Sure our feet get stretched as part of a normal workout. But just like every other muscle and part of the body, warming up the engine first will help with flexibility and to prevent injuries.
Plus, consider what we do to our feet on a daily basis and the contortions (i.e. cute heels) we put them through.
Start any workout with some dedicated foot stretching time. You can also do these to wake yourself up, while brushing your teeth, picking out your outfit — you get the idea.
1. Wake them up. Start off by simple rubbing them and spreading and squeezing your toes to get the blood flow going.
2. Deep massage. To wake those arches up, roll a tennis ball or something similar under your foot while standing. Be sure to get the piggies. 30 seconds each foot.
2. Heel walk. Walk around on your heels for a deep heel massage and to wake up your Achilles. 30 seconds.
3. Ballerina walk. Walk around on the balls of your feet to wake up your arches and calves. 30 seconds.
4. Ankle rolls. Now that your ankles are warmed up, gently roll them in circles each way a few times, each foot.
5. Piggie bend. Bend and gently stretch the toes toward your arch and then flex back, each foot. This should stretch the top of your foot and your inner arch as well.
6. The pencil. Pointing your foot and balancing, use your big toe to spell out the alphabet. Do this on each foot. Not only does it help you stabilize and get your balance for the day, but this exercise also uses a lot of different muscles in your foot and leg. Plus the routine helps wake up the ol’ noodle too.