Yoga as Therapeutic Exercise: A Practical Guide for Manual Therapists

10. Basic exercises for the feet10. Basic exercises for the feet 10. Basic exercises for the feet10. Basic exercises for the feet
    6. Release your left hand from the foot, bring the
    foot back to the starting position (point 1)
    for 1–2 breaths; feel the difference in both feet.
    7. Repeat points 2–5 for the left foot.
    8. Release your right hand from the foot; bring the
    foot back to the starting position (point 1) for
    1–2 breaths.
    9. To finish stand and feel the contact of your feet
    with the floor.

Exercise 10.6: Weight-bearing foot

exercises

Aims: strengthening the arches of the feet, stabilizing

the ankle joints.

1. Stand bent forwards so that you can see your
   feet, your hands resting on a chair or table
   (Figure 6.205).


2. Stretch your toes and put them on the floor;
   slide the straight toes about 1 cm towards the
   heels so that the whole foot is like a bridge
   (Figure 6.206).


3. Perform point 2 up to 10 times, one movement
   lasting the length of one breath or faster.


4. Press the big toes on the floor; lift the inner
   arches and inner ankles (Figure 6.207).


5. Perform point 4 up to 10 times, one movement
   lasting the length of one breath or faster.


6. Press the little toes on the floor; lift the outer
   arches and outer ankles (Figure 6.208).
   7. Perform point 6 up to 10 times, one movement
   lasting the length of one breath or faster.
   8. Press all toes into the floor to lift your front
   transverse arch.
   9. Perform point 8 up to 10 times, one movement
   lasting the length of one breath or faster.
   10. Visualize your feet like a suction cup lifting the
   mat off the floor.

Figure 6.205