Happy Feet

How often do you think about your feet? If you walk, you ask them to support you every day. If you wear shoes, you may be forcing them into situations where they don’t fit. We ask them to behave in our most vulnerable situations – like in the bathroom in our birthday suit. Yet, we don’t tend to give them any extra love or support.

Our little tootsies have nerve endings that send signals to our brain about the terrain below us. This helps our brain decide how to react to each situation. The more signals our brain receives, the better movement results. This is why foot rolling is important to me as an instructor.

When I teach Chair Yoga, I start every class with ball rolling to energize the feet. Often, individuals that attend Chair Yoga are struggling with their balance. By using the ball, we are stimulating the feet for a healthier body response which encourages a safer class environment for standing poses. This hopefully will help them in their day-to-day life as well.

For my community based classes, we use golf balls since they are cheap, cheerful, and easy to wash. However, the density and small size does not feel good to every body. The padding on the bottom of the feet can decrease with age and some individuals may have neuropathy from a medical condition.

What do you use when a golf ball hurts? The most economical option is a tennis ball but I don’t like the texture and I feel that it loses density fairly quickly. I suggest participants invest in a Yoga Tune Up Therapy Ball Pair. The texture works well against bare skin and is less likely to slip.

I also own and like using the Acuball Mini and Naboso Neuro Ball which have tiny spikes for extra stimulation. I have received feedback that some find it ticklish or too overstimulating. I understand what they mean but I personally enjoy the extra sensation. I also like having the nerves receive different stimulus and feedback so my brain can have lots of information to process.

Ball Rolling How-to

Each foot is done individually so we can focus on the movement and the sensations that arise. It is best to be seated in a chair with a tall posture to support the breath. The foot without the ball should be fully connected to the ground to aid balance and support. A golf ball will be used in this example.

1. Place the golf ball under the arch of one foot. Using the whole leg, get the golf ball to move in a circular motion around the arch. Do a minimum of ten (10) turns in each direction.
2. Move the golf ball under the ball of the foot. Keep the heel connected to the floor. Use the ankle and foot to move the golf ball side to side massaging the ball of the foot.
3. Roll the golf ball forward a little bit so you can wrap your toes around the golf ball. Then lift up the toes and stretch them upwards while pressing the ball of the foot into the golf ball.
4. Move the golf ball to the heel and use zig zag motions forward, backwards, and side-to-side.
5. Externally rotate the hip so the knee is facing outwards. The golf ball is going to move along the outside of the foot from the heel to the baby toe. Use your whole leg to move the ball back and forth.
6. Bring the ball under the big toe. Draw the sole of the foot back to the floor leaving the big toe stretching upwards. If the big toe can not stretch due to bunions or arthritis, any type of big toe movement can be done
7. Now do it all again on the other foot!

I hope your feet (and your body) enjoy this foot rolling routine.