Our feet!

THE BASICS!

Alright! We’re gonna start off with the basic. I mentioned in my post “About Patty“, that I have a weak foot. That kinda was an understatement, for I refer to it as my ‘dead’ foot. Ok, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but it mostly feels numb and I don’t have much control of it. And to those of you who are wondering, yes, I saw a doctor. Granted, it was for another reason, and a few years later, but while I was there, she asked what was my deal using a walking stick. When I told her, she checked out my foot, asked when it happened. She had tests run and I do have proper blood flow, it’s just, well, after 3+ years of the damage being done, there wasn’t anything she could do about it, the damage was set. But that was ok, it wasn’t why I was there anyway. And, by the way, she DID take care of the problem I went for in the first place, which was carpal tunnel syndrome. I had no idea that the pain could be so outrageous! But I was rather relieved that was the problem and not something worse. And she took care of it with the simple use of a hand brace that I wore constantly in the beginning, now I just wear it to bed at night and I only wear it during the days when I feel like there’s a need.

Ok, so moving on…lol… yes, OUR FEET!!

Left on my own accord, I so wanted to be able to walk on my own without falling and tripping over my own foot, literally. And there are times I would really like to walk without my walking stick (although I think it’s pretty cool, I call it my Gandalf stick – Lord of the Rings fans will understand…lol)

And sorry about the squirrel effect… back to the subject…lol

WHAT TO DO?!

I thought what would a professional do, well, the obvious, to me anyway, is physical therapy. And that’s what I did (and still do). Every day. Don’t let the thought of EVERY DAY daunt you. shucks, it’s easy. It’s only a couple of minutes, a couple or few times a day. Why not, we’re just sitting there anyway!

So, are you ready? Ok, don’t worry if you aren’t workout ready. You’re just watching tv? Hey, that’s fine! Actually, that’s a good time to do it! Got your feet propped up? Ok, that’s fine, too. If you can lift your foot a couple of inches, great. If you want to give it a better work out, move that footstool out of the way and sit up on your chair with your feet flat on the floor and lift it straight out. Honestly, it doesn’t matter, as long as you do it. Something is always better than nothing!

BONUS!

Oh, and by the way, I understand that doing these feet exercises REDUCES a blood clot risk! PLUS FACTOR!! 🙂

LET’S GET STARTED!

Ok, if your feet are on the foot stool, start wiggling those toes. If you’re getting the bigger workout with NO footstool, extend your legs out (here comes the advanced workout because you’re working those calves now), wiggle your toes, too!! Get them good and limber. If you’re anything like me, my toes were even numb and couldn’t move them either. So, wiggle them, try hard, really hard! This wiggling exercise is good for them! One of these days, you just may SEE them wiggling and believe me, that will tickle you!! It did me!! 🙂

Now, I don’t want to go back and forth about being on a footstool or not, and you know what you’re doing. If you use the footstool, great, you’re getting the calve workout! If not, that’s ok, too, you’re working those feet and toes! If you get tired of holding your leg up, rest your heels on the floor and continue until you can lift it up again. You make this executive decision. 🙂

WORK IT!

Got those toes limbered up yet?? Ok!! now STRETCH those toes! stretch them out, spread them out, squinch them… just give them a workout!! I’m really not messing with you, it seriously works!! After doing this, granted, it took a couple of years, I can now actually squinch my big toe! That was exciting for me! And it also means I’m gaining a little control, when a doctor told me nothing could be done. Please, don’t get me wrong, doctors are awesome, but we do have to remember they’re not God. If they say there’s nothing can be done, medically speaking, there’s probably not. But as for me, I have faith. We have our own determination. Don’t let anyone tell you something cannot be done!!

“squirrel”!! oh yes, sorry… that happens sometimes. 🙂

STRETCH THEM OUT!

Next… we will call this the ankle stretch. Start with one leg. Doesn’t matter which one, you choose. Lift it up and point your toes away from you. Hold it for a few seconds then relax. Do the same with your other foot. Then repeat with each one. Do this a few times!

TWIST & TURN!

Now, lift one leg up and twist and turn your foot into a circular motion a few times. Not your whole leg, just your foot. Now repeat with the other. Now, just for the fun of it, do both feet at the same time, that is, if you can. If you can’t do both at the same time, no worries, alternate one at a time. You may hear and feel some popping and that’s ok, as long as it doesn’t hurt. If it hurts, you may need to see the doctor. *_* But I’m hoping that doesn’t happen.

FREE FORM!

Ok, now, just work those feet around. do whatever you take a notion to do. We are getting the blood circulating and those foot muscles working. It’s all good! 🙂

AND RELAX!

Whew!! Alright!! We’ve got it for our foot exercises!! Remember, just do this anytime you take a notion when you’re sitting, be it watching tv, at your desk, whatever. Again, it’s like Why Not!! Remember: you can do this!! 🙂