Effective leg exercises at home

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Follow these leg exercises at home to help keep their legs strong and flexible, reduce foot, ankle and muscle pain, and improve foot health.

1. Importance of leg exercises at home

Many people often suffer from foot or ankle pain. By keeping feet strong, sufferers can reduce pain and improve overall health and flexibility.
Regular exercise and stretching of the feet and ankles can ensure the best support for the leg muscles. Besides, these exercises can also increase the range of motion of the foot. Most of these exercises are simple, with no complicated equipment required. Exercisers can do it at home or in the gym as part of a regular workout routine. There are the following types of leg exercises:
Exercises that improve range of motion, soften the legs and reduce the risk of injury. The practitioner should stretch slowly and gently every day to improve the flexibility of the legs; Strength exercises help muscles to be better supported and protected for both legs. Strength and endurance exercises often use some type of resistance device such as weights or exercise bands. Athletes should perform stretching and strengthening exercises 3 days a week and regularly every day to increase range of motion and strength, improve leg health. If your feet and ankles are very painful, if you have any injuries or have diabetes or arthritis, you should have a medical check-up before starting any leg exercises.

2. Leg exercises at home are suitable for all subjects

Depending on the training needs and general health of the practitioner, the doctor may suggest adding other exercises or eliminating some of the exercises mentioned below:
2.1 Exercises to train flexibility Active for the feet The exercises below are used to improve flexibility and range of motion of the feet.
Exercise 1: Raise toes, curl
This exercise has 3 stages, affecting all parts of the foot and toes. How to do this exercise is as follows:
Sit up straight in a chair and place your feet on the floor; Rest your toes on the floor, raise your heels, hold this position for 5 seconds and then lower your heels; Raise your heels, curl your toes inward so that the tips of your toes touch the floor, hold for 5 seconds; Repeat each movement over 10 times. Exercise 2: Big toe stretch
Big toe movement is very important. The following exercise has 3 stages, helping to stretch and relieve pain for the toes that are pinched when wearing shoes. How to do this exercise is as follows:
Sit up straight in a chair and place your feet on the floor; Put the left foot on the right thigh; Use your fingers to gently pull the big toe up, down, to the side; Hold the above position for 5 seconds; Repeat 10 times before switching to the other leg.

2.2 Leg exercises at home to strengthen the legs Exercise 3: Open toes
Toes are spread wide to improve control of the toe muscles. This exercise can be performed on both legs at the same time or on each leg individually depending on the performance of the practitioner. How to perform this exercise is as follows:
Sit on a chair with straight back, feet gently on the floor; Spread your toes as far apart as possible without straining, hold the position for 5 seconds; Repeat this movement 10 times; Once you get used to this intensity, you can wrap an elastic band around your toes to increase traction and this is an advanced option for the exercise. Exercise 4: Toe curls
Toe flexors improve the flexors of the toes and feet, improving overall foot strength. How to do this exercise is as follows:
Sit up straight in a chair, place your feet on the floor; Place a small towel on the floor in front of you, one side facing your feet; Place your toes on the towel, try to squeeze the towel between your toes and pull it towards you. Repeat the exercise 5 times before switching to the other leg; To practice more advanced, use a heavy object placed on the opposite end of the towel.
Exercise 5: Picking up marbles
The marble picking exercise strengthens the muscles of the underside of the feet and toes. How to do this leg exercise at home is as follows:
Sit up straight in a chair, place your feet on the floor; Place an empty bowl next to it and pour about 20 marbles on the floor right in front of your feet; Use the toes of 1 foot to pick up each marble and place it in the empty bowl; Repeat the movement using the other leg. Exercise 6: Walking in the Sand
Walking barefoot in the sand is a great exercise to build strength and endurance in the feet and calves. This is a good exercise because the texture of the sand makes walking more demanding. The way to do this exercise is as follows:
Prepare a sand court; Remove shoes and socks; Walk for as long as possible, increase walking distance gradually over time, do not over-exercise at first to avoid overworked muscles in the feet and calves. SEE ALSO: Exercises for thighs and calves

2.3 Pain-relieving home leg exercises Exercise 7: Toe extension
Toe extension and lengthening is helpful in preventing or treating plantar fasciitis - a condition that causes heel pain when walking and makes it difficult to lift the toes. How to do this exercise is as follows:
Sit up straight in a chair, put your feet on the floor; Place the left foot on top of the right thigh; Pull the toes up toward the ankle until a stretch is felt along the bottom of the foot and heel; Hold the pose for 10 seconds; Massaging the arch of the foot while stretching to relieve tension and pain; Repeat the exercise 10 times for each leg. Exercise 8: Rolling a tennis ball
Rolling a tennis ball under your feet can help relieve discomfort in the arch and relieve pain from plantar fasciitis. How to do this exercise is as follows:
Sit up straight in a chair, put your feet on the floor; Place a tennis ball on the floor next to your feet; Place 1 foot on top of the ball, move it around, pressing down as hard as possible. It is recommended to massage the ball under the soles of the feet; Perform for 2 minutes and then repeat on the other leg; A cold water bottle can be used if a suitable tennis ball is not available. Exercise 9: Achilles Tendon Stretch
The Achilles tendon is the cord that connects the heel to the calf muscle. The Achilles tendon can help relieve foot, ankle, and foot pain. How to do this exercise is as follows:
Stand facing the wall, raise your arms so that your palms are directly against the wall; Place one leg back, keeping the knee straight. Then bend the knee of the other leg; Keep your heels flat on the floor; Push your hips forward until you feel the Achilles tendon and calf muscles stretch; Hold for 30 seconds before switching to the other leg, repeating 3 times on each side; For another stretch, bend the back knee and push the hips forward.

3. Tips to keep your feet safe and healthy

To keep feet healthy, each person needs to pay attention:
Always warm up thoroughly before exercising; Wear supportive footwear for everyday activities and sports; Replace shoes when shoes are worn; Build strength and flexibility gradually to avoid negative impact on feet and ankles; Avoid uneven surfaces, especially when running. Do not run uphill too often; Listen to your body, don't overdo it; Prevent the risk of re-injury with proper rest and treatment. Effective at-home leg exercises will help ease heel and arch pain, reduce uncomfortable stiffness, and reduce the risk of foot injury and prevent leg cramps. In case of pain when exercising, the practitioner should consult a doctor to adjust the intensity, frequency or exercise accordingly.

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References: healthline.com, medicalnewstoday.com, health.harvard.edu