Have Poor Balance? Check the Muscles in Your Feet!

Having poor balance can happen to all of us. But that doesn’t mean we should ignore it. Keeping good balance has been linked to a healthier lifestyle and longer life expectancy. Therefore we should all strive to improve our balance. So what causes poor balance? There can be many factors but often the muscles of the feet are overlooked. These tiny muscles can play a large roll in our foot mobility and in stabilizing our bodies. Make sure you do these 3 exercises to keep those muscles strong and to prevent poor balance.

Cupping: This exercise helps strengthen the muscle in the bottom of the foot. These muscles support the arch and help the toes grip. To complete this exercise start by standing upright on both feet. Slowly lift the arch of the foot while keeping the toes and heel down on the floor. Slowly lower the arch and repeat. Complete this 20 times. To progress the exercise, try doing the same motion while standing on one foot.

Toe Spreading: Keeping our toes flexible and strong is important in maintaining our balance. Improved mobility and strength in our toes improve our base of support and ability to adapt to movement. This, in turn, helps us maintain better balance. To complete this exercise stand upright. Slowly spread all the toes as far apart as possible. Try to keep the toes flat as you spread them. Repeat this 20 times.

Toe Raises: Keeping both the toes and the calf muscles strong is important in balance and walking. The stronger these muscles are the easier it is to walk , run, jump and even reach for things. To do this exercise start by standing on both feet. Slowly lift your heels up off the floor and go all the way up into your toes. Slowly lower back down and repeat 20 times. To progress the exercise complete this motion on one foot.

For more tips on staying healthy and fit make sure to visit my website at www.saramikulsky.com