Foot Yoga for Healthy Feet

We all know that Yoga is a great workout for the entire body and the mind, but have you tried Foot Yoga?  I know what you are thinking, yet another ‘style’ of yoga...  Yes, foot yoga is a thing.  Consider this:  the human foot contains 26 bones, 30 joints, and more than 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments all working together to provide mobility.  Our feet do a lot for us! It is no wonder they get tired and overworked.

In the same way as the foundation of a house must be level to support the structure above, so must our feet be healthy to support our legs, torso, spine, arms, and head. If our feet are off kilter, this will manifest itself in the upper body in an unfavorable way.   

Unlike a house, our feet are much more than foundations. Feet are not static, feet need to be moveable and flexible while also being firm stabilizers.  They have a lot of work to do!  When we overlook our feet, we pay the price for this in discomfort and often pain throughout the body, and most pronounced in the hips and lower body.

Relief Is On The Way. 

We do not need to pay for expensive treatments or even leave the house to give ourselves some relief.  Foot yoga incorporates assisted and independent functional movement, twisting, and various massage techniques of the feet and toes to bring relief not only to the foot but to the lower leg.  Foot yoga will also help maintain flexibility and muscle tone in your feet. 

To Get An Idea Of How A Great Foot Is, Try The Following:

1.Find yourself in a comfortable seated position, on the floor or on a chair, and cross your right ankle over your left knee.  Interlace the fingers of your left hand with the toes of your right foot.  Relax your right foot and gently create circles in your foot using your hand.  Switch directions.

2. Maintaining the finger/toe interlace, use the knuckle of your left thumb knuckle to massage the foot mounds on the base or your foot below your toes.

3. Spread the fingers of your left hand to create space between your toes and slowly release your hand from your toes.  Issue a sigh of relief!

4. To end the sequence, hold your right heel in your left hand and place your right hand on the top of your foot.  Relax your right foot and twist your foot using both hands in opposite directions. 

5. Pause and notice how great your right foot feels!  Repeat this sequence for your left foot.

What are you waiting for, when your feet are happy, your body is happy.  You know you need it!