Friday, June 29, 2018

TOE SPREADING

To see how quickly you can improve the function of your feet. begin with a self-assessment. You know how you can spread your fingers away from each other? You should be able to do that with your toes as well. To check your current ability to spread your toes, stand up unshod and see if you can move your toes away from each other. How'd you do?

It could be that although you're sending the "spread" signal to your feet, tissues there are too stiff to execute your command. Help out stiff toe-spreading muscles by giving them a hand. Literally. Sitting down, cross your right ankle over your left knee and hold the right foot with your left hand ( note: if you're unsure about a limitation from a  joint replacement or if your hip are too stiff to do this yet, see the options below.

Insert the fingers of your left hand between the toes of your right foot and hold for at least one minute. You're in control of this stretch: to increase it, push your fingers more deeply between the toes so that the webbing of your fingers and toes meet. To deepen even more, gently stretch your finger apart, like a plying bar leveraging, which will bring the toes with them. And of course, to lessen it, do the reverse. Hold this for up to a minute or two minutes, then switch to the other side, and repeat often throughout the day, preferably at least three(3) times, until your toes stretch more easily.

See the source image

or sitting on the floor.



Once you have stretched your toes with your hands, stand and try spreading them again without your hands, making sure you weight is shifted back over your heels (it is hard to spread them toes when your weight is bearing down on them toes). Try to make space between each toe, keeping all the toes flat on the ground. Are your toe-spreading muscles more responsive after a little bit of stretching?

We lose the ability to spread our toes when we do not ever spread them. The good news is that the more you practice spreading and the more you work your toes apart with your hands, the better they will be able to respond to the signals you are sending.

Repeat this simple exercise throughout the day, with or without shoes , and you will know whether your shoes are too narrow if you cannot do this simple exercise while wearing them.

TIP FROM THE GOLDENERS:
Choose a time of day or a location to do these toe exercises regularly. remind yourself by posting a sticky note - " TOE EXERCISES!"- on your bathroom mirror. at the kitchen sink, or at your desk. Someplace that, when you see it, you will be able to do the exercises right then.

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