Exercises to Relax Your Feet

I was recently researching some exercises to help relax my feet. One that I came across was “Sand walking.” The first step was to head to a “beach, desert, or even a volleyball court.”

You know, if you have that option, good for you. Do that. But for those of us living in the Midwest (Iowa for me), going to a sandy beach might sound nice, but it’s not a viable option. 

Fortunately for you, I kept researching, and I’ve come up with these Easy Exercises to Relax Your Feet. 

Exercises

While you may not have a beach or desert handy, I’m willing to bet you have do have a towel. Stretch one leg in front of you, and loop a towel around your foot. Keeping your body straight, pull the towel toward your body and hold for 20 seconds. Repeat 3 times for each foot.

Toe Pickups

Here’s a great way to relax your toes: Try dropping a few pens or pencils on the floor, then use your toes to retrieve them. 

You can also try this with a marble. Another approach is to sit on the edge of a solid chair with two bowls at your feet. Practice picking up marbles from one bowl and releasing them into the other bowl.

Rubber Band Stretch

Another idea is to stretch all your toes at once. One foot at a time, wrap a thick rubber band around your toes. Stretch out your toes by holding them as wide as you can for five seconds, then relax them. Repeat 10 times per foot.

Foot Rolling

Roll something round back and forth under your feet. You can use a golf ball, a tennis ball, or even a frozen water bottle. A frozen juice can works well. This will work best on shallow carpet or hard floors.

To help prevent plantar fasciitis and strengthen your arch muscles, Mayo Clinic suggests grabbing a towel with your tows and pulling it towards you. They also have some suggested stretching exercises on this page.

Disclaimer

No matter what you’re doing to stretch or relax your feet, be careful not to push too far – the goal is to relax, not to injure yourself! One tip is to stretch your feet using your hands, rather than using your body weight or a heavy object. Obviously, consult your doctor or trainer before trying any new exercises or strenuous activities – I’m not any kind of a medical expert.