Health Tip: Stretch Your Feet

Exercising them will feel good

July 8, 2009 RSS Feed Print

(HealthDay News) -- Little else feels better than a good foot massage or stretch.

The American Podiatric Medical Association offers these suggestions for keeping your feet happy and healthy:

Stretch your arch, either by placing a towel around the ball of your foot and gently pulling with your hands, or by standing in front of a wall and slightly leaning forward until you feel your arches stretch.
Strengthen toes by placing a toe separator between them and squeezing toes together for five seconds; do it 10 times. Or, wrap toes with a rubber band and spread against the resistance.
Grab a golf ball or other similar-sized ball, and place it on the floor under your bare feet. Gently roll it around under your feet.
Stand up on the balls of your feet and hold for five seconds; do this 10 times.
Stand with feet flat, then one at a time lift your heel from the floor and roll weight into the ball of your with your toes pointing down. Flex your foot, hold, and repeat on each foot.