Lately, more and more people have become health conscious owing to the Covid-19 pandemic which sensitised us on the importance of prioritising health over anything else. And with this, we have seen newer training techniques emerging and making their way into people’s routines.
From weight training which focuses on the toning and strengthening of your upper and lower body muscles to pilates which helps improve flexibility and posture of an individual, we work each part of our body.
But it is highly unlikely that one would think about gaining some foot strength. People do exercises that strengthen the legs like squats and lunges but often tend to neglect their feet. Incorporating some exercises that specifically work for your feet, may help you get rid of some issues like muscle soreness and ankle pain.
Maintaining good strength in our feet helps us get a good grip of the ground while it also improves the balance of our body. According to fitness instructor Imran Khurshaidi, when our foot hits the ground while running, the toe expands and absorbs the impact thus working as a braking mechanism. He also explains in his Instagram post that a good grip allows the foot to store more kinetic energy that propels our body forward while walking or sprinting.
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There are certain simple exercises and tips to improve foot grip strength that you can perform while sitting at home, some of them are listed below –
While seated straight on a chair, place your feet on the ground and spread the toes. Hold the toes in that position for a few seconds and repeat several times.
In the next exercise, place your one foot up on the other thigh and massage the arch of your foot gently while also stretching them.
One can also use a tennis ball to massage the bottom of the foot. Just place the ball under your feet and roll it for a few minutes.
Experts suggest that keeping the feet encased in shoes all day makes them weak. Walking barefoot on sand or a volleyball court can do the trick.
With the help of a small towel, one can do toe curls that significantly strengthen the muscles. Just place it under your foot and scrunch your toes while pulling the towel towards you. Repeat the motion five times for each foot.
