Why Do You Need To Work on Strengthening Your Feet for Better Running?

Running is known to be one of the most simple yet most effective workouts so far. Unlike most workouts where you require to spend hours in the gym, just a 15 minutes morning run is enough to help you stay fit and healthy. Most people use running as a warm-up, others make the most out of running by utilizing it as a weight-loss tool. No matter what you choose or how you try to utilize the running, you will see that your feet will need a lot of strength. Whether you’re a beginner who is not into running and struggling to deal with the shooting aches after taking stares, or you are a professional marathon runner spending hours running at a stretch, you need to work on the strength of your legs. People who do not run at all are still using their leg muscles on day to day basis without even realizing it.

It is very important to understand that your whole body plays a role of a unit and if one muscle group is not strong enough, this will impact the performance of the rest of the body as well. Most runners work on their leg muscles without working on their feet. As a result, their feet become painful after just a few minutes of workout. With the help of this article, we will mainly discuss some of the best workouts that will help you work on the strength of your feet. Although leg muscles are very important but our focus will be on the digits, heels, and palm of your feet.

Top 7 Simple Feet Workouts

Leg balance

Leg balance is another very simple workout where you will be using just one leg while your other leg will be in the air. As your lift, your leg makes sure you do not feel the strain. 

Walking On the Heels

This is another workout that will not only train your heel but also your hamstrings. You will be standing on your heels and walking for a few minutes. The ideal time duration is 2 minutes followed by 20 seconds of resting period however, you can adjust accordingly.

Resistance Band Digits Press

For this workout, you will hold a resistance band in your hands. Now press the middle of the band with your feet and stretch it upwards. You will feel a tug somewhere between the heel and the toe. Now keep moving till you reach your toes and then do it again.

Rope Skipping

Rope skipping is a great workout that you can use for training your toes. You will be wearing your joggers so bouncing on your toes will be easier however, do not try to strain your feet too much.

Toe Raise

Toe raise is a very simple workout where you will stand still with your feet apart. Now slowly, lift your body weight on your toes. Do not strain your fee by keeping the bodyweight on your toes for too long. Retain this pose for a few seconds and then try again.

The Foot Spread

For this workout, you need to keep your feet on the cold floor. Try to stretch your digits till you can see the surface of the floor between the fingers. Now hold this stretch for a few seconds and then get back to the initial position. Now repeat.

Heel Ball Curl

Use a simple tennis ball and place it under your feet. Now try to grip the ball by curling your digits and heel around it. Now slowly try to move it toward your feel without touching it. Now move it back towards your toes.

Top 5 Tips to Help You Take Care of Your Feet

  • After a hectic day at work, soak your feet in warm water mixed with an Epsom walk for at least 10 minutes.
  • Wear comfortable shoes that can offer support to your feet.
  • Before going to bed, stretch your feet on a cold surface and try to open your digits with your fingers.
  • Use moisturizer to stretch the skin and support your feet to retain some flexibility. Make sure you are shedding and removing all the dead skin so that it cannot cause pain later.
  • Bouncing exercises, especially rope skipping, helps you use your fingers and work on the strength of your heels.

Bottom Line

To sum it all up, no matter what kind of workout you choose or how much time you spend on the workout, taking care of your feet post-workout is very important. People usually say that soaking the feet in warm water will especially help relieve the pain and there is no doubt it is true. However, you also need to facilitate the overall recovery time with some extra effort. One of the best methods of helping you improve your recovery is warm-up sessions. Another important thing is to stretch your feet every day after you take off the shoes. So far shoes are known to be one of the most important reasons most people face foot related issues so it is better to wear comfortable shoes if you are going to work or for a walk.

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