Use These Exercises to Help With Foot Pain Relief

Foot pain is one of the most common challenges our clients at EasyCosy Wellness face. We have written several blog posts on foot pain and the associated issues that arise from it. See https://easycozy.ca/pain-relief/finding-foot-pain-relief/ for an overview of our foot pain tips.

Our team also has several exercises that can help you manage and find relief from foot pain. These exercises should be done in addition to visiting us for massage and acupressure treatments.

The Standing Calf Raise

This is one of the best exercises for runners who experience foot pain. When running, you will often use the big toe as a push-off and strike point.

Health Partners notes that calf raises should be done with a focus on “the big toe to build arch strength.”

They recommend the following way to do calf raises.

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Raise the heels and finish by lifting onto the big toe. Keep the ball of each foot on the ground throughout the movement. Work up to 4 to 5 sets of 20 reps prior to each run.

Illustration of how to do the calf raise

The Achilles Stretch

The Achilles tendon connects your heel to your calf muscles. Repeated use and even overuse of activities such as running can cause foot pain if not managed correctly.

Medical News Today has a great breakdown of how to perform this stretch with the following steps. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320964#for-pain

To do this exercise:

1. Face a wall and raise the arms so that the palms of the hands are resting flat against the wall.
2. Move one foot back, keeping the knee straight. Then, bend the knee of the opposite leg.
3. Keep both heels flat on the floor.
4. Push the hips forward until there is a stretching feeling in the Achilles tendon and calf muscles.
5. Hold for 30 seconds before switching sides. Repeat three times on each side.
6. For a slightly different stretch, bend the back knee and push the hips forward.

Achilles Stretch helps relieve foot pain

The Plantar Fasciitis Stretches

There are also stretches and exercises that can help with foot pain relief when plantar fasciitis is a factor. We’ve outlined Plantar Fasciitis Massage in a previous article ( https://easycozy.ca/pain-relief/massage-for-plantar-fasciitis/).

Stretches using a towel are very effective in helping with foot pain including the

a) Towel stretch
b) Towel pickup.

The Towel stretch is easy to do.

1. Begin by looping a towel around the ball of your foot and pull back towards your body with the knee kept straight.
2. Hold for 30 seconds for each foot.

Towel Stretch for foot pain relief

The towel pickup is an easy one really too.

1. Place a towel on the floor in front of you.
2. Pick up the towel by grabbing it with your toes with your heels flat on the floor.
3. Repeat 10-20 times.

This exercise can be improved by adding a small weight to the towel.

Towel Pickup for foot pain relief

The Sitting Plantar Fasciitis stretch is our final stretch and can be done in the following manner.

1. Start by crossing your foot over the opposite knee.
2. Hold the base of the toes and gently pull back until you feel a stretch along the underside of your foot.
3. Hold for 15-20 seconds per repetition.
4. Repeat 3 times on each foot.

Plantar Facia Stretch for foot pain relief

The massage therapists at Easy Cozy Wellness in Nanaimo, BC, are experienced in providing relief from foot pain issues like Plantar Fasciitis. Call Easy Cozy Wellness today to book your appointment.

References

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320964

https://www.highgatehospital.co.uk/gp-news/nine-exercises-to-relieve-foot-and-ankle-pain/

https://www.healthpartners.com/blog/stop-foot-pain-seven-easy-exercises/

Cover Image: “The Best Shoes for Ankle Pain” (CC BY 2.0) by Esther Max