Last week I spoke about my fear of movement in 2016, even though I travelled doing a LOT of activities.
My fear was due to a surgery on my right toe [Cheilectomy- removing bony spurs from phalanx and metatarsal]. I had on December 8, 2015. Please see previous post for more detail (My fear of movement).
When taking care of my right toe there are an abundant of corrective exercises I can do to ameliorate the health of my toe. And, it’s more than just working on my toe itself. Whole body movement helps just as much as singling out my toe!
Here is a video of some toe exercises I do.
These are exercises I DO… it does not necessarily mean they are the best for you.
ALL exercises can be done for 30 seconds up to 2 minutes (or to your own time). I decided to go through them quite quickly to show you a myriad of them.
1. TOE TRACTION
OMGoodness. If I could have someone traction my toe on a daily basis I would. I absolutely LOVE the feel of it. Whether it’s traction with a direct pull, or circular or external/internal rotation, I honestly can’t get enough of it. [Note: This is NOT the same thing as adjusting your toes. It’s traction, slowly].
2. TOE EXTENSION with hands
Trying to keep the knuckle in one place {with one hand} while extending the toe at its base {with the other hand}, seeing and feeling your range of motion. This is a great start if standing in toe extension is too hard for you. You never want to overdo it.
3. TOE FLEXION while sitting on floor
Instead of having full force on your toes while standing, this is a nice alternate, applying as much or as little pressure as you want. We forget that toe extension relates to toe flexion. Both need to be healthy!
4. ELEVATED TOE FLEXION with towel, blanket, or half dome
This is quite intense, and I would ease into it for sure. It feels sooooo good after! You can hang out while watching TV if you want! Obviously, seconds, then minutes. No need to overdo it.
5. DORSIFLEXION with FORCED TOE EXTENSION
Always listen to your toe. Overdoing this is easy… I always take my time and advance with caution on this exercise.
6. CALF RAISES OR LOWERS
Focus on the toes!!!! Slow up, slow down, fast up, fast down, holds up or in middle… anything and everything. All of this with EmPhAsiS on TOES. Two legs, one leg, it’s alllllll good!
7. TOP OF FOOT STRETCH
Love this stretch, because it goes all the way up my lower leg. A lot of people feel like it’s a balance exercise too. If it’s hard for you to balance, initially hold on to something to ease the shakes. Try not to contort your foot, have it directly back and apply weight.
8. PLAY
You can play around with both feet/toes to see differences in ROM, etc. Always be careful, AND do WORK! If it’s too easy you won’t get anywhere. Tissue repair is driven by MOVEMENT and LOADING, not by rest.
