Happy Feet

Many of the discomforts in our body begin with our feet. As you walk, your foot, which could be thought of as a sense organ, finds the ground and sends messages to the rest of the body how to support your movement. This function is limited because we put our feet in shoes and walk along paved streets when our bodies were built to run barefoot on the earth.

Whether or not you have foot pain, fallen arches, bunions, toes that don’t spread, or you wear high heel shoes, this one simple exercise will help you open and increase blood flow in your foot, loosen tight calves and hamstrings, and allow your foot to ground more completely. 

What To Do:
1. Get yourself a “pinky ball.”
2. Step down on it with your heel, slowly move the ball 1/4 inch at a time toward your toes. Stay 30 seconds in each spot.
3. You can regulate how much weight you put down on it. Work it in to the intense spots over time.
4. Make your way from your heel to your toes and back massaging the bottom of your foot and stretching it over the ball like bird perched on a branch.
5. Massage the second foot.

Not only will this open up your feet, but since the body is one interconnected web of facia it may begin to open the back of your legs, spine, and even your neck.  And, since in reflexology the foot is a microcosm for the whole body, rolling your foot can help to bring greater balance to your health and well-being.

If this is painful I encourage you to stick with it. After about a week of daily foot massage it won’t be so intense and you will feel the difference. Please let me know how it goes for you in the comments below. For more foot and leg relief check out this post.