One area of the body that is grossly overlooked when it comes to fitness is the feet. However, taking care of your feet is vitally important when it comes to overall health and wellness. In fact, foot misalignment and weakness are more than just painful—these ailments can cause a myriad of physical health issues such as increased risk of injury, poor posture, hip misalignment, bunions, and more. In contrast, having strong feet helps to improve posture, strengthen the core, and help to reach other fitness goals.

At Sheppard Methos Pilates in Westwood, we understand that foot fitness is integral to the practice. In all of our Pilates classes, we encourage foot strength, mobility, and flexibility through various Pilates exercises. By becoming consciously aware of how you are working your feet through each Pilates practice, you can receive the full benefits of Pilates.

Contact the Westwood Pilates instructors at Sheppard Method Pilates to discuss how we can help you get started. Schedule your first class now!

The Importance of Foot Fitness

While often overlooked, the feet are what literally carry our body each and every day. Overall foot fitness is critical to support our daily movements—standing, walking, and running. Healthy, strong feet is necessary for overall balance, shock absorption, hip mobility, knee health, injury and tendonitis prevention, ankle stability and even immunity. Without healthy foot fitness, your other fitness goals such as running, biking, weightlifting, sports—and even just day to day movement, can suffer.

When we neglect to care for our feet, it can lead to significant physical health problems. These issues exasperate in aging adults, as well as active individuals such as athletes, dancers, and runners. Even if you do not fall into these categories, poor foot fitness can lead to:

  • Foot injury
  • Shin splints
  • Knee pain
  • Ankle weakness and instability
  • Foot pain such as planta fasciitis
  • Hip immobility
  • Arthritis flare-ups
  • Tendonitis (especially in feet, hips, and knee areas)
  • Poor posture and back pain
  • Poor proprioception (nerve communication)
  • Negative impact of sports performance
  • Whole body misalignment

Pilates and Foot Fitness

Foot strength and flexibility is so important because if your feet are weak or stiff, they are not absorbing the impact of walking, running, and daily life. This leads to physical conditions, which can waterfall to mental health issues as well since stress, both physical and mental, can show up in foot pain. Without the ability for regular, comfortable, and pain-free mobility, our mental health suffers as well.

Pilates is a full-body workout, so rather than trying to isolate a specific body part like the foot, you simply have to consciously engage the feet during your Pilates movements to begin practicing foot fitness. Once you mindfully include the feet into other exercises, you will realize how much Pilates can strengthen, improve flexibility, and encourage mobility in the surrounding areas—without having to do much more than you are already doing!

Pilates Exercises to Help Strengthen the Feet and Reduce Foot Pain

Many Pilates exercises naturally engage the feet, as Pilates movements integrate whole body movement and collaboration. Being simply aware of your feet during Pilates practice can make all the difference. Engaging the feet by flexing and pointing during specific Pilates movements can help strengthen the feet and encourage flexibility.

There are some exercises specifically designed as a sort of foot workout to strengthen the feet and improve overall foot fitness:

  • Simple flex and point
  • Doming
  • Plank single leg kicks
  • Side Kick with point/flex movement
  • Leg pull with point/flex movement
  • Heel raises
  • Calf raises
  • Ankle circles
  • Side splits
  • Monkey (done with the Reformer)
  • Side plank
  • Standing balance
  • Exercise band stretch
  • Standing balance and foot raise on block
  • Plantar fascia rolling (use a tennis ball or tension ball)
  • Gentle massage

Your Westwood Studio: Sheppard Method Pilates

At Sheppard Method Pilates, we invite you to our Westwood studio for classes that will help improve your overall foot fitness. To target foot pain, we recommend checking out our Reformer classes. Movements on the Pilates Reformer especially helpful in aiding with foot health and are approachable for all levels. Regardless of what classes you sign up for, our Pilates instructors can assist in foot fitness and whole body wellness to improve your daily life!

Call the Westwood Pilates instructors at Sheppard Method Pilates to discuss how we can help you include Pilates in your exercise regimen and boost your overall health!