Have you been on your feet all day? Have you been running, doing box jumps and double unders? Do you have plantar fasciitis? Do your feet just plain hurt? It turns out that we hold a lot of tension in our feet. We stand on them all day and we keep them bound up in socks and shoes which restrict their natural movement. Restoring movement in the foot and massaging the plantar fascia can relieve pain and increase range of motion upstream in the ankles, knees and hips.
Kick off your shoes and socks and let’s roll it out. All you need is a Yoga Tune Up® ball and some bare feet. You can do this standing up or sitting down. Any time. Any where. Five minutes a day can make a huge difference.
Some tips:
- Lean on a wall or table for support and balance.
- If you are sitting down, use your other foot to add more weight and pressure to the foot you are rolling.
- Back off on the pressure if it hurts.
- Spend at least 2 minutes on each foot.
- Check in with a forward bend before and after to see if your range of motion increases. It’s okay if there is no change, you will still have received a benefit.