Educational Articles

Top Exercises for Feet & Toes

Posted By Robyn Hughes, ND

Disclaimer:

The above content is for educational or informational purposes only and is not intended to replace or augment professional medical instruction, diagnosis, or treatment. Read full disclaimer here.

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Comments
June 17, 2016
Michelle Fayers

Many thanks for the excellent exercises. I intend to do them every night while watching TV.

June 17, 2016
Natural Footgear

Hi, Michelle,

Thank you for the positive feedback! Please let us know how those exercises are helping you progress toward optimal foot health. Please also let us know if you have any further questions!

Kind regards,
Laura Trentman

July 04, 2016
Jerry Dilworth

I have had hammertoes for over 40 years, but they are still flexible and I can straighten them by bending them with my fingers. Is it too late to try this approach? I really like the idea of not having to have any type of surgery.

July 04, 2016
Natural Footgear

Hi, Jerry,

We are so happy that you reached out to us, and we would love to help you if we can. In our experience, we’ve found that flexible hammertoes can be corrected and prevented with Correct Toes, foot-healthy shoes, and the exercises you just read about. Using Correct Toes is a great place to start. I have included some resources below that may be helpful to you in achieving optimal foot and toe health:

Free e-course on Hammertoes:
www.naturalfootgear.com/pages/do-you-have-foot-pain

How to Prevent Bunions & Hammertoes:
www.naturalfootgear.com/blogs/education/17888308-how-to-prevent-bunions-hammertoes

Hammertoes: Conventional vs. Natural Approaches:
www.naturalfootgear.com/blogs/education/17883716-hammertoes-conventional-vs-natural-approaches

I hope you find this information helpful! Please let us know if you have any further questions.

Kind regards,
Laura Trentman

August 02, 2016
Kit

How does one do “self-care” for hammertoes? The video shows another person doing the stretches. It says to do both the extensor stretch and flexor stretch at the same time. The second person is using both hands facing the client/patient. How can an individual accomplish this as a “self-care” maneuver?

August 02, 2016
Natural Footgear

Hi, Kit,

Thank you for your note. You can use your own hands to conduct the toe extensor stretch by placing your palms around the top of your foot and gently guiding your toes down with your thumbs. You can then apply the flexor stretch to the specific hammertoe by using your thumb and index finger.

I hope this information helps! Please do let us know if you have any further questions.

Kind regards,
Laura Trentman

December 13, 2016
eva

Many thanks for an excellent website! I have a question: does it make sense to shorten Correct Toes from the lateral end to be able to wear it in more “fashionable” shoes? What would be the disadvantages?

December 13, 2016
Natural Footgear

Hi, Eva,

Thank you for your kind comment and question! Many folks do indeed shorten Correct Toes on the lateral (i.e., little toe) side by removing either half that outer pillar or the whole pillar. Most people do this to reduce strain on the little toe, should it feel uncomfortable when wearing the device. This modification is detailed in the following video:

www.naturalfootgear.com/blogs/product-info/17921896-correct-toes-modifications-comprehensive

We don’t recommend wearing Correct Toes in any footwear that does not possess a sufficiently wide toe box to accommodate natural toe splay. Our rule of thumb is the following: Make the shoe fit the foot, not the foot fit the shoe.

I hope this helps!

Kind regards,
Marty Hughes, DC

March 30, 2018
Trish Bibler

Is the deep-heat foot cream mentioned in the Big Toe Stretch video the same as the Dr. Swaim’s foot cream on your website?

March 30, 2018
Natural Footgear

Hi, Trish,

Thank you for your question! The deep heat foot cream shown in the video is a different product from the Dr. Swaim’s foot cream that we offer on our site. I believe that the cream shown in the video is a Sombra product, but I’m not 100 percent certain of that.

Kind regards,
Marty Hughes, DC

October 19, 2018
Jackie

Hi, I really appreciate all of the videos! They were very insightful and gave great tips that can actually be done at home and in the office. Can you provide any videos or information for pain occurring all over the top of the foot and into the lower ankle?

