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EX-PAIN! Exercises

Calf and Foot Strengthening Exercises
Strengthening your calf muscles and foot muscles will prevent plantar fasciitis and other types of heel pain. By strengthening your muscles, your stride when walking will improve and pronation can be corrected.

Stand on a stair with one hand on a wall or railing for support, keeping the toes on the stair and let the heels hang. Gain balance in this position, then slowly lift up onto your toes, then slowly return back to the neutral position. The exercise should be felt in the calf muscles and along the back of the ankle. Slowly lift up onto the toes, then lower the heels back to the original starting position. This exercise should be repeated 10 times up and down for 3 sets, a total of 30 lifts.

Another great trick is to stand on your tip toes and slowly walk forward and backwards taking slow small steps. Stand very tall and keep your hands at your side. Roll your weight onto your tip-toes and lift your heels. Gain balance and see how many 10-12 inch steps you can take forward, resting after about 10 steps (5 on each foot). Then, try and repeat the same exercise but walking backwards.

Plantar Stretch
A great stretch to lengthen the plantar fascia ligament and prevent morning pain is plantar stretch. This stretch is designed to treat and prevent heel pain and plantar fasciitis and when done in the morning alleviates morning pain.

Start with both feet in front of you and bend one leg at the knee. Grab the ball of the foot with one hand over the toes and pull towards your chest. By pulling the ball of the foot and not the just the toes this will create a good stretch along the arch of the foot.

Stretching the plantar fascia ligament will aid in the treatment of plantar fasciitis by developing length in the ligament. Stretch the arch of the foot by taking one hand and pulling the toes back toward the shin for a count of 10. Stretching will alleviate tension along the plantar fascia ligament and prevent the soft tissues of the foot from tightening up.

Hold this stretch on each foot for 15-20 seconds and repeating on both sides 3 times, once a day.

As always, consult with your podiatric physician before attempting these exercises!
Community Foot Care : 937-322-7607 or 937-426-9500

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