The 60-Second Exercise One of TikTok’s Top Doctors Does 3 Times a Week for Better Foot Health

Mike Varshavski, DO, extra generally often known as “Dr. Mike” to his 25 million social media followers, spends his days seeing sufferers in addition to allotting well being knowledge and battling medical misinformation on-line. However one factor he all the time makes positive to squeeze into his weeks: toe yoga.

“After we’re interested by wholesome ft, it isn’t nearly ensuring the foot is wholesome for the sake of the foot,” he says. “The foot is consultant of your entire physique.”

Dr. Varshavski explains that cultivating power, flexibility, coordination, and management in your ft is a method to construct a powerful basis from the bottom up. As a result of the muscle groups in your ft are so small, they’re extra predisposed to damage in the event that they’re put beneath an uncommon quantity of pressure. So when you go for a troublesome run, your hamstrings may be capable to deal with it, however your foot muscle groups and tendons may be screaming. That may make you much less steady in your ft, which may result in damage.

“Every time we’ve got points within the foot, it normally additionally finally ends up translating to joints increased up, together with the ankle, the knee, the hip, and the low again,” Dr. Varshavski says.

Ramping up an train routine slowly so your ft do not get overtaxed is essential right here. However an effective way to provide your foot well being a head begin is toe yoga, which “helps develop neuromuscular management of the foot, and neuromuscular management is extremely vital in relation to damage prevention,” he says. Analysis exhibits that doing toe yoga can scale back foot ache¹ and enhance steadiness², which is correlated with lowering accidents.

In case you haven’t heard of toe yoga earlier than, it refers to workout routines particularly meant to stretch and strengthen your toes, ft, and ankles.

“It is actually nearly with the ability to independently transfer every a part of the foot,” Dr. Varshavski says. “A variety of the time that is arduous for individuals. We neglect the foot in relation to coaching. It’s a quite common weak spot for folk, particularly when working lengthy distances. And one you can prepare out fairly rapidly as nicely.”

“After we’re interested by wholesome ft, it isn’t nearly ensuring the foot is wholesome for the sake of the foot. The foot is consultant of your entire physique.” —Mike Varshavski, DO

There are all types of toe yoga workout routines on the market, however Dr. Varshavski’s most well-liked train couldn’t be less complicated:

1. Stand along with your ft hip-width aside.
2. Increase up your large toes whereas holding your different 4 toes on the ground. Maintain this place for 3 seconds.
3. Then, reverse the motion: Preserve your large toes on the ground whereas elevating your different toes off the ground. Maintain this place for 3 seconds.
4. Proceed alternating for 60 seconds.

Dr. Varshavski likes to do that 1-minute routine proper when he will get out of the bathe. “[After a shower] you are most likely going to be taking a look at your toes, possibly reducing your toenails—that is a great time to do toe yoga,” he says. “For me, 3 times every week is my commonplace, except I am rehabbing an damage. Then I am doing it just about day by day.”

The aim is for toe yoga to assist forestall foot accidents within the first place. However you must also maintain your ft earlier than, throughout, and after train. That features ensuring you’ve acquired correctly becoming and supportive footwear—Dr. Varshavski prefers the Brooks Ghost Max 2 ($150) for the cushioning it delivers to his ft and knees. [Editor’s note: Dr. Varshavski has a current partnership with Brooks.]

He recommends ensuring your footwear matches correctly by standing and strolling in them as a result of your toes unfold out while you put your weight on them.

Whereas exercising—out on a run, for instance—make the most of that toe yoga-amped neuromuscular management by holding your eyes forward of you so you possibly can react to your terrain. And if you’re experiencing any ache, again off.

When you’re completed along with your exercise, change out of your sweaty socks to stop fungi rising in your nails or in between your toes (ick!). And most significantly, when you’ve got a priority about foot ache, discuss to your physician to stop a small downside from changing into bigger.

“Getting your ft comfortable means discussing your ft along with your major care doctor on the earliest signal of discomfort so that you will be preventive versus reactive,” he says. “Do not let the issue progress and get considerably worse, the place then you definately’re left in a tough spot the place it is surgical procedure or nothing. A variety of occasions we will be proactive.”