Foot problems

Yoga Discussion Structural Yoga Therapy
#1

I injured my feet hiking this August. After two nights of below zero temperatures, a wet sleeping bag, and no escape from the rigid orthopedics in my hiking boots, I hiked out 22 miles in Banff’s rugged backcountry in one day. Sadly, I was not practicing Ahimsa on that particular day.

Ten years ago yoga, “fixed” my feet and I have forever been grateful. I came to yoga with fragile feet after having lived with high arches, dropped metatarsals, and Raynaud’s syndrome. Standing poses developed muscle mass, which greatly increased the health of my feet. Today is a different story. The tendons and ligaments in my arch are chronically tender and lacking resilience. With a flexed foot the tendons stand out like sinew. The podiatrist says, “You must not go barefooted.” I say as a yoga teacher and lover of the free foot, “no way.” Can you recommend some poses or exercises that will help me nurture back to health my beautiful, frustrated feet? I am 47 and am a female.

Namaste, S

#2

There are many poses for feet one should do them all. Hero pose, toes in and heels out, feet together heels included, on the tiptoes to stretch the sole of the foot. Heel cord stretch press on a wall with one-foot backward heel firmly to floor then bend the knee while keeping heel anchored to the floor (stretches the soleus, deep calf muscle). Not to mention babying the feet with Epsom salt soaks – better yet a hot soak with Epsom salts, sea salt, and baking soda (1 cup each – which replicates the formula for sea water). Afterward shower off as this is quite detoxifying, clearing out through the pores of the skin.