Perform all foot exercises in bare feet. As you rotate your ankles you will need to make a conscious effort to relax. These joints are not used to being idle and tend to tense up as soon as any force is applied. So be patient and give this important mobilization exercise a chance to free your ankles fully. The foot and toe exercises may seem easy until you try them. Most of us are unused to controlling the movement of our toes and the muscles and nerves are often unresponsive to the commands of the brain. The only answer is persistence— you will have to relearn the full potential of your feet gradually.
Ankle rotations
Lie on your bock with your knees bent. Lift one leg and support the thigh with your hands. Slowly rotate the ankle six times in each direction. Repeat on the other side.
Doming
1 Feet Flat on the floor.
2 Arch one foot by contracting the muscles on the underside of the foot as if drawing the ball of the foot toward the heel. Keep the toes relaxed and long. Repeat ten times and then do the same with the other foot.
Pointing and flexing
1 Point one foot keeping toes relaxed and long.
2 Then flex the foot back without tensing the toes. Repeat pointing and flexing six times for each foot.
Toe wriggling
Complete your foot and ankle exercises by wriggling you toes to release any tension.
Balancing through the feet
Weight distribution
When you stand with your pelvis aligned {left), the weight is distributed evenly over both feet. If one hip is higher, more weight is transmitted down the other leg, unbalancing the whole body (right).
The wider the base over which a load is distributed the more stable it is. So when we stand with our feet apart we are less likely to topple over than when standing with our feet close together, or only on one foot. It is also harder to balance a moving load than one that is still; constant shifts are needed to keep the center of balance over the main load-bearing area. When we are in action, for example when we are walking, our weight is inevitably shifting; constant adjustments are therefore needed in order to keep our weight evenly balanced over our feet. These little adjustments occur unconsciously most of the time because our bodies have acquired the habit of making such movements. But try altering the load, for instance, by carrying a heavy backpack, and you will become instantly aware of your body having to work to maintain your balance as you walk, stand, and sit. Though your body may unconsciously move to keep you balanced this exercise demonstrates how it can be both stressful on your body and also eventually exhausting.
Minimizing movement
Although your body will have to make adjustments as you move, the Pilates approach to this aspect of body control is to train the body to keep unnecessary movements to a minimum when you are is motion. This reduces the amount of effort that needs to be expended on adjusting and rebalancing after each step. The Result is smoother and more graceful action that are more economical and therefore less tiring.
In the exercises you will be practicing keeping your body, and in particular your pelvis, stable as you shift your weight from one foot to the other. This teaches you to maintain a level pelvis as you walk, which will minimize effort and reduce strain. The second exercise provides additional practice in keeping your balance through changes in your center of gravity. It also promotes flexibility of the foot, which is yet another area of the body where the muscles are sadly underused.
