Handout Exercises Foot-Exercises promotes correct use and alignment of foot; stretches foot, ankle, tendon and hamstring; improves flexibility and circulation and great for plantar fasciitis. great to do while watching TV 1. Footwork with Theraband Sit on a chair or on the floor. Wrap theraband around one foot so that all 5 toes are wrapped. Sit as tall as you can and engage the core. Movement: 1) point and flex the foot – 10x 2) point to the balls of the foot, point the toes, flex the toes only and then flex the ankle – 10x 3) point and flex the toes only without moving ankle-joint – 10x 4) circle the foot – 5 times each direction try to go through all the spots demonstrated above in a circle. Funded by NIH/NIMH grant 1 R34 MH086678-01 to Dr. Schneider, UMass Medical School Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine 1 Handout Exercises 2. Toe isolation grip Sit with your legs extended out in front. Scrunch toes forward. Hold and then stretch the metatarsals back. Flex the feet and ensure that the big toe, the little toe and the heel are in one plane. Do not sickle feet. 3. Spread the toes Sit with legs extended out in front. Flex the feet. Try to spread all 5 toes evenly apart from each other, hold it there and release. 10 times. 4. Arch contraction Stand or sit on a chair. Contract the foot, raising (or doming) the arch off the floor. Keep your toes long. Hold contraction for four slow counts. Relax foot. Repeat 5 times. 5. Inchworms Sit on a chair. Grip or curl your right toes under, sliding your heel forward and stretching the metatarsal back. Lift toes as you uncurl your foot and relax foot down. (can also be done with a towel on the floor under the foot). 5 repetitions each foot. Metatarsal Funded by NIH/NIMH grant 1 R34 MH086678-01 to Dr. Schneider, UMass Medical School Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine 2 Handout Exercises 6. Piano scales with toes Stand or sit on a chair. Place your foot on the floor on your heel, lifting the arch and toes off the floor. Then place each toe down one at a time, starting with your big toe until your foot is flat on the floor. Then lift up each toe, one at a time, as if you were doing scales on a piano. Reverse the scale, starting with the little toe. Standing Exercises - Wall 1. Wall Pushups Stand facing a wall one arm length away from the wall. Your shoulders, hips and feet are on top of each other. Bring your hands in front of your shoulders onto the wall. Bend your elbows towards the wall as your body stays in a plank position while you bend your arms towards the wall. Ensure that your elbows stay right underneath your shoulders. Then press back up by using your back strength and the strength from underneath your armpits. Keep your shoulders connected on your back. 5-8 reps 2. Articulation of the Spine against the Wall Stand with your back against the wall, feet hip width apart. Stand one foot length away from the wall, but your hips, shoulders and back of the head are against the wall. Find all of the following bony landmarks against the wall: both hipbones, the natural curve of your lower back, your ribs against the wall, your shoulder blades and the back of your head against the wall. Funded by NIH/NIMH grant 1 R34 MH086678-01 to Dr. Schneider, UMass Medical School Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine 3 Handout Exercises 2.1 Arm Circles: Keep all of those bony landmarks against the wall. Lift your arms to shoulder height and keep your shoulders blades and ribs against the wall. Circle arms in both directions within your peripheral vision. 5x in each direction. 2.2 Roll Down – articulate and stretch spine: With control, start rolling the head forward and then roll down vertebra by vertebra peeling the spine off the wall. Let the arms relax, no tension. Only roll so far down that the fingertips are in line with your kneecap, hips stay against the wall. Hold that position; arms, shoulders and neck relaxed, only the core is engaged. Then do 5 arm circles each direction, like massaging your shoulder joint. And then roll back up vertebra by vertebra bringing all the bony landmarks back up to the wall, lower ribs, shoulderblades and back of the head. 3 full repetitions. Shoulder exercises with the theraband Sit on a chair and hold the theraband between both hands. Find the “right distance“ on the band for you. The tighter you hold your theraband (hands are more towards the center of the band), the more resistance you create and the harder it gets. If it’s too hard, walk a little further out on the band (more towards end of band), which makes it easier. 1. Lift your arms in front of chest, sit up tall and find your deep abdominal connection. Against the resistance of the theraband – open your arms out to the side, hold it there for 3 counts at a challenging spot, then release tension. (if it is too easy, walk your hands further in on the theraband). Repeat 10 times. Try to feel the work primarily from your back underneath your armpit, rather than from your arms. Funded by NIH/NIMH grant 1 R34 MH086678-01 to Dr. Schneider, UMass Medical School Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine 4 Handout Exercises 2. Lift arms up to a high diagonal – only as high that you can still glide your shoulders on your back (no shrugging of the shoulders!) and repeat the same exercise. Open arms to the side, hold it there for 3 counts and then release. Work again from your back and underneath your armpits. This move feels a little bit different than the previous move and is more challenging. Repeat 10 times. 3. Shoulder rotator strengthener: Hold the theraband in both hands, elbows are at your waistline and the palms of your hands face upwards. Then rotate both arms out to the side, keeping your elbows glued to your waistline. Hold that position for 3 counts and then release. As before, work the muscles of your back and the spot in between the shoulderblades. If it’s too easy, hold the theraband a bit closer, otherwise hold it a little bit looser. Repeat 10 times. 4. Rowing: Wrap the theraband around something stable that is approximately the height of your shoulders and hold on to each end. Bend both elbows and then pull both elbows back, keeping your shoulders relaxed (no shrugging). Try to work from the muscles in between the shoulderblades. Then release. Repeat 10 times. 5. Shoulder/ Chest Stretch with theraband Hold the theraband with both hands behind you, so that you feel a stretch in your chest and shoulder. To make the stretch deeper try to walk the hands closer towards each other. Funded by NIH/NIMH grant 1 R34 MH086678-01 to Dr. Schneider, UMass Medical School Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine 5