Stay hydrated; drink plenty of water daily.
Give yourself a daily foot massage working through any knots or tension held in the feet.
Applying lotion or oil to your feet to keep the skin moist and subtle.

Listed below are a few other exercises for the feet to help wake up the feet, allow them to come alive and become more responsive to the more challenging yoga poses involving foot action. These are also a gentle way to work through some of the years of tension held in the feet.

Toe strengtheners

Toe strengtheners can increase flexibility, muscle tone and control of the toes. From standing, drawing the big toe up and pressing the four little toes down. Draw the four little toes up while pressing the big toe down. Draw the big toe and baby toe up as you press the three middle toes down. Draw the three middle toes up while pressing the big toe and baby toe down. Singling out each toe to act as individual entities can be extremely challenging and frustrating.

Point and Flex Foot

From Dandasana, point the toes away from the body and flex the foot by drawing the toes towards the body. This creates mobility in the ankle as well as strengthening the muscles of the feet and ankle.

Ankle Circles

Slowly take the ankle in circles in both directions clockwise and counter-clockwise. This can be done from sitting in a chair, seated on the floor or standing. This action stretches and strengthens the foot and ankle muscles while maintaining mobility in the ankle and foot joints.

Interlace Fingers between Toes

From a seated position, interlace your fingers between your toes. This stretches the muscles of the toes and allows them to spread. This action can be very challenging for some people due to confining shoes.

Tennis ball roll

Roll the entire sole of the foot on a tennis ball. This helps to warm up the feet as well as breaking up any tension being held in the feet. This exercise also accesses many important pressure points on the sole of the foot. The gentle pressure on the muscles and connective tissue can relieve tension and regain fluidity.

Picking up marbles with your toes

By using your toes to pick up marbles not only strengthens the foot muscles but also promotes the use of using toes as individual entities as opposed to a group.

Another wonder for our feet is massage oils, they help to achieve the desired effect of the massage therapist’s treatment be it to promote relaxation, healing or stimulation. Essential oils such as rosemary essential oil; improves blood flow and circulation, geranium essential oil; relaxes the body and mind, easing pain and tension, all have a different role to play.

When making massage oils, use a base-oil that is appropriate for your skin type. Then add any desired essential oil. Shake the massage oil before each use to mix it. Always store your oils in a dark, cool place – for up to 6 months only – and always use an opaque glass bottle with a tight cap.

Caution!

It is not advised to undergo massage therapy when suffering from acute infectious illness. A massage strongly stimulates blood flow and has the potential to spread bacteria and viruses throughout the body. If you have varicose veins or scars, let the massage therapist know because they can become inflamed when massaged. The affected area should be avoided during treatment.

Foot Care Recipes

Try these homemade foot care recipes below, write into us and let us know how they worked for you.

My aching feet homemade massage oil

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tsp. of Aloe Vera
1 teaspoon wheat germ oil
20 drops of peppermint Essential Oil
20 drops of eucalyptus Essential Oil

Mix together and massage feet gently with this soothing ointment, or, add to a basin of very warm water, and soak.  Finish by lightly dusting the feet in corn starch.

Sore muscles foot massage oil

2oz Almond oil
5 drops Lavender essential oil
5 drops Roman Chamomile Essential Oil
6 drops Juniper Essential Oil
1 vitamin E capsule

Mix together and massage feet gently. Always store your oils in a dark, cool place.

Foot cuticle cream
1 T. fuller’s earth (a natural clay substance)
1 tsp. olive oil
3 drops lavender essential oil

Mix into a paste and put into a sterile ointment jar or small pot. Massage into nails and cuticles. This works wonders.