Put Your Best Foot Forward - Did you know your feet get tight, too?

We don’t really think about our feet to much.

You never really hear anyone say, “I going to do foot day at the gym” or “check out how flexible her feet are”.

Photo by Pavel1964/iStock / Getty Images

But they are really important and so easy to exercise at home.

What are the feet?

Well that sounds a bit silly but let’s look at the feet in more detail.

Each of our feet containing 26 bones, an arch that runs length-wise and an arch that runs width-wise.[i]

While the feet are largely held together by the bones fitting together like a jigsaw puzzle and ligaments, the muscles and the tough, sinewy tissues known as plantar fascia, provide secondary support.[ii]

Photo by leonello/iStock / Getty Images

What causes tightness in the foot?

Some common causes for issues in the foot are 

• Over use (running, walking),

• Weight gain (increased impact),

• Physical stress,, and

• Aging.[iii]

So, I have tightness in my foot, what can I do about it?

Exercises to improve the range of motion in your feet can help limber them up and reduce your risk of injury. Strengthening exercises can also help your foot muscles provide better support and protection.[iv]

As always, if you are suffering from pain, please consult your health professional for advice.

Additionally, here are some things you can do to help with tight feet.

Mobility

Toe raise, Point and Curl

1. Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.

2. Keep your toes on the ground. Raise your heels. 

3. Point your toes  so the end of your big and second toes touch the ground.

4. With your heel off the ground, curl your toes under so your toe nails touch the ground.

5. Repeat about 10 times.

https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/foot-exercises#toe-raise-point-and-curl

Toe Extension

1. Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.

2. Pick up your left foot and place it on your right thigh (figure 4 position).

3. Grab your left toes with your hand and draw them toward your ankle (feeling a stretch along the bottom of your foot.

4. Repeat with the right foot.

5. You can also add a big toe mobility to this. From the figure 4 position, use your fingers to move your toe up, down and to the side away from your other toes.

https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/foot-exercises#toe-extension

https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/foot-exercises#bigtoe-stretch

Self-Myofascial Release / Self-Massage

Foot Roll

1. Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. This can also be done standing for more pressure.

2. Place your trigger ball / tennis ball / spikey ball under one of your feet.

3. Move your foot in small circles, and back and forth.

4. Massage your foot and also find any trigger points. Hold for about 30-45 seconds on your trigger points.

5. Repeat on the other foot.

 https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/foot-exercises#tennis-ball-roll

Yoga

Thunderbolt Pose (toes tucked under modification)

1. Kneel on your mat with your knees on a block. You an also place your knees on the ground for a greater stretch.

2. Knees together and toes tucked under.

https://malayoganycblog.wordpress.com/2013/04/03/yoga-for-runners-thunderbolt-pose/

Downward Dog (with foot pedal).

1. Start on the floor on your hands and knees. Knees below your hips and hands slightly forward from your shoulders.

2. Lift knees away from the floor keeping the knees slightly bent.

3. Push your butt toward the where the back wall and the ceiling join (behind you).

4. Lower your heels toward the ground (as far as your body will let you).

5. Bend your left leg while lower right heel. Bend your right leg while lowering your left heel. Repeat like you’re a pedalling your heels.

http://westernsurg.com/tag/pain-management/

https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/downward-facing-dog

Table-top Calf Stretch

1. Starting from your hands and knees, extend one leg back and places your toes on the ground.

2. Push back until you feel a calf stretch

https://yoganotebook.com/10-minute-morning-yoga-workout-for-beginners/

Conclusion

We don’t really think about our feet to much. Exercises to improve the range of motion in your feet can help limber them up and reduce your risk of injury. Strengthening exercises can also help your foot muscles provide better support and protection.[i] They are really important and so easy to exercise at home.

[i] https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/foot-exercises

[i] https://www.emedicinehealth.com/arch_pain/article_em.htm

[ii] https://www.emedicinehealth.com/arch_pain/article_em.htm

[iii] https://www.healthline.com/health/pain-in-arch-of-foot#causes

[iv] https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/foot-exercises

What are the hip adductors?

