I wore heels to my part time social work job this week. I never wear heels, for a good reason. My feet have been aching since I took those shoes off Wednesday evening. My solution? Broken toe pose. I’ve been doing this every morning before I start my yoga practice. It’s not just for women who wear heels, it’s for all of you. We carry ourselves on our feet every day, typically shoved in shoes. This pose is meant to free your feet from that cramped space they are housed in.
Benefits to this pose: Stretching the band of fascia running from heel to ball mount–plantar fascitis peeps, I’m looking at you! Strengthen ankles and encourages spreading out toes, opening up feet.
To get into the pose:
- Come to a kneeling position, place a blanket under your knees if they are tender resting here.
- Spread out toes, press roots of toes into your mat.
- Sit back on heels, lift up through spine.
- If sitting back on heels is too much pressure on feet, come up to a simple kneel to ease the pressure off.
- Hold for 2-4 rounds of breath, extending to longer as you build up strength and stability in the pose.
Carefully ease yourself out of the pose by coming to hands and knees, release the tops of the feet to your mat or floor.
Free your feet this weekend!
Practice this pose. Walk out in grass barefoot. Spread out your toes. Your feet will thank you.
Happy Friday!
Vicki
Cultural Apothecary 