Happy Feet, Happy You!

Most of us spend hours a day on our feet – doing errands, doing chores, walking the dog, standing at work, standing in lines, standing at the stove. We expect our feet to get us where we need to go, and we’d sure love it if they didn’t complain, because we feel there’s too much else to take care of without adding our feet into the mix.

But if you could give your feet five minutes a day, with the fun, easy, and quick massage exercises given below, they’ll be more than happy – they’ll be ecstatic! You might be surprised to find that your emotional state and outlook on life will also feel much better.

Feet are the foundation of the body. When the foot doesn’t work properly, all the structures above it are affected – ankles, knees, hips, low back, shoulders, jaw, neck. Good posture, and a healthy body overall, starts with the feet.

The foot contains 26 bones (one-quarter of the bones in the human body), 33 joints, and more than 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Working together, they provide balance, support, and mobility. They act as shock absorbers, and furnish us with proprioception, letting us know what is underneath us and allowing us to adjust accordingly when that shifts.

Building strength and flexibility in the feet can improve alignment and health in the rest of the body. A great way to do this is to walk, especially on uneven surfaces. Walking improves circulation, encourages bone and muscle development, and improves strength and flexibility in the supporting muscles of the shins, calves, and front thighs. Yoga is really good for our feet, as is going barefoot.

Bigger bones indicate where the weight-bearing should be; in the foot, that means the heel. The toes should fan out to help you balance. Many of us tend to lean forward, and shoes with heels make this worse. To find your center, and also bring you more onto your heels, engage the four corners of the feet: from standing, press down through the big toe mound; from there, draw back along the inner edge of the foot and press the inner heel into the floor; next press the pinky toe mound down, then the outer heel.

Engaging the feet wakes up your body, brain, and eyes. Try a before-and-after with the following exercises: stand up, and notice your breathing, sense of balance, and alertness. Then sit down, either on a chair or on the floor, to do the foot massage listed below. Stand up and notice what’s different: you may find that you’re taking fuller, deeper breaths, and that you feel both more grounded, and more alert. You might even be taller!

Foot massage

Bend your right leg and rest your right foot on your left thigh. Entwine the fingers of your left hand in-between the toes of your right foot; a) move foot in circles (using youre hand, not your ankle, to move the foot); b) draw toes back toward shin; c) push toes into point; d) pull on and wiggle each toe.
a) massage foot with both hands; b) clap hands on foot; c) drum roll on sole; d) rub sole back and forth with knuckles of fist.
Once more, wriggle fingers between toes, make a waving motion with the toes and ball of foot, then a wagging motion side to side.
Switch sides, wriggling the right fingers in-between the left toes, and repeat.

Five minutes a day, to pamper and enliven your feet – see what a fabulous difference it can make not only for the happiness of your feet, but through your whole body. Even your smile muscles will improve!

Click here for a printer-friendly version of this article.

Home l About the Practitioner l Testimonials l Treatment l FAQ l Health Articles l Yoga l Contact