Doing everything from pre-run activation to foam rolling and stretching can make a big difference in how your body feels and how well you can perform. Sometimes it can feel monotonous to do some of these things but they are just as important, if not more so than running. -TEC Coach, Sid Vaughn
Taking Coach Sid Vaughn’s advice from his article 5 Simple Rules for Running, here is a set of foot exercises for all you runners out there. Use these exercises to provide relief and strengthen your feet after you work out or compete.
Point & Flex:
- Lift all 10 toes upward without lifting your foot off the towel.
- Then, draw the toes toward the heel to engage the arch of the foot. Avoid curling your toes.
Heel Raise:
- With legs straight, lift your heels off the ground, coming onto the balls of your feet.
- Lower your heels back down
Toe Spread:
- Weave the fingers of your hand in between the toes of your foot, reaching as far between the toes as you can.
Toe Abduction:
- Spread your toes as far apart from each other as possible.
- Touch your big toe and pinky toe down to the ground keeping the middle toes off the ground.
Arch Stretch:
- Come to all fours with your knees and ankles touching.
- Put weight onto your hands, flex the feet, and tuck toes.
- Slowly walk your hands back towards the feet and sit back on your heels.
Ankle Stretch:
- Sit on your heels with the tops of your toes on the ground and your legs, ankles, and feet together.
- Cross your left arm over the body and hold onto your right knee, right hand behind you for support.
- Lean your body back into your right hand, and lift your right knee off the ground.
Foot Push:
- Stand with your feet together, resting your hands on the back of the chair for support.
- Bend your right knee and lift the heel off the ground at the same time, keeping the ball of the foot and toes on the ground.
- Put a little weight forward on the ball of the foot, then lower the heel back down.
