hip, knee, or back pain is consistent or if you are experiencing severe posture or balance problems, consult with your doctor first before doing these exercises.
