How to Do Physical Therapy Exercises for the Feet
Seek advice., Try toe lifts., Do toe curls., Pick up marbles., Write the alphabet., Do a toe extension., Try a big toe pull., Do resistant ankle inversion., Perform resistant ankle eversion., Do calf raises.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Seek advice.
If you are experiencing foot or ankle pain, you need to get advice from your doctor or podiatrist.
If the pain does not go away, even with rest, ice, and elevation, you may have a fracture.
This is even more likely if there is swelling, bruising, or discoloration.
You will need to seek medical treatment and get an X-ray to confirm or rule out this possibility.
If you do have a fracture or other injury such as the ones mentioned above, ask your doctor if there are prescribed physical therapy exercises that you can do. -
Step 2: Try toe lifts.
Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
Lift your big toe up off the floor slightly while leaving the other four down.
Practice this to the point where you can eventually raise up all five toes, one at the time, beginning with the big toe and ending with the fifth toe.
Then practice lowering each toe one at a time, beginning with the fifth toe and ending with the big toe.
Do two sets of
15.
If you find this difficult at first, just raise your big toe up and down until you get the hang of it.
Move slowly through your toes, working up to where you can do all five.
This exercise is meant to strengthen the extenders, one of the groups of muscles which move the toes up and down.
Strong extenders and flexors can help greatly with gait and balance and thus help prevent foot injuries from accidents, according to the Summit Medical Group., Place a towel on the ground under your right foot.
Stretch your toes out and pull them back in to grip the material with your toes.
Lift the cloth one to two inches off the ground and hold for five seconds.
Lower it to the ground.
Repeat five times.
Then repeat on the left side.
Relax your muscles between each grip.
Work up to holding the grip for 10 seconds at a time.
Toe curls focus primarily on strengthening the toe flexors. , Place 20 marbles and a small bowl on the ground.
Sit on the couch or in a chair, relaxed all the way back.
With one foot, pick up one marble at a time and place it in the bowl.
Then empty the marbles out and do the same thing with your other foot.
This exercise will strengthen the intrinsic and extrinsic muscles in the feet.
It is also helpful for plantar fasciitis but also for injuries like turf toe, a term use for injury to the great toe caused by hyperextension., Sit on the couch, relaxed against the back.
Extend one of your legs and raise one foot several inches off the ground.
Trace the alphabet in the air using your big toe as a “pencil.” Then switch legs and do the same with the opposite big toe.
This exercise helps to strengthen the extensor and flexor muscles in the foot.
It can also help with plantar fasciitis and turf toe, among other foot conditions.
It is especially effective in ankle rehabilitation.
Keep your movements small.
Just use your ankle, foot, and toe., Wrap a rubber band around the middle of all five of your toes on your right foot.
It should have medium resistance so that it will give slightly.
Stretch all of your toes apart.
This will cause the band to stretch as far as it will go.
Hold the stretch for five seconds and then relax your toes.
Perform this stretch five times on each foot.
Make sure to relax for approximately five seconds.
This strengthens the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles of the foot and is used in the treatment of both plantar fasciitis and turf toe., Loop the rubber band between the big toe on your right foot and the big toe on your left.
Place your feet together.
Pull your toes apart while trying to keep your ankles together.
Stretch the rubber band as far as you can, then relax.
Relax for five seconds in between stretches and repeat five times.
This exercise strengthens the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles in the feet. , Sit on the floor with legs stretched out in front of you.
Attach one end of a therapy band to a stationary object, such as the leg of a heavy table.
The table should be beside you, down at your feet.
Loop the other end of the band around the ball of your foot.
The table leg will be off to the side.
The loop of the band will wrap around the ball of your foot and extend out beside you toward the table.
Using the band for resistance, move your ankle away from the table, pulling against the band to stretch it out.
Do two sets of
15.
This exercise can help to strengthen the malleolus and tibialis muscles on either side of the ankle.
It can also help prevent or treat sprains., This exercise is very similar to the inversion.
Sit on the floor with legs stretched out in front of you.
With the band in the same position as with the inversion, move the loop of the resistance band down so that it is against the arch of the foot instead of the ball.
Move your foot up and out against the therapy band.
Do two sets of
15.
This exercise can help to strengthen the peroneal and tibialis muscles on both sides of your ankle.
It can also help treat or prevent sprains., Stand straight in front of a wall, counter, or other stable object.
Place your hands gently on the wall in front of you.
Raise yourself onto your toes in a calf raise exercise.
From this raised-toe position, lower your feet to the ground again while keeping yourself balanced with your hands against the wall.
Repeat 10 times, making sure to lower yourself slowly to the ground.
For an extra challenge, try raising yourself on 1 foot at a time, and doing 10 reps with each foot. -
Step 3: Do toe curls.
-
Step 4: Pick up marbles.
