A common condition that is also known as collapsed or fallen arches, flat feet can possibly affect either one or both of your feet. A condition that can be caused due to a variety of reasons like obesity, genes, pregnancy, injuries or arthritis. Not just this but a person can have a flat foot if he/she is suffering from a neurological disorder or a muscular disease for that matter like spina bifida, cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy.
Flat feet is a condition that needs to be taken a proper care of or else it can lead to imbalance in the whole body and lead to stress and pain in your feet. Where flat feet is a condition that can result in many complications, it is important to treat it before it becomes fatal. Here are a few light and effective exercises that you can perform at the ease of your home to treat this condition.
#1. Ball Rolls
Who knew that the tennis ball we used to play cricket with would actually be helpful in treating a flat foot. Rolling a tennis or golf ball under your foot can help to cure the condition of fallen or a collapsed arch. In turn it will reduce the pain caused due to stress being exerted on your foot. Here’s how you can do a ball roll in order to treat the condition of flat feet and get relief from the pain caused due to it.
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- Sit on a chair or small table with a tennis ball under your affected foot.
- Make sure that your spine is straight.
- Now move your foot in a circular motion while rolling the ball beneath it.
- Ensure that you are rolling the ball beneath the arch of the foot and not the heel or toe area.
- Do this exercise for about 2-3 minutes and relax
#2. Calf Stretch
An exercise that works the calf muscles present behind the back of your lower leg. Exercising your calf muscles is important to cure any condition of pain related to your feet, ankles or heels. In many cases a limited ankle flexibility which causes pain can be a result of tightness in your calf muscles. Stretching these muscles helps in creating a scratch in the muscles and ligament of your feet. Here is how you can perform a calf stretch to get relief from foot pain caused due to flat foot.
- Stand in front of a wall and place your hands on the wall so that your palms are flat.
- Extend your affected leg behind to create a stretch and the other one at front.
- Your affected leg should be elongated straight behind and the other one should be bent at the knee.
- Keep your heel firmly on the ground and bend forward until you feel a stretch in your calf of your back leg
- Hold this position for about 30 to 60 seconds and come back to the starting position.
- Repeat this exercise for 4 reps.
#3. Toe Yoga
Out of many various forms of yoga, toe yoga is something that concentrates upon the toe muscles. As these muscles always lack control and strength, it is important to get them moving. Stretching and working these muscles helps to develop the strength in your toes and helps in stabilizing the front foot.
- Start by standing straight on the floor by putting equal pressure on both the feet.
- Now lift the big toe of your affected foot by pressing the other four against the ground.
- Hold this position for 5-7 seconds.
- Now press your big toe down and lift your other four toes up.
- Hold this position for 5-7 seconds and then release.
- Repeat this exercise for 10 reps.
#4. Short Foot
An effective exercise for flat foot, short foot is something that you can do on your own, at the ease of your home without any equipment. This exercise targets the small muscles which support the arch on the inside of the foot. Short foot can be performed by sliding the foot along the ground, without curling the toes and has proven to be effective in improving the foot arch and reducing the pain. Follow these steps to perform this exercise in a correct manner and reap out maximum benefits from it.
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- Sit on a chair by keeping your foot flat on the floor.
- Ensure that your toes are pointing forward.
- While your foot is flat on the ground, slide it backwards towards your heels.
- Hold this position for about 5-7 seconds and release.
- Relax your foot for a couple of seconds and repeat.
- Do this exercise for about 10 reps.
#5. Heel Raises
Remember how you used to raise your heels while comparing your height with your sibling or your best friend. Well we are going to use that same truck from your childhood to treat that flat foot. Raising your heels up in the air works upon several leg and foot muscles that support your foot arch. A simple exercise that you can do by raising your heels and balancing on them. If you want you can also take the support from the wall. Follow the given steps to practice the heel raise exercise to cure flat foot and get relief from that stabbing pain.
- Stand straight with your feet shoulder feet apart
- Raise your heels as high as possible from the ground.
- Ensure that the pressure is even across the foot.
- Hold this position for 2-3 seconds and slowly return back to the neutral position.
- Repeat this exercise for 10 to 20 times.
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Exercises are not just meant to make you lose weight or build up those muscles. Exercising can help to stretch out the muscles and improve many health conditions. Where flat feet are a condition that can cause severe pain and body imbalance. It is important to cure this condition as early as possible to avoid further complications. Follow these simple and light exercises to cure flat foot and the pain caused due to it.