By Atul Vyas
The feet and ankles form the base on which our body is precariously balanced. Though the ankle is a simple hinge joint, but foot is a complex bundle of 26 bones, forming three arches with a correspondingly complicated array of muscles, tendons and ligaments to articulate them.
All these need to be in good condition to cope with the daily pounding they face, and to coordinate precisely in order to maintain balance.
There are three arches of the foot. The main arch in the foot is the medial arch running along inside of the foot. The lateral arch runs parallel to it along the outside of the foot, and the transverse arch runs across the foot.
Its like a flexible bridge, that is raised and lowered as we walk. The shape of the bridge must be able to change so that one can walk comfortably on uneven surfaces, and it also distributes the forces that are transmitted throughout the foot.
A subtle arrangement of muscles and ligaments controls the movement of medial arch and bring it back into shape. The muscles work in similar fashion as cables do in a suspension bridge. Small intrinsic muscles between the bones of the foot maintain and relax tension, in order to preserve arch’s shape and strength.
Yoga provides many exercises for the healthy tone and strength of feet and ankles specially of arches for smooth walking or running. One of them is “Pad Angusht Sankuchan Asana” meaning contraction and expansion of toes of the foot. This can be performed both by sitting or standing but standing is preferred.
Technique
- Stand with feet joined together
- Try to curl toes under your foot
- Hold it for 5 seconds then relax
- Now, spread the toes out as much as you can and hold it for 5 seconds and relax
- Repeat 5 times to start with, and gradually increase as per the capacity
Benefits
- Strengthens the intrinsic muscles in foot
- Pulls up the arches of the foot
- Prevent bunions
- Improves acidity
- Beneficial for people suffering from fallen or flat arches
Atul Vyas likes to be called a “Yoga Scientist”. He is a celebrity yoga trainer and has trained several top Hollywood and Bollywood stars. He has trained for years under many eminent yoga gurus including his illustrious mother Daya Vyas, the first lady yoga guru of India.
