Some exercises for foot cramps

Previously we talked about those nasty foot cramps and why they happen.  (It's because you didn't eat enough brussel sprouts when you were a kid.  Naughty naughty!)  And now it's time for some exercises to prevent those darn cramps from occurring again and again.  

Point and flex.  

Sit with your legs extended out in front of you. Loop a theraband around your forefoot and hold the ends in your hands.  Point your foot against the resistance of the band, then increase the tension by pulling on the band with your hands, then slowly bring the top of your foot back toward you.

A nice variation of this is done in the Pilates studio on the chair or on the Universal Reformer (the exercise called "tendon stretch").

Parakeet

This one is an oldie but a goodie, learned twelve years ago at the knee of Lisa Marie Goodwin (now Rice) at Long Beach Dance Conditioning.  She's a genius.

Lie on your back with your extended leg up in the air with a rolled Kleenex held under your toes (like a parakeet perch).  Point and flex your ankle while constantly curling your toes over the tissue.  The more difficult phase of the exercise is when your ankle is flexed and your toes are curled because this is the opposite of what our feet usually do!  You may only be able to do one or two of these before the cramps return, but at least do what you can.

Toe Push-Ups   

The energy for the movement must originate on the bottom of your foot, so the sensation is pushing the pads of the toes down into the floor and thus leveraging the ball of the foot up.  Just like a push-up:  the energy to LIFT the torso comes from a PUSH into the floor.

Sit on a stool.  Lift the heel of one foot up so it looks like you're wearing an invisible stiletto (sorry guys).  Point your toes by pressing them down into the ground, activating the muscles that line the bottom of your foot and your calf.  

 

Do NOT use your thigh muscles to lift the leg - no no no no. That is a marionette's movement:  strings from above lifting a passive structure.  This exercise should be very active in the lower leg, because you are not a puppet!

Now for those of you in my group classes:  let me know how this goes, OK?  If you have any questions, you can ask me in our next class or you can post them here as comments.

Comments

[littlem]

So what happens if you get a cramp *while* you're doing your exercises (which are good)?

[Donna Luder]

Well getting a cramp *while* you're doing an exercise typically means the muscles are really really weak. Sorry. (I'm patting you kindly on the shoulder while I say this.) So, what to do? Hold your foot in your hand and stabilize the toes so they can't move. Then press the pads of your toes into your hand, contracting the muscles on the sole of the foot. Doing this as an isometric exercise should help you gain strength without re-triggering the cramping. Good luck! Let me know how it goes!