With lighter and (generally) brighter days ahead, I look to May with positivity and reinvigoration.
May is National Walking Month so thought I’d share some foot and lower leg nuggets to help get you pacing! So often, we take for granted our ability to accomplish the everyday like walking until we are no longer able. So skip the bus and get walking, climb the escalators instead of just standing there, meet for a walk rather than a coffee…Put one foot in front of the other!
We can tend to neglect our feet. Often pain and problems that we experience further up our bodies often stem from the feet.
Front of ankle/shin stretch:
Cross one foot over with toes pointed on mat; Bend the back knee which will push into the front calf and deepen the stretch down the ankle/shin.
Calf stretch
Hands onto the wall for support, front leg bent, back leg straight. Both legs parallel.
For Achilles stretch – bring the back leg further into the wall and bend the back knee – keep the heel on the floor
Rise and bend
Ball in between the ankles, holding onto the side for support. Lift and lower the heels, bend and stretch the knees. Repeat.
NB Keep the weight in the big toe joints
Foot massage
Roll the feet with a ball - stimulate them and get the blood flowing
Also massage with hands; use thumbs in the arch of the foot, separate both halves of the foot, pull the toes gently, use fingers in between toes to separate. - explore the articulation of the foot.
For those of us who can move freely, it’s on us to keep moving as much as we can while we can and to take care of the bodies that carry us through life. This I know: daily, mindful movement is the means to vital, joyful living, and by moving daily, we uplift our bodies as well as our minds.