The hip adductors are the muscles on in the inner part of your thigh that act to bring your leg toward the centre line (aka hip adduction).[i] They are commonly referred to as the groin or inner thigh muscles.[ii]

Additionally, they act to stabilise the hip and support alignment and balance which is vital for things like:

• Running,

• Single leg exercises, and

• Squatting.[iii][iv]

They are made up of 5 muscles:

• Pectineus

• Adductor Brevis,

• Adductor Longus,

• Adductor Magnus,

• Gracilis, and 

• Obturator Externus.

Photo by Jan-Otto/iStock / Getty Images

What causes tight hip adductors?

Whenever we walk or take our weight to one foot, our hip adductors are needed to stabilise our pelvis and make sure we don’t fall over.[v] Hence walking and running and single leg exercises can tighten them. This can be made worse with poor running technique.[vi]

Photo by freemixer/iStock / Getty Images

Additionally, sitting with your legs crossed over can also result in our hip adductors becoming tight and can cause imbalances.[vii]

What happens when we have tight hip adductors?

When our adductors become tight, they can collapse our knees inward making them unstable.[viii] This is also known as ‘knock knees’.[ix][x]

Tight adductors can also lead to hip dysplastic and hip dislocation.[xi]

https://www.theopclinic.com/op-explained/2-0-overworked-adductors-the-true-cause-of-op/

Do you have tight hip adductors?

As always, the best way is to do a functional screening and muscle length test with a physiotherapist or personal trainer who is trained to undertake such as assessment. 

They are likely to do a Patrick’s Test (aka Faber Test) to assess your hip mobility.

https://youtu.be/89Qiht82zmg

Additionally, you can do this test at home to get a good indication.

Lie on the back and place your legs in a figure four position.

If you bent leg is elevated (knee is high), you could have tight hip adductors.

So I have tight hip adductors, what can I do about it? 

Mobility

Prayer Squat

1. Start off standing with your feet a little wider than hip-width and your toes slightly turned out.

2. Lower your hips into a squat (ensure your knees do not track past your toes).

3. With your hands in a prayer position, use your elbows to press your knees apart.

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/CheeryOrangeGrouse-mobile.mp4

Frog Squat

1. Begin in tabletop position on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees below your hips.

2. Slowly move one knee out from the centre.

3. If you are able, continue opening your hips and turn your feet out to the sides and flex your feet. Your inner feet, inner ankles and inner knees should all be in contact with the mat.

4. Lower to your forearms.

5. You can move your body back and forward to mobilise your hips. Ensure your back remains flat as there is a tendency to let your lower back dip down.

https://youtu.be/rwXj-aJGzD4

https://www.health.com/fitness/hip-stretches

https://www.verywellfit.com/how-to-do-a-frog-pose-4690004

Self-Myofascial Release / Self-Massage

Hip Adductor Roll

1. Place your roller on the mat longways.

2. Lie on your front with your hands holding your upper body up.

3. Part your legs and bend one so the inner thigh is against the mat.

4. Place the foam roller under the inner thigh of your bent leg.

5. To increase the pressure, can lower down to your forearms or use a ball.

6. To get into the longer adductors, you can straighten your leg.

https://youtu.be/C1xQbJhcVyU

https://youtu.be/DzIjqeX-Wbw

Yoga

Bound Angle Pose

1. Sit with your legs in front of you.

2. Bend your legs so that the soles of your feet touch.

3. Sit up tall.

4. Lower the knees down toward the mat.

 https://www.verywellfit.com/seated-groin-and-inner-thigh-stretch-3120294

https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/bound-angle-pose

Happy Baby Pose

1. Lie on your back.

2. Bring your knees to your chest.

3. Part your legs keeping the heels facing the ceiling/sky.

4. Hold on to the back of your hamstrings or the outside of your feet if you can reach with your arms to the inside of your knees.

