8 Simple leg stretches you can do at home

Your feet can support your entire body weight during activities. This includes walking, running and more. Unfortunately, busy activities often make you not realize that your feet can also be sore and tired. Well, there's nothing wrong with taking the time at home to stretch your legs to prevent and treat leg pain.

Apart from being useful for dealing with leg pain, leg stretching exercises can also prevent you from further injury by keeping your legs strong and flexible. This stretch is even beneficial for people who have foot problems related to diseases they have, such as rheumatoid arthritis or diabetes. No need for special sports equipment to do it, really!

Types of leg stretches that you can do at home

Before stretching, it's a good idea to consult a doctor or physical therapist who treats you if you are injured or have certain diseases such as arthritis or diabetes.

If they've already given the green light, let's start this leg stretching exercise at home!

1. Toe raises, points, and curls

source: Healthline

This exercise has three stages and will help you strengthen all parts of your feet and toes.

How:

Sit up straight with your feet flat on the floor.
The first stage, hold your toes on the floor and lift the heels until only the toes touch the floor then shape the toes like a ball pull back while lifting the heel.
Hold this motion for five seconds, before lowering your heels.
In the second stage, raise your heels and point your toes so that only the tips of your thumb and forefinger touch the floor.
Hold for five seconds, before lowering your heels back down.
The third stage, keep the heels of the feet touching the floor and then raise the toes.
Hold this motion for five seconds.
Repeat each stage ten times.

2. Big toe strecth

source: Medical News Today

Maintain a good range of motion in your big toe with this three-part stretch. It feels good after your feet are jammed with shoes all day.

How:

Sit up straight with your feet flat on the floor.
Lift your right leg up and place it on your left thigh.
Use your fingers to gently stretch your toes one by one up, down, and to the side.
Hold the stretch in each direction for five seconds, and repeat ten times.
Repeat this movement on your left leg.

3. Toe splay

source: Medical News Today

This movement will help you control your leg muscles. How:

Sit straight with your feet resting on the floor.
Spread your toes as far as you can without holding them.
Hold for five seconds.
Repeat this movement ten times.

You can also twist the rubber bands around the toes. This will provide resistance and make the exercise more challenging.

4. Toe curls

source: Healthline

Toe curls build the flexor muscles of the toes and toes and increase overall leg strength.

The way to do this movement is:

Sit up straight in a chair, with feet flat on the floor.
Place a small towel under your feet, with the short side facing your feet.
Place the tip of your right foot on the short side of the towel. Try to hold the towel between your toes and pull it toward you.
Repeat this movement five times, before moving on to the other leg.

5. Marble pickup

source: Healthline

This movement is done to increase muscle strength in the lower legs and toes.

The way to do this is:

Sit up straight in a chair, with feet flat on the floor.

Place 20 marbles and a small bowl on the floor in front of your feet.
Take the marbles one by one on your toes and place them in the bowl.
Use one leg to pick up all the marbles.
Then, repeat using the other leg.

6. Toe extention

source: Healthline

This movement is useful for preventing or treating plantar fasciitis, which is a condition that causes pain in the heel when walking and difficulty lifting the toes.

How to do this movement, namely:

Sit up straight in a chair, with feet flat on the floor.
Place the left leg on the right thigh.
Pull your toes up toward the ankles. This stretch should be felt along the bottom of the foot and heel.
Hold the movement for ten seconds.
Massaging your ankles while stretching will help reduce tension and pain.
Repeat this movement ten times on each leg.

7. Tennis ball roll

source: Medical News Today

Rolling a tennis ball under your foot can help relieve pain in the arch and reduce pain associated with plantar fasciitis.

How to do this movement, namely:

Sit up straight in a chair, with feet flat on the floor.
Place a tennis ball or other small hard ball, under the floor next to your feet.
Put one foot on the ball and roll the ball around you, the ball should feel massaging the bottom of the foot.
Continue the movement for 2 minutes, then repeat on the other leg.

If you don't have a suitable ball, you can use a frozen water bottle.

8. Achilles stretch

source: Healthline

How to do this movement, namely:

Standing facing the wall, raise your arms and place your palms against the wall.
Put your right leg back, and hold it so that your knee is straight.
Then bend your left knee, holding it so that the heel remains on the floor.
Push your hips forward.
Hold the movement for 30 seconds before switching to the other leg.
Repeat three times for each leg.

You can do any of the leg stretches three days each week or every other day to get the desired benefits.