-
Step 5: Write the alphabet.
-
Step 6: Do a toe extension.
-
Step 7: Try a big toe pull.
-
Step 8: Do resistant ankle inversion.
-
Step 9: Perform resistant ankle eversion.
-
Step 10: Do calf raises.
Detailed Guide
If you are experiencing foot or ankle pain, you need to get advice from your doctor or podiatrist.
If the pain does not go away, even with rest, ice, and elevation, you may have a fracture.
This is even more likely if there is swelling, bruising, or discoloration.
You will need to seek medical treatment and get an X-ray to confirm or rule out this possibility.
If you do have a fracture or other injury such as the ones mentioned above, ask your doctor if there are prescribed physical therapy exercises that you can do.
Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
Lift your big toe up off the floor slightly while leaving the other four down.
Practice this to the point where you can eventually raise up all five toes, one at the time, beginning with the big toe and ending with the fifth toe.
Then practice lowering each toe one at a time, beginning with the fifth toe and ending with the big toe.
Do two sets of
15.
If you find this difficult at first, just raise your big toe up and down until you get the hang of it.
Move slowly through your toes, working up to where you can do all five.
This exercise is meant to strengthen the extenders, one of the groups of muscles which move the toes up and down.
Strong extenders and flexors can help greatly with gait and balance and thus help prevent foot injuries from accidents, according to the Summit Medical Group., Place a towel on the ground under your right foot.
Stretch your toes out and pull them back in to grip the material with your toes.
Lift the cloth one to two inches off the ground and hold for five seconds.
Lower it to the ground.
Repeat five times.
Then repeat on the left side.
Relax your muscles between each grip.
Work up to holding the grip for 10 seconds at a time.
Toe curls focus primarily on strengthening the toe flexors. , Place 20 marbles and a small bowl on the ground.
Sit on the couch or in a chair, relaxed all the way back.
With one foot, pick up one marble at a time and place it in the bowl.
Then empty the marbles out and do the same thing with your other foot.
This exercise will strengthen the intrinsic and extrinsic muscles in the feet.
It is also helpful for plantar fasciitis but also for injuries like turf toe, a term use for injury to the great toe caused by hyperextension., Sit on the couch, relaxed against the back.
Extend one of your legs and raise one foot several inches off the ground.
Trace the alphabet in the air using your big toe as a “pencil.” Then switch legs and do the same with the opposite big toe.
This exercise helps to strengthen the extensor and flexor muscles in the foot.
It can also help with plantar fasciitis and turf toe, among other foot conditions.
It is especially effective in ankle rehabilitation.
Keep your movements small.
Just use your ankle, foot, and toe., Wrap a rubber band around the middle of all five of your toes on your right foot.
It should have medium resistance so that it will give slightly.
Stretch all of your toes apart.
This will cause the band to stretch as far as it will go.
Hold the stretch for five seconds and then relax your toes.
Perform this stretch five times on each foot.
Make sure to relax for approximately five seconds.
This strengthens the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles of the foot and is used in the treatment of both plantar fasciitis and turf toe., Loop the rubber band between the big toe on your right foot and the big toe on your left.
Place your feet together.
Pull your toes apart while trying to keep your ankles together.
Stretch the rubber band as far as you can, then relax.
Relax for five seconds in between stretches and repeat five times.
This exercise strengthens the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles in the feet. , Sit on the floor with legs stretched out in front of you.
Attach one end of a therapy band to a stationary object, such as the leg of a heavy table.
The table should be beside you, down at your feet.
Loop the other end of the band around the ball of your foot.
The table leg will be off to the side.
The loop of the band will wrap around the ball of your foot and extend out beside you toward the table.
Using the band for resistance, move your ankle away from the table, pulling against the band to stretch it out.
Do two sets of
15.
This exercise can help to strengthen the malleolus and tibialis muscles on either side of the ankle.
It can also help prevent or treat sprains., This exercise is very similar to the inversion.
Sit on the floor with legs stretched out in front of you.
With the band in the same position as with the inversion, move the loop of the resistance band down so that it is against the arch of the foot instead of the ball.
Move your foot up and out against the therapy band.
Do two sets of
15.
This exercise can help to strengthen the peroneal and tibialis muscles on both sides of your ankle.
It can also help treat or prevent sprains., Stand straight in front of a wall, counter, or other stable object.
Place your hands gently on the wall in front of you.
Raise yourself onto your toes in a calf raise exercise.
From this raised-toe position, lower your feet to the ground again while keeping yourself balanced with your hands against the wall.
Repeat 10 times, making sure to lower yourself slowly to the ground.
For an extra challenge, try raising yourself on 1 foot at a time, and doing 10 reps with each foot.
About the Author
Scott Wright
Scott Wright specializes in religion and has been creating helpful content for over 2 years. Scott is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
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