December Activities to Strengthen Your Foot Health

We at  New Jersey Podiatric Physicians & Surgeons Group love the winter, because foot health is just a little more important. Why? Because it’s easy to let your fitness slide when the weather turns cold, even though the stiffness can make foot and ankle pain easier than a cold to catch. In this blog, we’re stopping the cold in its tracks by creating our own.

Counteracting Cold and Stiffness

Tight muscles hate the cold, and your calves are no exception. Targeted stretching is essential right now, so we recommend stretching your calves and Achilles tendons daily. This will help reduce the tension that pulls on your heel and arch, which can easily trigger painful Plantar Fasciitis or Tendonitis flares that are often worse in cold weather.

Building Stability for Icy Paths

Fall prevention is key in winter. You can dramatically improve your ability to handle slippery surfaces with single-leg balance drills. Practice standing on one foot for 30 seconds at a time while holding onto a counter or chair. Sound random? Not when it’s Yoga!

All balance-related workouts will do. They work your ankle’s stabilizing muscles and make you quicker to correct a misstep. All that Tai Chi will be worth it when you save yourself from an ankle sprain walking on an icy street.

Boosting Circulation Indoors

Cold weather and sedentary days are tough on blood flow. But indoor cycling or swimming are fantastic, low-impact activities. The continuous movement helps pump blood through your legs, which reduces winter-related swelling, Raynaud’s disease, or other circulatory issues.

Even simple, seated ankle pumps can help prevent blood stagnation during long periods of holiday travel or movie watching.

Jogging and Arch Strength

Plantar fasciitis, neuromas, arthritis, or tendonitis issues are particularly nagging in the winter due to the increased stiffness. People might tell you to jog it off outside, but in the winter, this may not be the best idea.

Instead, we recommend using a treadmill. Not only do they absorb your impact better than a frosty dirt trail somewhere in the woods, but they also keep you inside, which you can keep as warm as you’d like.

Arch strength is also key to preventing inflammatory conditions, so to provide better natural support and cushioning, consider wearing custom orthotics. They are especially helpful when you wear heavier winter boots that might not have custom support built in.

Functional Movement

Don’t let the cold stop you from moving! Using stairs instead of elevators is a great functional exercise that strengthens your calves and ankles. Look for little opportunities to keep the blood flowing to the feet.

And if you need tips on what to wear on your feet while you move your way through the cold, check out this blog for even more protection.

If you’re worried about your foot pain, come see the expert team at New Jersey Podiatric Physicians & Surgeons Group. With more than 30 locations, from Newark, NJ, to Cape May, NJ, we value convenience and excellent service for our patients. To schedule an appointment, first find a podiatrist in your area.