The Benefits of Yoga for your Feet

Proper foot care is important to the overall health of your body. The feet hold a lot of responsibility. Feet bear the weight of the entire body, propel the body during walking and running, and help the body balance during movement. The body lines up over the feet. When your foot goes out of alignment, it can throw off your ankle, knee, pelvis and back.

Yoga is a great way to practice proper alignment of the feet while strengthening and lengthening muscles and increasing flexibility. If feet are in proper alignment, the rest of the body will follow. Feet and toes play a significant role in yoga. As the foundation of the body, feet need to be strong so the rest of the body can be strong. Yoga can help to increase circulation, reduce leg cramps, reduce swelling, and increase balance. 

One easy yoga pose to try at home is the squat with toe stretch. Kneel down with toes tucked under. This is a great way to stretch the bottom of the feet and break up tension in the sole of the foot. 

Image by Taro Taylor. Bondi Beach Yoga. (2008). Flickr.

Checking Children's Feet

Examining feet frequently can help to identify problems that may need to be addressed. It is recommended that you examine your child’s feet and walking patterns in order to take care of issues early on.

Check the tops and bottoms of feet, as well as in-between toes. Some common foot problems that may be discovered are:

·         Ingrown toe nails

·         Blisters

·         Scratches and cuts

It is best keep broken skin clean and dry. Make sure to keep an eye on these areas to prevent infections.

Look for pressure areas, redness, warmth, and nail discoloration. These can be the sign of more serious problems that may require medical attention.  

 It is best to have your child evaluated by a physician if any of the following are true:

·         Feet turn in or out excessively

·         Your child complains of tired legs, heel pain, or leg/foot cramps

·         Shoes shows uneven wear patterns

 Image by Spiterman. Une histoire de pieds.(2010). Flickr.

Heel Pain

Heel pain can take on many forms and can stem from many causes.

Plantar Fasciitis: The tissue connecting the heel bone to the base of the toes becomes inflamed and causes pain under the heel. This can develop from extra stress on the feet, repetitive activities, aging, high arches, etc. Stretches, medication or shoe inserts may be necessary.

Heel Spur: A calcium deposit develops from consistent plantar fasciitis. Heel spurs do not always cause pain, and can be diagnosed via x-ray. Rest, stretches, and shoe inserts may be necessary.

Rectocalcaneal Bursitis: Inflammation of area where the Achilles tendon inserts into the heel bone. This is usually brought on by running or improperly fitting shoes. Pain can be gradual, skin can thicken, the area can become red and swollen, and a bump can develop. Rest, Achilles stretches, heel inserts, ice or medication may be necessary. 

Image by Caitlin Regan. Feet. (2009). Flickr.

Shin Splints

It is common to develop shin splints if you are an avid runner. They may appear after increasing the intensity of your workout or changing the surface you run on - i.e. going from running on trails to running on concrete. Most commonly, shin splints feel like a throbbing ache in your shin area. They can be caused by overused muscles, stress fractures, or flat feet. If you are experiencing this type of pain during or after your workout, it is time to consider seeing a doctor.

Rest, ice, anti-inflammatory painkillers, shin stretches and orthotics can help to heal shin splints.  Your physician may do an x-ray to see if any bones are fractured. While healing, it is best to avoid high impact workouts. Changing to something like swimming will give your body time to heal.

To help prevent this injury, wear shoes that provide the support you need. Shoes should be bases on the type of arch you have and the way you run. You should always warm up before exercising and stop if you feel pain.

Image by Chris Hunkeler. Woman Triathlete. (2013). Flickr.

Community Associated MRSA

MRSA is a bacterium that causes infections in different areas of the body. It is tough to treat because it is resistant to some antibiotics. MRSA is spread by contact and is most common among people in hospitals or nursing homes. It does however appear in healthy people who have not been hospitalized. This type of MRSA is called Community-Associated MRSA (CA-MRSA). CA-MRSA infections can develop around minor foot problems such as athlete’s foot, calluses, corns, eczema, ingrown toe nails and psoriasis. If these problems create cracks in the skin, it is possible for bacteria to get into the body. CA-MRSA can be picked up in fitness centers, schools, community pools, and other public places.

If you have infected cuts, scrapes, or cracks on your feet that are not healing in a timely manner, it should be checked out by a physician. 

Image by DLSimaging. More Feet. (2011). Flickr.

Congenital Foot Problems

There are many different types of foot problems you can experience; some are genetic and appear at birth. These conditions are called congenital foot problems. A few congenital problems include:

Clubfoot

Most types of clubfoot appear at birth, and can take on a variety of characteristics. Clubfoot is a term used for any of the following; the foot is smaller than normal, pointed downward, twisted inward at the ankle, etc. Clubfoot can affect one or both feet, can be mild or severe, and usually can be treated successfully by a physician. Treatment should begin immediately to avoid problems as the child grows.

Digital Deformities

Digital deformities include underlapping toes, overlapping toes and hammertoes. These toes that do not lay straight can cause discomfort and affect normal movement. If these are congenital problems and are discovered at birth, treatment can begin early.

Webbed Toes

Webbed/conjoined toes are the fusion of two or more toes. This does not generally cause any other health problems, so surgery is typically not necessary, but an option to discuss with your physician. 

Image by RoseAnnaDana. PB240109.sm. (2012). Flickr.

Bunionette

A bunionette is a bony protuberance on the outer side of the pinky toe. The deformity can become larger and more painful over time due to the growth of the bump. Bunionettes are most commonly developed from feet rubbing against the inside of shoes. If you are experiencing redness, swelling, pain on the outside of the pinky toe and notice a bump, it may be a bunionette. It is best to see a podiatrist to get an accurate diagnosis and a course of treatment.

Bunionettes can usually be treated non-surgically by:

• Wearing roomier shoes that do not cause friction against the area
• Padding the pinky toe
• Using custom inserts in your shoes
• Treating the inflamed area with medication like corticosteroid

If those methods do not help to alleviate your symptoms, surgery may be necessary. Surgery usually involves the removal of the painful soft tissue. 

Image by Jorge in Brazil. Feet 1. (2013). Flickr.