Maybe "toe yoga" can help

By Bill Bedford, PT, DPT, CIDN; Ferrell-Whited Physical Therapy Services and Bedford Fitness

With sandal and barefoot weather approaching, it is the perfect time to ask yourself if your feet are fit.

Have you had foot pain, plantar fasciitis, or even knee pain? If so, you most likely have weak feet. We all tend to spend time at the gym working on our core, legs, biceps, etc., but not many people spend time strengthening their feet. Your feet have to support and lift your body weight for endless hours every day, so spending time strengthening your feet should be a priority.

Many who have foot pain or have a “flat foot” have been told to get orthotics or a stability shoe and that will fix everything. Some may have been wearing orthotics for years. If you were told to wear a neck brace, back brace or elbow brace for the rest of your life, would you agree to that no questions asked? The answer is probably, no. So when it comes to your feet, it should not be any different. Orthotics can be a good tool for short-term use, but long-term use of orthotics can decrease the strength of your feet and cause you to rely more on the orthotics and shoes.

Why not strengthen your feet, instead? Your foot and ankle are made up of bone, muscles, ligaments and tendons that require strengthening, just like everywhere else in your body. We can help you by starting with some “toe yoga,” followed by “doming,” integrating these exercises into your normal routine. As part of our physical therapy and personal fitness services, we offer “Foot Fit” core foot strengthening and assessment, so contact us today to see how we can improve your health and wellness.

Ferrell-Whited Physical Therapy and Bedford Fitness is located at 2 Berea Commons, Suite 10, in downtown Berea. To schedule an assessment, call 440-973-4950, or visit FerrellWhited.com.