Why is it important to strengthen the muscles of the foot
Sport And Fitness / / December 19, 2019
We often talk about the fact that in the race is very important to your body resistance, so in addition to exercise for running, it is necessary to strengthen the muscles of the hips and bark, which are responsible for stability. A lot of attention is paid to work on the knees and ankles, but few people pay attention to the very foot.
Recently published a very interesting article in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, in which a group of scientists It raises the question of the importance of stabilizing the foot and work on the small muscles that form the "core legs. " We decided that it is worth sharing!
Our foot is composed of large and small muscles, which are arranged in layers. There are large muscles that run through the whole foot from the ankle. They are responsible for most of the traffic stop, and it is on their strengthening, we focus. But besides them there are 11 more small, which are located a little deeper in the stack. They help stabilize the body when the foot hits the ground and pushing off while running. Also, they are deformed to absorb and store energy in the middle position, and supports the arch of the foot.
What happens if you have a weak "core legs"? At the bottom of the feet have four layers of muscles that support the arch of the foot. If these muscles are weak, then the load will go to the plantar fascia. Therefore, if you want to get rid of plantar fasciitis or prevent its occurrence, you definitely need to strengthen the intrinsic muscles of the foot. In the body, everything is connected, and weak soles can lead to abnormal movements that would eventually spill over into knee problems.
there are a few standard exercises to strengthen the foot. For example, crumpling a small towel feet: you drag a towel on the floor only with the help of the foot muscles. Or "pick-up marble" - raising your feet off the floor marbles. But these exercises involve mainly large muscles of the foot, almost without affecting small.
The study's authors suggest other exercises. Put the foot on the floor in a neutral position, and then tighten it using the inner arch of the foot muscles. At the same time, try to make so that the fingers remain flat on the floor. You can begin their performance, sitting in a chair, then to complicate and do it standing up, then - on one leg.
We carried out a similar exercise during training on stretching: sitting on the floor with legs straight, you try to flex the foot so that the arc is formed, but the fingers at the same time must be protruded on themselves.
Another option - minimalist running shoes and running barefoot. The first positive changes are already noticeable after four months: the foot becomes a little shorter rise arch. These changes show that the muscles actually become stronger. Another advantage - increase the sensor sensitivity of the foot. It also plays an important role for the development of sustainability.
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