Staying active is a vital part of remaining healthy, and this is true even when suffering from conditions like arthritis. When arthritis affects your feet and ankles, staying active becomes particularly difficult, but it isn’t any less important. Within our feet can be found a total of thirty joints, and each can be the source of stiffness and pain for those suffering from this condition. While it’s tempting to limit movement to avoid the uncomfortable sensation it causes, it can continue to make the symptoms worse while reducing flexibility and mobility.
Exercises to Retain Flexibility and Mobility in Your Arthritic Feet and Ankles
Below we have assembled a selection of five exercises that will help keep your feet healthy and even reduce the symptoms associated with arthritis. They will also help prevent that advance of mobility and flexibility loss while also battling inflammation and stiffness. Each of the below exercises should be repeated ten times per foot.
- Toe Curl, Point, and Press – Begin this exercise by pressing down on your toes while raising your heels for five seconds. Then point your toes and raise your heels so that only the tips of your second and big toe are in contact with the floor. Hold this for five seconds as well. Then raise your heels and curl your toes down for an additional five seconds.
- Big Toe Stretch – Rest your foot on the opposite knee, and grab your instep with one hand. Then grab the big toe with your other hand, and stretch it down, up, and side to side for five seconds per direction.
- Toe Splay – Spread your toes as far as you can from each other for five seconds. Use a hair elastic or rubber band around your toes to add resistance if you can tolerate it.
- Marble Pickup – Sit in a chair in front of two bowls on the floor in a line so that one is further from you than the other. Fill the far one with twenty marbles, and use your toes to move all the marbles from one bowl to another. Do this with both feet, and then switch direction.
- Ball Roll – Put a ball roughly the size of a golf ball next to your feet on the floor. Put your foot on one ball, and roll the ball from your toes to your heel, going over the instep. After 15 seconds, switch feet. You can also do this with a frozen water bottle or cold can.
These five exercises will give you a great start on taking care of your feet and retaining mobility. A little bit of extra time taken each day to care for your feet will ensure that you are able to enjoy heading out and moving around easily for longer, even with arthritic feet.
Involve Your Foot And Ankle Specialist
If you’re experiencing arthritis in your feet and ankles, then you also want to involve a specialist in your care. With their expert knowledge and attention, you’ll know that you’re doing the right things to keep your feet healthy. Don’t wait for your arthritis to limit your life and activities, contact your specialist today!
