Try these toe exercises today
What's the story
Toe flexibility is important for balance, injury-free feet, and overall foot health. Regularly performing toe exercises can help improve their range of motion and strength. Here are five effective exercises that can improve your toe flexibility. They are easy to do, require little to no equipment, and can be done at home or in a gym. Let's check them out.
Tip 1
Toe curls with towel
Toe curls with a towel are an excellent way to strengthen the muscles in your toes and feet. To do this exercise, sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Place a small towel under your toes and try scrunching it up with just your toes. Repeat this for 10 reps per foot. This exercise improves dexterity and strength in the toe muscles.
Tip 2
Toe splay exercise
The toe splay exercise targets increasing the range of motion by spreading your toes as wide as possible. Sit comfortably with your feet flat on the ground. Slowly spread your toes apart (without moving other parts of your foot), hold for five seconds, then relax them back together. Repeat this exercise 10 times per session to improve flexibility.
Tip 3
Big toe stretch
The big toe stretch targets the largest toe's joint mobility and flexibility. Sit down with one leg crossed over the other so as to easily reach your big toe. Gently pull it upwards towards you until you feel a stretch along its base; hold for 15 seconds before releasing gently back into place again—repeat three times per foot daily.
Tip 4
Marble pickup exercise
Marble pickup is a fun way to work on both coordination and strength in every single digit of our lower limbs. Scatter some marbles around where you are sitting comfortably. Using nothing but those tiny appendages below your knees, your toes, try picking one marble at a time, lifting it off the ground, and placing it into a nearby container. Repeat until all are in.
Tip 5
Ankle alphabet writing
Ankle alphabet writing is where you trace letters with just your ankles while keeping your legs extended outwardly from a seated position. You can either do it on a chair or have a floor matting placed beneath them if you have a preferred option nearby. The location you select in advance depends on personal preference and convenience factor involved therein. It is a simple, easy-to-understand, and accessible activity.