Improve your foot function and balance with yoga
For feet exercise videos scroll to the end!
“The foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art” Michaelangelo
Yoga moves are fantastic for improving your foot function and your overall balance as a result.
Let’s take a look at how the feet are designed to function, and then how our yoga practice helps with healthy foot function and whole body movement.
How do your feet impact your whole body movement and balance?
Most humans who wear shoes have feet that don’t move as well as they could, nor do they look at their feet and see them as the beautifully intricate and incredible pieces of engineering that they are!
And yet….
Each foot has 33 joints and 26 bones. The feet and ankles are designed to act as the master sensors of the body, feeling the ground beneath us and capable of transmitting that information at lightning speed up to the rest of the body. Then second by second, from the feet, the whole body ripples in response in a connected way.
The feet and ankles have about a third of our entire body's proprioceptive nerve sensors, which instantaneously send messages to the brain about the constantly shifting position of the body in relation to the ground. A third is A LOT in the relatively small surface area of the feet/ankles, but necessary, because the feet are the only part of the body in contact with a solid surface when we are upright. This means the feet have super sensitivity.
But the effectiveness of these proprioceptive mechanoreceptors depends on how well all the tissues and joints in the feet and ankles move for the brain to be able to receive messages and act on them. So feet that are weak, stiff and narrow will send poorer signals, resulting in poorer balance and overall connected movement and ease.
The Effect of Modern Life on Our Feet
Our need to move well, critically including the feet and ankles, has decreased with modern life. We walk on flat even surfaces, sit on chairs much of the time, rather than integrating moves like squatting, kneeling, climbing, or jumping into our daily activities. Our feet are held much of the time in shoes with the toes locked in a narrow, uplifted position, the arch artificially held, the heel also lifted up restricting ankle movement , and the sole of the foot fixed rather than bending with variations in the ground. This even applies to comfortable shoes like trainers, and many flat sandals.
As a result, our feet are often stiff, weak, less responsive to the ground and unnaturally shaped. Some people end up with foot discomfort and pain which can frustratingly limit their ability to enjoy moving. Bunions, squashed toes, hammertoes and plantar fasciitis are met with resignation, orthotics are commonplace. In our culture, the feet are very often a pretty under-moved and unloved part of the body.
Further up the chain, from the feet, then ankles, knees and hips which do not move optimally create poor habits in how we stand, walk, move. Over time, this can negatively impact your balance, the fluidity of your overall body movement, and affect how much muscular tension you habitually hold, even playing a part in low back pain or pelvic floor dysfunction.
I outline all this not to be negative, but to emphasise the long term value in doing movements which work on strength and mobility in your feet, ankles, knees and hips in both isolated and then connected ways. It’s a whole chain reaction!
This is why yoga classes with me include movements like rolling over your feet, toe spreading and lifting, calf raises and more. The movements might feel small, trivial even, but when you understand what the feet do, you can appreciate the value and quickly feel the positive changes.
How yoga and functional movement changes our feet and ankles
Improving movement in the little parts like your toe joints and ankles, and sensing into how everything is interconnected can have long term benefits. For example:
If you work on widening your toes more and strengthening your feet, your knees might be less likely to niggle when you run or hike.
Moving your feet more via mobility and strength exercises will bring more confidence in your everyday balance.
A stronger foot arch and toe mobility will make your pelvic floor muscles more responsive, and help your core muscles engage naturally.
How do you feel about your feet and balance? Are you ready to upgrade their movement potential?
Here are my top starter moves for getting your feet/ankles/calves moving more. They are all easy things to integrate into your everyday life. Start making your feet more responsive right now with a quick handshake. Let me know how it goes!
Simple feet & ankle TLC
‘Shake hands’ with your feet daily - video below! You could also use some toe spreaders, toe-spaced socks, (for wider toes and forefoot, mobile toe joints).
Massage your feet and arches - after a walk or after a shower, or have a tennis ball in your kitchen to roll over the whole sole of your foot slowly (blood flow and feedback from arch muscles)
Rollover your feet, pressing into the tops of your feet and stretching out through your toes - tab;e top pull backs are good for this, flipping the feet to tops down and then toes under. ( moving through the forefoot joints and stretching muscles)
Do 10 heel raises when you go up the stairs once a day - build up to single leg raises (ankle mobility and intrinsic foot strength). See video 2 below.
Single big toe lifts, then four toe lifts- you can do them sitting at your desk or in the shower...
Slow, deliberate ankle circles.
Walk barefoot in the park or garden in the spring : )
Walk daily in ‘healthy shoes’ - start with 10 minutes! Acclimatise to real foot movement gradually.
Here is a gentle starter movement practice for the feet and ankles
Shaking hands with the feet & other key toe stretches
See my next blog here on How to Transition Well to Healthy Shoes
This book, Simple Steps to Foot Pain Relief by Katy Bowman, is good resource if you have challenging issues with your feet. Or get in touch with me for some one-to-one support.
To learn more about healthy minimal shoes, have a read at Anya’s reviews here
If you're on Instagram, I recommend @thefootcollective for good feet info.
