A runner's feet are like tires on a car: you depend on them, but often don't think about them until you get a flat. Fortunately, a podiatrist can be your biomechanics specialist and help you fix your feet in the same way that a mechanic might fix a flat tire.
Here are some ankle mobility exercises that your podiatrist might prescribe you if you're dealing with persistent foot issues caused by the wear and tear of your running mileage.
Rocking Squat
There are over 20 muscles in your feet and ankles that give you the mobility you need to walk and run. Although you use these muscles all the time, the repetitive stress placed on these muscles from running can create some serious issues.
Rocking and Rolling
One of the basic exercises your podiatrist can show you to help strengthen the muscle groups in your feet and ankle is a rocking squat. To perform this exercise, you should begin by remove your shoes. Next, crouch into a low squat, attempting to distribute your weight through your heels. Once you achieve the maximum squat, roll on forward until your heels lift off the ground. Complete this rolling cycle four to five times, attempting to squat lower or roll further forward through each cycle. As your feet and ankles become stronger through this exercise, you can attempt to complete it one foot at a time.
Towel Scrunchies
When you really think about, you depend on your feet to grip the ground every time you stride on a run. This gripping mechanism requires strong foot muscles. However, it can be difficult to isolate these muscles for supplemental strengthening.
Foot Crunches
One of the easiest ways to strengthen the muscles in your feet is to perform foot crunches. These crunches require a towel and a chair. Begin the exercise by removing your shoes. Next, keeping your heel firmly the ground, lay the edge of a bathroom towel in front of you, and grip the towel with your toes. Every time you grip the towel, it should slide toward you. Your goal is to get to the end of the towel using only your feet to inch it along. As your feet become stronger, you can place a soup can, water bottle, or other 1-2 pound item you find around your house on the extreme edge of the towel to add additional resistance. Complete this exercise once per day for each foot.
Share18 December 2019
After suffering a traumatic foot and ankle injury, I wasn't sure how to move forward. I wanted to make things right, but the issue was so significant that I needed surgery. After surgery, I was still struggling, so a friend of mine suggested working with a podiatrist in addition to my foot and ankle surgeon. It was an excellent experience, and it felt like I had truly made some strides in the right direction. On this website, I wanted to talk about how podiatrists can help you to get your feet fixed, and how making the right choices can significantly improve your quality of life.
