Arthritis can affect any of the many joints in the foot and ankle. With regular exercise you may experience less pain day to day. Indeed, exercise is now and always has been one of the best ways to stay out of pain. This is true for all joints in the human body, but especially the foot and ankle complex.
Calf Stretch
There are 2 types of calf stretches. One involves keeping your knees straight and the other requires you to bend your knees. For both methods, place a book on the floor about 8-10 centimeters from a wall.
The book should be thick enough that you feel a stretch in your calf when you place the balls of your feet on it. This thickness will vary person to person. If you have poor balance, make sure someone or something strong is stabilizing the book so that it doesn’t slip.
Once you have placed the balls of your feet on the book, lean forward into the wall until you feel a stretch in your calf. Hold this position for 15-30 seconds. Repeat this stretch 2-4 times. It is probably advisable to stretch one leg at a time so that you may maintain stability. Also, make sure the book is stable on the floor and that it won’t slip.
Alternatively, simply place the ball of the foot against the wall and then straighten the knee for one version of the stretch. For the other version, just gently push the knee toward the wall.
Stretching the calf with the knee bent allows focus to be on the gastrocnemius complex of muscle. Stretching the calf with the knee straight allows focus to be on the soleus muscle. Together, these muscles meet and form the Achilles tendon.
Toe Extension Stretch
While sitting in a chair, place your foot on your opposite knee. Hold your heel in one hand while slowly pulling your big toe back with your other hand until you feel a stretch on the bottom of your foot. Hold this position for 15-30 seconds.
Repeat this motion 2-4 times on both feet even if only one foot is sore. This stretch is tissue specific for the connective tissue and muscles on the bottom of the foot; this is inclusive of the plantar fascia of course.
Some people have so much stiffness in the body that it is difficult to even cross one leg on the other. It may be that the cross will be over the opposite shin. In those cases, hold the stretching leg steady with one hand and use the other for the stretch.
Toe Flexion Stretch
While sitting in a chair, place your foot on your opposite knee. Hold your heel in one hand while slowly pushing your big toe down towards your heel with your other hand until you feel a stretch on the top of your foot.
Hold this position for 15-30 seconds. Repeat this motion 2-4 times on both feet even if only one foot is sore. This will focus on muscles such as the toe extensors and the tibialis anterior tendon.
Ankle Alphabet
While sitting in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Lift one foot off the floor and trace the letters of the alphabet. Switch feet even if only one foot is sore.
This seems like a redundant and simple exercise, but it will allow for the coordinated movement of the very small core muscles of the foot. This is a great foundational exercise for those out there with weak and painful feet.
Ankle Dorsiflexion
Take an exercise band and tie both ends together to make a loop. Place one end of the loop to a secure object or close one end into a door to hold it still. You could also have someone hold it.
Place your foot into the other end of the loop while sitting on the floor or in a chair. Keep your knees and legs straight. Slowly flex and relax your foot back and forth. The tension within the band will provide resistance to the dorsiflexion muscles. Dorsiflexion is the movement that brings the ‘toe to nose’.
Repeat this exercise about 8-12 times. Switch feet even if only one foot is sore.
Towel Curl
While sitting in a chair, place a small towel on the floor. Scrunch the towel towards you with your toes. Then push the towel away with your toes.
Repeat this 8-12 times. Switch feet even if only one foot is sore. This works the small intrinsic muscles of the foot.
Resisted Ankle Eversion
While sitting on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you, hold both ends of an exercise band with it looped around one foot. Press the arch of your other foot into the band so that both lengths of the band are under your second foot.
Keep your legs straight and slowly push the foot inside of the loop outward against the band without rotating your leg.
Repeat this 8-12 times. Switch feet even if only one foot is sore.
Resisted Ankle Inversion
While sitting on the floor with your legs stretched out and crossed at the ankle in front of you, hold both end of an exercise band with it looped around the lower foot. Press the arch of your top foot into the band so that both lengths of the band are under your top foot.
Keep your crossed and slowly push the foot inside of the loop outward against the band without rotating your leg.
Repeat this 8-12 times. Switch feet even if only one foot is sore.
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