5. Draw your knees toward your armpits and focus on keeping your tailbone down.

https://www.prevention.com/fitness/g20457906/12-yoga-poses-to-open-your-hips/

[i] https://www.healthline.com/health/adductor-exercises#strength-exercises

[ii] https://www.verywellhealth.com/groin-and-inner-thigh-muscle-stretches-296854

[iii] https://bettermovesphysiotherapy.com.au/adductor-straddlestretchassessment/

[iv] https://www.healthline.com/health/adductor-exercises#strength-exercises

[v] https://www.yogauonline.com/yoga-anatomy/neglecting-your-hip-abductors-and-adductors-can-mess-your-walk-sleep-and-balance

[vi] https://www.theopclinic.com/op-explained/2-0-overworked-adductors-the-true-cause-of-op/

[vii] https://www.yogauonline.com/yoga-anatomy/neglecting-your-hip-abductors-and-adductors-can-mess-your-walk-sleep-and-balance

[viii] https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/quick-easy-fix-tight-adductors/

[ix] https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/quick-easy-fix-tight-adductors/

[x] https://www.theopclinic.com/op-explained/2-0-overworked-adductors-the-true-cause-of-op/

[xi] https://www.childrens.health.qld.gov.au/fact-sheet-adductor-lengthening/

Photo by AndreyPopov/iStock / Getty Images

 When we round our shoulders forward it elongates our rhomboids and puts a passive stress on them and they get elongated and fatigued.[iv] On the other hand, over activities can pace an active stress on the rhomboids by requiring them to forcefully contract. If we do not adequately rest, stretch or relax them, this can cause an overloading of these muscles.

What can I do about my weak rhomboids?

Firstly, if you are suffering from pain, please consult your health professional for advice.

Additionally, here are some things you can do to help with weak rhomboids.

Mobility

Shoulder blade squeeze

1. Stand up straight.

2. Slowly squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold for 3 seconds.

3. Slowly release.

4. Repeat 20 times.

 https://www.healthline.com/health/rhomboid-muscle-pain#exercises

Neck Rotations

1. Keep your head upright and sit up tall.

2. Turn your head from side to side gently.

3. Each time going as far as your neck will allow you.

https://www.bupa.co.uk/newsroom/ourviews/desk-stretches

 

Self-Myofascial Release / Self-Massage

Place a trigger ball/tennis ball/lacrosse ball between your upper back and a wall. The ball should be between your shoulder blade and your spine. As always, the ball should NOT be on the bone. NOTE: If you put the ball in a sock or stocking, it will save your having to chase it around if you drop it! Great cardio but not what we are after here.

1. Push against the wall. 

2. Move your body up and down so the ball goes up and down the muscles between your shoulder back and spine.

3. If you find a trigger point, you can pause and hold for about 30-45 seconds.

https://www.muscle-joint-pain.com/trigger-points/trigger-point-self-treatment/rhomboids/

Yoga

Locust Pose (strengthen your rhomboids)

1. Lie on your stomach with your arms next to you and palms facing up.

2. Slowly lift up your head, chest, and arms as high as comfortable.

3. If you feel comfortable, you can lift your legs too.

4. Look straight ahead or slightly upward.

5. Hold for about 30 seconds.

https://www.healthline.com/health/rhomboid-muscle-pain#recovery

Thread the Needle (stretch rhomboids)

1. Start on all fours.

2. Inhale, reach your left up toward the sky/ceiling (this is optional).

3. Exhale, reach your left up across to your right behidn your right arm. Gently place your left shoulder and the left side of your face on the mat by bending your right arm.

4. You can leave your right hand in front of your face or stretching out toward the front.

5. Repeat on the other side.

https://www.gaia.com/article/thread-needle-pose-parsva-balasana

https://www.grouphiit.com/products/threading-the-needle

https://www.yogafit.com/news/student-stories/teachers-notebook-flexibility-mobility-or-both/

Conclusion

Rounded shoulders from sitting or hunching over all day and active stress for reaching overhead can cause us to have issues with our rhomboids, the muscles between our shoulder blades and our spines. They can become fatigued and weak. Try these mobility, rolling and yoga exercises to help loosen and strengthen these important muscles and improve your posture.

You can also get your FREE 2 week Recharge trial and we’ll go through these techniques with you.

The EVERYDAY can lead to weak rhomboids

Come to Recharge and Move BEYOND the EVERYDAY. 

[i] https://www.healthline.com/health/rhomboid-muscle-pain

[ii] https://www.summitmedicalgroup.com/library/adult_health/sma_rhomboid_muscle_strain/

[iii] https://www.healthline.com/health/rhomboid-muscle-pain#causes

[iv] https://www.muscle-joint-pain.com/trigger-points/trigger-point-self-treatment/rhomboids/