3 Toe Stretching Benefits You Need to Know

If you’re really into working out, you probably include stretching into your routine. Before and after a run, even a little hamstring stretch may help to reduce the risk of injury. Fortunately, most people agree with me on this.

That’s great news for your calves and hamstrings. But here’s where I get stuck when my patients tell me about stretching: your lower limbs. Or, to be more specific, when I start talking about toe stretching benefits, I get strange glances.

Are you doing the same? Take a time to listen to me out. Since toe stretching exercises are a real thing! It’s a definite need. You’ll learn why in this article.

Why You Need to Do Toe Stretching Exercises

Have you ever observed that as soon as you take off your shoes, your toes automatically point upward? Tightness in the toes is often the cause.

If this is the case, you may even see your tight toe tendons pushing back on your toes. That presents a challenge. Since toe deformity may also be caused by tension in the toes. When that happens, your toes may shift outward or possibly crunch permanently, giving you hammertoes.

Common Causes of Tightness and Toe Deformities

Do you ever wonder why or how your toes get so tight? There are many reasons. But the most frequent culprits are these.

Putting On Tight Shoes

Tight shoes cause your toes to flex or scrunch in an awkward way. High heels may cause the toes to bend upward. When the toe box of the shoes is pointy and narrow, the issue worsens. Your toes are put in even more uncomfortable positions as a result. You can get away with this kind of pinching now and again. But what happens if your toes remain in these odd positions for too long? That’s when trouble starts.  Your muscles quickly tighten and lock your toes into that shape. Over time, they will stop reverting to their regular lengths and shapes. You’ll start to see deformities at this point.

Walking Styles

Your risk of injury is influenced by how you run or your stride. And when it comes to walking, the same is true. Many individuals just clomp their feet downward with each stride. However, you should engage every muscle involved in your movement. During the weight-bearing phase of your stride, try pulling your toes and forefoot downward. What happens otherwise? Your muscles aren’t appropriately engaged. Your toes stretch upward as a consequence. But they never get the downward stretch that balances things out. And as a result, your tendons are now stiff and overworked.

Turn Out

No, I’m not getting you ready for ballet. I’m referring to how your feet are placed as you walk. Although everyone should have their toes facing forward when walking, some people don’t. The bottom of your foot does not absorb the power of your “push off” if your feet turn out while you walk. Instead, that significant blow lands on the side of your big toe. Your big toe may begin to shift toward its neighbors over time and this may indicate the onset of a bunion. Therefore, if you don’t perform toe stretching exercises to counteract this impact, the big toe may not go back to its original position without medical assistance.

The Benefits of Stretching Your Toes

Yoga practitioners are aware of the significance of yoga toe stretches. Toe stretching devices may also achieve the same result. The outcomes, however, don’t seem to be as good as performing yoga toe stretches at averting complications. Or equally likely to give the following three surprising benefits of stretching your toes:

1. Less Foot Pain

You may avoid uncomfortable spasms and contractions by doing yoga toe stretches, which lengthens and relaxes the muscles. One of the benefits of stretching your toes is that it helps you avoid overuse or repetitive stress injuries. Those are also rather uncomfortable, so doing toe stretching exercises is a win-win.

2. Support for Hammertoes and Bunions

While none of these conditions can be treated by yoga toe stretches, it may help avoid deformities. How? They may, however, help in removing certain aggravating factors, such as pressure and irregularly positioned body parts. Preventing these abnormalities is also one of the greatest toe stretching benefits. Or at least halt the development of larger issues.

3. Morton’s Neuroma

Relief from Morton’s neuroma pain is one of the many benefits of stretching your toes. How is it possible? Well, cramming your toes and feet into narrow and/or sharp shoes only serves to exacerbate this painful nerve irritation.

If you must wear tight shoes often, excellent for you; toe stretching benefits also include correcting damage caused by this problem. Currently, you may always utilize a toe stretching device that you get from a store to save time. But I advise making a little more of an effort. So before pulling out your wallet, try these five toes stretching exercises from Healthline.com. And after that, let me know how your feet and toes feel!

• • Take your toes in your hands and bend them completely downward to stretch the top of your foot.
  • Take your toes in your hands and bend them all upward so that the bottom of your foot, not just the toes, feel a good stretch.
  • Pull the toes apart one from the other.
  • Pull the large and small toes apart at the same time to give the front of the foot its proper breadth.
  • Pull any bent toes back down to their normal position. To restore straight length, carefully pull bent-down areas straight, and pull curled toes out straight.

Do your toes still feel stiff after stretching them? Do you fear that a bunion or hammertoe is on the horizon since your toes have already started to shift? Do not worry at home about potential problems. Instead, schedule an appointment as soon as possible with Dr. Ejodamen Shobowale of the DeNiel Foot and Ankle Center. When you have mild or early-stage deformities, she may treat you using less invasive techniques. As an added bonus, she and her team will be excellent at avoiding the escalation of little issues into major ones.

Book An Appointment 832-415-1790