Yoga and Your Feet

[VIDEO INCLUDED]

I’ve been placing a special emphasis on the feet lately in the work I’m doing with some of my private clients. Let’s face it, for most of us, when it comes to the feet, it’s out of sight, out of mind. But the feet are our foundation–in yoga poses and in all our daily activities. So, especially as we age, it behooves us to pay more attention to this part of our body. (See what I did there? ;) 

According to physical therapist and renowned yoga teacher Julie Gudmestad, if we spend much of our time in shoes, our feet and toes get constricted and lack the strength to support good arches. This, in turn, can contribute to foot pain, knee and hip problems, and even lower back pain. The inability to spread our toes and broaden across our feet affects our balance and can predispose us to falls and fractures the older we get.

An ongoing yoga practice will, over time, help to alleviate some of these problems. By doing poses that stretch the toes and strengthen the muscles in and around the feet, we create increased mobility, better arch support and improved balance.

If you’re feeling wobbly on your feet, I encourage you to book a private session with me at my Ann Arbor, MI studio or via Zoom. I can show you lots of great exercises and tips to improve strength, mobility and balance. And why not get down on the floor right now and do this quick 2-minute video that will give your feet a little love by stretching and strengthening the muscles in and around them? (Bonus: It will work your shoulders, arms and core too!)

 

Looking for more? If you enjoyed this post check out these other quick reads:

7 Reasons Why Balance Becomes More Difficult As We Age

Plantar Fasciitis