March marks the beginning of spring. So we plan on writing a few articles on starting your new season with health in mind. If you haven’t, go check out our post on how to build leg muscles at home before continuing on this one.
Benefit of Having Stronger Feet
There are many benefit in investing in your foot health. After all, your feet are your roots and support your whole body and contains a quarter of the bones in your body.
Having stronger feet can improve overall balance, flexibility, posture, and mobility. Foot health also radiates up to your ankles and calves, making those body parts stronger and reduce risks of injury.
Finally, keeping your feet healthy also help prevent foot diseases to a certain point, such as plantar fasciitis and athelte’s foot.
Foot Exercises for Strength Building
The easiest way to make your feet stronger is exercise. There are plenty of stretches and routines that can build stronger foot and leg muscles at home without professional gym equipment.
Some simple exercises to incorporate into your daily routine include:
- Ankle pumps
- Ankle roll
- Toe curls and toe raises
- Foot roll
- Up and down steps
You can also try barefoot walking on a massage pad or a pebbled path. Supposedly the smooth bumps engage with the pressure points on your feet and promote healthy circulation.
Post-Workout Care
Developing a post-workout routine will save you a lot of headache and make your feet stronger as well as healthier. For example, there are certain foods you can eat for faster muscle recovery after a hardcore workout session. There are also food you can eat to make your feet stronger, like chicken feet, fatty fish and certain nutritional supplements.
Regular Health Checkup
Even without feeling pain, you still should stay on top of your orutine checkups. Don’t skip your annual physical, and make sure to conduct a foot wellness check every six to twelve months, especially if you use your feet a lot. Part of making your feet stronger is identifying and addressing underlying problems early.
Wear Fitted Footwear
Fitted footwear can make your feet stronger. Shoes with impact-absorbing soles allow you to stand and walk for longer while causing less distress on them. There are also footwear designed for feet strengthening, such as barefoot shoes, icerunners, and stretch cushion shoes.
Can Shiatsu Foot Massage Make Your Feet Stronger?
Shiatsu foot massage has many benefits, but making your feet stronger isn’t necessarily one of them. At least we can’t say there are proven clinical results that a massage has that much effect. However, it can promote circulation, reduce inflammation, and therefore make your exercises more effective.
Therefore, you should totally invest in a good shiatsu foot massager. While you’re at it, maybe some bath salt and essential oils too, for when you want to pamper yourself with a foot soak!
