Foot Self Care Routine For Hikers
In this foot self care routine for hikers, I’ll give you some quick ways to find relief for sore and tired feet. Using items that you have handy, you can massage, stretch, and rejuvenate your feet while hiking. Self care for your feet is critical! This mini foot self care routine for hikers is from my more comprehensive self care program.
Know your foot
When you are hiking, it’s often helpful to have a map, so you know where to go. The map can also outline the features and give you a good picture of the landscape looks like. For this foot self care routine, I give you a map of your foot with a quick tour. This will help you see the landscape of your foot a little differently and make the techniques more effective.
Simple and effective
The first technique is the rub, twist, and stretch. This super simple and feel good routine is just the ticket for breaks along the trail. It’s as simple as it sounds, rub your foot, twist your foot, and stretch your foot. Each action lasts for about 20 seconds. Your foot will feel great after this!
Next up, using your shoe, you can easily massage the bottom of your foot. This sounds a little strange, but it really works! Flipping your shoe on edge, you can use the sole of the shoe to target the sides and bottom of your foot. During breaks, I typically take my shoes and socks off and discovered this method of self-massage using my shoe. It’s become one of my favorite ways to get a quick foot massage while hiking.
Strengthen your foot
No foot self care routine would be complete without adding some strength exercises. Here are some of my favorites.
Learn More About The Self Care Program For Hikers!
Tripod stools are extremely stable and offer loads of support. The great news is that your foot is a tripod! The base of the big toe, the base of the pinky toe and your heel make up your foot tripod. Keeping these points of contact down during exercises will help you build a robust and stable foot. I’ll walk you through some natural but extremely beneficial movements focusing on the tripod.
There’s another simple exercise for building your foot strength using a thin exercise band. This exercise will help strengthen the big toe muscles, which will have an enormous benefit for hiking. The video will walk you through a simple big toe curl and foot motion. It’s effortless to perform and provides a lot of benefits.
Both of these exercises – the tripod series and the big toe movements will help prepare you for miles of trail. Fit these in at the end of your workout if you have some extra time.
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