Yoga for happy feet

The foot is an amazing yet complicated part of the body. The feet must be balanced and sturdy to support the legs, spine, arms and head.

Wearing uncomfortable shoes, standing on hard surfaces or sitting for long periods restrict the supply of fresh oxygenated blood to the legs and feet. That can cause problems.

Tips for happy feet:

• Stay hydrated; drink plenty of water
• Give yourself a daily foot massage working through any knots or tension held in the feet
• Apply lotion or oil on your feet to keep the skin moist and subtle

Yoga for the feet

Any pose that strengthens the lower leg muscles and feet will help improve foot problems as well as increase circulation, reduce cramps and swollen ankles. Poses such as virasana (hero pose), baddha konasana (cobbler pose) and vajrasana (thunder poses) etc are helpful.

Vajrasana

• Fold the left leg at the knee and place the toe on the floor
• Fold the right leg in a similar way
• Place palms on the knees

Position

Sit upright and keep the spine straight as well as the neck and head.

Continue breathing smoothly till the final pose is attained. Don’t sit on the heels.

Precautions

People with stiff joints should use some support by putting pillows in between the thighs and calf muscles.

• The author is a yoga expert in a Dubai clinic