Do you suffer from painful foot cramps, like so many people do?
The main reason that people get foot cramps is from a shortening and/or tightening of the muscles in the feet. These muscles shorten and tighten because, well, we don’t always treat our feet with the love and care they deserve. We cram them in shoes all day, walk on them a lot, and are surprised when they hurt.
So what can we do?
1. Take off your shoes! Whenever possible, even at work, take off your shoes and let your feet breathe and toes wiggle. Walk on the floor with no shoes on (socks too, if possible). In many countries around the world, they only wear flip flops most of the time, or they wear no shoes at all. People who do this hardly ever suffer from foot cramps.
2. Stretch your toes and feet. Set time aside (just 3-5 minutes per day will do it) to stretch or massage your feet. It’s a small investment that will earn you big savings! Gently grab each toe and stretch it out away from your foot, fan out your toes, massage the arches in your feet, heels, etc. Not only will this prevent foot cramping, but we have energy lines in our feet that are connected to every major organ in our body. So when you give your feet loving care, you’re improving your overall health. The feet are SO connected to the rest of our body, that when a woman is pregnant, there is a certain part of the foot that a reflexologist will NOT massage or touch, as it may send her into early labour.
3. Watch how you stand. Many of us “grip” our toes when we stand, and we are not aware when we stand unevenly. Whether you’re in the grocery store lineup, standing at work or standing in a yoga class, always take a few seconds to see how you’re standing. Your weight should be evenly distributed across all four parts of both feet – toe mound (just behind the big toe), heel, inside AND outside edges of each foot. AND your toes should be lightly caressing the floor, never gripping. There should also be a slight “lift” in the arch of each foot, never letting that area completely collapse. And always stand evenly in both legs, never shifting weight onto just one leg.
4. Never point your toes. This one is really important. Often when our teachers are leading a yoga class, we see people pointing their toes, rather than flexing your feet. We’re not saying you should walk around flexing your feet all the time, but avoid pointing your toes in both everyday life AND in your yoga class. When stretching in something like a Seated Forward Fold, always flex your feet rather than pointing your toes. When you point your toes, your feet can sometimes go into a protective mode, initiating that painful cramping where the muscles tighten and shorten even more.
5. Invest in a set of Foot Wakers. Never heard of them? These little ingenious things can not only prevent foot cramping, but strengthen and stretch out your feet, AND improve your posture, reduce back pain, and much much more. They look like half a ball with spikes all over them and you put them on the floor to use them. They do work , they work very well and they are extremely easy to begin using. You can buy them online from several websites. Try the Yamuna Body Rolling website to purchase the wakers and a video or this Vancouver website, to purchase just the foot wakers for $50. They are virtually indestructible and one of the best investments you can make. Put the wakers somewhere where you will see them frequently and use them when you only have 1 or 2 minutes – while brushing your teeth, making dinner, etc. Just 1 or 2 minutes can make a HUGE difference.
We hope these 5 tips help you to be on your way to healthier, happier toes and feet and fewer or no foot cramps! Foot cramps do NOT have to be a part of your regular everyday life anymore.
Enjoy!
Innergy Corporate Yoga Inc. always recommends you see your doctor before starting any new wellness or fitness program.