Toe exercises improve foot flexibility and strength and can help alleviate muscle soreness caused by the stress exerted on the foot each day. Healthy toes also improve your balance and reduce your risk of falls. Here are some gentle strengthening and stretching exercises that you can perform 2-3 times a week:
Heel Raise with Toe Point:
- You will need to sit straight in a chair with feet flat on the floor.
- Raise your heels off the floor with only the balls of your feet touching the floor and keep this position for 5 seconds.
- Now point your toes so that only the top of the first and second toes are touching the ground and again hold for 5 seconds.
- Repeat this movement 10 times.
Toe Splay:
- Sit straight in a chair with your feet resting on the ground.
- Spread your toes as far as possible and hold for 5 seconds.
- Repeat 10 times.
Toe Extension:
- Sit straight on a chair and keep your feet flat on the floor.
- Place the foot of one leg on the thigh of the other leg and with one hand stretch the toes towards your ankle and hold for 10 seconds.
- This helps to prevent and treat plantar fasciitis.
Toe Curls:
- Sit straight on a chair and keep your feet flat on the floor.
- Place a small towel under your feet and curl your toes to grasp the towel and pull it towards you.
- Repeat this movement 5 times with each foot.
- This helps to treat hammertoe, toe cramps, and pain in the ball of the foot.
Marble Pickup:
- Place a few marbles on the floor.
- Pick one marble up and place it in a bowl on the floor with your toes.
- Repeat 10-20 times with each foot.
- This helps to treat toe cramps and hammertoe.
Big Toe Stretch:
- Sit straight on a chair.
- Place the foot of one leg on the thigh of the other.
- Using your hands, gently pull your big toe up, down, and to the sides.
- Repeat this process with the other foot.
- This exercise helps to treat bunions and toe cramps.
Tennis Ball Roll:
- Place a tennis ball under your feet and roll it along the soles of your feet using your feet and toes.
- This helps to massage the bottom of your feet to treat plantar fasciitis and arch strain.