In Part 1 of “Finding confidence in your feet and ankles,” we explored the relationship between mobility in our ankles, feet and other leg joints and the functionality we need to be able to confidently navigate uneven terrain. Whether you’re on a walk, hike, walking down a city sidewalk, or on vacation, traversing over cobblestones and bricks, when your joints are all able to bend and flex easily, you subconsciously feel confident in your ability to handle yourself.
Below is a simple Feldenkrais® exercise you can do at home to give you more mobility in your feet and ankles. You may notice a difference immediately when you stand up to walk afterwards, or it might take a few times.
In this lesson, you’ll be working with your brain and nervous system to release unconsciously contracted muscles in order to have freedom and ease in your walking!
Remember this is different from what you may have done in the past — stretching or physical therapy.
Follow these helpful guidelines to get the most improvement. In this method, doing more, bigger, and faster are NOT helpful.
Guidelines for lesson:
Make sure you do the movements very slowly, make the movements very small. Don’t stretch your feet or ankles — do only the movement that feels easy and comfortable.
Mini Lesson for ankles and feet:
Take off your shoes and walk around your room to get a sense of how free your ankles and feet feel. What is the progression of each step you take? Heel to toe, toe to heel, middle of your foot first?
And now stand still and notice where the weight is on your feet? Is it centered, more to the inside, more to the outside?
Now, please lie on your back and bend your knees and stand your feet about hips distance apart.
Very gently lift the front of your right foot away from the floor, just the tiny little bit that’s comfortable. (I guarantee you, you’re lifting it too much. Let it be TINY.)
Then put it down and take a breath. Do this 3-4 times slowly. The more slowly you do this the better the improvement will be.
Then rest for a moment with the sole of your foot on the floor.
And now lift your heel away from the floor several times, resting between each movement.
Again, make it as small and slow movement as you can. Notice if you feel anything in the right side of your pelvis as you do this. Don’t worry if you don’t notice anything!
And now alternate, 3 or 4 times, first lifing the front of your foot away from the floor gently, and lowering it, and then lifting your heel away from the floor and lowering it. Really go slowly.
And now rest again. You can lengthen you leg to rest if you like.
And now, stand your feet again and very gently lift the outside edge of your foot away from the floor.
Do this 3-4 times and rest between each time you do it. Pay attention to whether it’s comfortable to do this and make the movement smaller and slower.
And now lift the inside edge of your foot away from the floor a few times, slowly, resting for a breath after each time you do this.
And now alternate, first lifting the inside and pausing in the middle, then lifting the outside.
And now lengthen your legs and rest.
Before repeating this entire sequence with your left foot, stand up and walk around and see if you notice a difference at all?
When you’ve completed this on both sides, stand up and notice how you’re standing on your feet now. Then, walk slowly around the room and see if anything has changed with the contact or progression that your feet make with the floor as you walk.
Maybe you notice a difference and maybe it will take a few times. Either way, please shoot me an email to tell me what, if anything, you’ve noticed!
If you’re interested in exploring this further with a full length lesson, join our online weekly classes. Here’s a link for more information. If you’re local, you can schedule a private session here.