Importance of Stretching
One of the most overlooked benefits of stretching is foot health. We demand a lot from our feet and use them extensively every single day. According to the College of Podiatry, “a person will walk an estimated 150,000 miles in their lifetime“, roughly the equivalent of walking around the world six times! All that stress of carrying you around takes its toll and puts your feet at special risk for injuries or inflammation. Thus the importance of stretching for healthy feet.
Most foot exercises are simple and easy to do and increase the range of motion in the feet. They say that “age makes us all equal” and that is nowhere truer than foot health. The feet are a marvel and contain 26 bones, 42 muscles, 33 joints and 50 ligaments and when healthy, work like a well-oiled machine to get you where you are going. Exercise philosophy has come a long way, and we now understand that stretching is an important part of any exercise or rehabilitation program. The “warm up” as stretching is known, keeps the muscles flexible, healthy, and strong and we need that to maintain a range of motion in our joints. If we don’t stretch our muscles shorten and become tight and when that happens, one wrong move can spell trouble. As we age, this flexibility can be the difference between an active or inactive daily lifestyle. Flexible muscles help you bend down to pick up that package, play with your grandchildren, or catch your dog as it runs away from you. Stretching improves circulation and increases blood flow to your muscles. It also improves posture by keeping your muscles loose, and good posture is important in keeping aches and pain away and preventing falls as you get older.
Some tips to successful stretching for healthy feet include:
Focusing on major muscles groups such as the feet, calves, hips, back, shoulders and neck
Perform exercises such as Calf and heel stretches, Towel stretch and Toe curls
Don’t bounce. Bouncing can tear muscles and cause tight muscles
If it hurts, stop. Pain means you are pushing too far
Hold stretches for 30 seconds
Relax and breathe deeply as you stretch, take your time
Make this time a daily meditation and an important part of a healthy lifestyle
