THE IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISE
If you are healthy and have no health problems, you do not need to avoid any muscle group, especially the feet and lower extremities. On the contrary, it would be better to activate these muscles every day. The foot muscles are very often neglected in training, but they are very important – the foot is the basis of our standing, walking and movement, it carries all our weight and plays a key role in the execution of many exercises.
Continuous and daily movement has the greatest effect on reducing pain and cramping, not only in the feet, but in all muscles and joints of the body. Strong and flexible feet can help reduce foot and ankle pain, reduce muscle aches, improve overall foot health and keep you active. Exercises that improve range of motion and elevate the legs can reduce the risk of injury. Slow and gentle stretching will improve your flexibility. Strength training will allow your muscles to better support and protect your feet as a whole.
There are a few simple exercises you can do every day. Depending on your capabilities, you can do them standing, which puts more stress on your feet, or sitting, which reduces the stress. We also describe a variation of exercises with minimal stress on the feet.
Stretching and strengthening exercises can be done three days a week or even every other day to increase range of motion and strength to maintain foot health and vitality for a lifetime. Always perform foot health exercises barefoot. This way the foot is most mobile and you can see if you are doing the exercises well.
If you have pain in your feet and ankles, if you have injuries, or if you have arthritis or diabetes, be sure to consult your doctor or physical therapist before doing these exercises.
In case of health problems, it is very important to consult a professional, even more if necessary, and not to draw your own conclusions, no matter how sure you are that you know your body best.