That's Fit

Feet are, in my opinion at least, one of the single ugliest parts of the human body. That doesn't, however, mean they're not important. They're so important, in fact, that if they're not healthy and well taken care of, the whole rest of the body suffers.

How well do you treat your feet? If you're like most people, probably not so well. Most people stand on them too long while wearing shoes that are too tight and heels that are too high, all the while expecting their feet to go everywhere they want to go every day without giving them any care at all really -- until there's a problem of course. And according to statistics, seven out of 10 of us have problems, varying from simple things like sore feet and blisters to much more complicated and damaging disorders like hammer toes, tendinitis, and unexplained back pain.

So what to do? Well besides the obvious importance of getting shoes that fit and paying attention to signals like pain, blisters, and other early signs of a problem, simple moves to improve balance and alignment are also a good start.

Although the following moves are based in yoga, they seem simple enough to do separately, so even if you're not into a regular yoga routine, give them a shot!

Where does the weight of your body fall? Stand up straight and think ... where does the weight of your body fall? On the inside edge of the foot or more on the outside edge? Look at your shoes for clues, does one area wear faster than another? Also consider if you tend to lean forward or backwards slightly, and try rocking back and forth, lifting the toes and then the heels. Now try lifting the arch of your foot upwards while pressing the edges down. These exercises will help you be more conscious of your feet and of how you're distributing your weight throughout your daily life.

Stretching is good for toes too! Stretching your toes can help you regain some of the range of motion, flexibility, and strength that you had in your feet as a child. While standing (or while in a standing yoga pose), concentrate on elongating your toes, which stretches the sole of the foot. Also try pressing your heels into the ground while pressing forward with the toes.

Create a stable base for yourself Your feet are how you connect to the earth, and for many of us the weight they support is considerable! Encourage proper balance, posture, and support from your feet by imagining them each as a square: big toe, little toe, inner heel, and outer heel (or imagine an "X" drawn on the bottom of your foot) and picture each corner bearing equal weight.

Strengthen and relieve tension Stand on a tennis ball and roll it backwards and forwards, making sure to work the toes, the ball of the foot, the arch, and the heel. This move will not only improve flexibility and circulation but it also feels like a mini foot massage!