Try this simple mindful exercise. It is so simple you have no excuse not to.
Take a few minutes to notice your walking.
As you walk, notice how each part of your feet touches the ground: starting from the heel touching the ground, then the middle of your foot, then the ball of the foot, and finally, your toes.
Try this on a few steps.
Are you aware of the different parts of your feet that you use when you walk? Do you notice any pain or discomfort? Are you balanced?
Before this exercise, I only thought of my left and right foot as single units. After this small exercise I became aware of the feet, the ankles, and the toes. Soon the thought came to me that while I spend time every day taking care of my face, my hands, and my body, I have been neglecting my feet. My feet work so hard supporting my entire body weight every day. It’s time for me to start taking care of them before they give me problems. Here are some of my recent finds to share.
Building Stronger Feet
You my have heard this before: Our feet are like the root of the tree. The stronger they are, the more they can support and balance our entire body. If they are mistreated or neglected, we get problems such as cramps, bunions, soreness, and even pain. I recently learned how to take better care of my feet using Yamuna's Foot Wakers. They are plastic spheres covered with knobbles designed to stimulate and "wake up" your feet. The set comes with an instruction video to use. I use them when I am sitting down for now, as a beginner. Stepping on them with my feet, I can feel the sensation, and the blood circulation just after a couple exercises. For higher intensity you can try standing up, balancing yourself on it. With proper use, the foot wakers are designed to increase your flexibility and build strong foot muscles. After each use, I use the Azendea 3-in-1 Spray before to clean them. Spray it on and leave it with a nice, refreshing scent. You can find both the Yamuna's Foot Wakers and Azendea's 3-in-1 Spray (Moon Salutation is shown on the picture) on Amazon.
Give Your Toes a Break
Our toes support the balance of our body when we walk. The stronger your toes are, the more support you have. If you have weak toes, you tend to lean on other muscles to balance, and over time it can wear out other muscles and tendons on your feet, causing pain and discomfort. If you are like me, your toes are cramped in the shoes you wear every day, limiting their movement. Soon they get weak and tensed. A couple years back I bought Flex-Tastic to help stretch my toes. I should be using them 5 minutes every day to stretch out my toes. While they did a good job flexing my toes, I did not use them often enough because my toes kept slipping away unless I sat still. Recently I found YogaToes Gems. The gems in between the toes keep them in their slots, so I don’t have to worry about moving my feet.
Have Some Fun While at it
Toesox have these grip socks that are great for Yoga or Pilate sessions. These socks come with full- toe or half-toe coverage. They help prevent slippage on the mat while spreading your toes at the same time. They are comfortable and come in many styles. I even wear them around the house instead of my slippers some times.