October 19, 2018
Natural Footgear

Hi, Jackie,

Thank you for your kind words. I’m happy to hear that you found the videos helpful and instructive!

At the moment, we don’t have any educational videos available that focus exclusively on pain throughout the top of the foot and into the lower ankle. If this is something you’re experiencing, I recommend getting in touch with a local foot care provider to get a more in-depth assessment.

Please do let us know if there is anything else we can do to assist.

Kind regards,
Marty Hughes, DC

October 22, 2018
Tom Gathright

I have hammertoes and ordered Correct Toes, but my leg muscles and tendons are tight. Should I not be stretching these before the toes?

October 22, 2018
Natural Footgear

Hi, Tom,

Thank you for your question. Folks who have hammertoes are in what’s called “extensor dominance,” meaning that the muscles that extend the toes are winning out over the muscles that flex the toes (i.e., the extensor muscles are too short and too tight). These short and tight muscles can be lengthened back out by performing the Toe Extensor Stretch, as demonstrated in the third video above.

In most cases, performing the full slate of exercises listed in the above post will help create muscle/tendon balance in the lower leg and aid in toe realignment.

If you have any other questions about this, please do let us know!

Kind regards,
Marty Hughes, DC

February 22, 2021
Rebecca

I wear a women’s US size 7.5 shoe, and I’m wondering if I should order the Small or Medium metatarsal pads. Thank you!

February 22, 2021
Natural Footgear

Hi, Rebecca,

Thank you for checking in about metatarsal pad sizing! If you normally wear a women’s US size 7.5 shoe, then you will most likely do best with the “Small” size. Even though you’re on the cusp between the Small and Medium sizes, we find that, in most cases, it actually works best to go with the smaller of the two sizes in this scenario. Here’s the page where you can purchase Pedag metatarsal pads:

www.naturalfootgear.com/products/pedag-metatarsal-pads

Please do let us know if there is anything else we can assist with!

Kind regards,
Robyn Hughes, ND

February 23, 2021
Mary Roybal

In the “Big Toe Stretch” video, the client’s other foot is wrapped across the metatarsals. I have wondered whether it would be helpful to do that in order to realign the bunion metatarsal while wearing Correct Toes to splay out the phalanges. Yes?

February 23, 2021
Natural Footgear

Hi, Mary,

Thank you for your comment. I reached out to Dr. Ray McClanahan, the physician featured in the video, with your question, and here is what he had to say:

“We were shooting a variety of videos that day, and we had just filmed plantar fascial taping on the left foot. There has been speculation and discussion among podiatrists that taping the metatarsal heads together may aid in the reduction of the 1st intermetatarsal angle in those who are not surgical candidates, but I have not used this type of taping for bunions.”

I hope this info helps! Please let us know if you have further questions on this topic.

All the best,
Robyn Hughes, ND

January 25, 2024
Denise Will

I purchased Pedag metatarsal pads (one set) and wonder if they can be used in more than one pair of shoes, as they do have a good stick to them. Or do I need to buy a pair for each of my shoes?

January 25, 2024
Natural Footgear

Greetings, Denise! Thank you for your purchase of Pedag metatarsal pads. And thank you for your excellent question! In our experience, we have found it best to—after the pads have been properly positioned—leave them stuck in place in a given pair of shoes, boots, or sandals. The pads’ backing loses a significant amount of its adhesiveness if they are pulled up and placed in another pair of footwear, and that can lead to problems with pad positioning—not to mention foot function and comfort—in the new set of shoes. So we do indeed recommend ordering a pair of metatarsal pads for each set of footwear you plan to use them in. This provides the best user experience and the greatest longevity of the pads themselves.

Here are some additional metatarsal pad-related resources from our site that you might find helpful:

Metatarsal Pad Benefits
www.naturalfootgear.com/blogs/educational-articles/metatarsal-pad-benefits

How to Place Metatarsal Pads
www.naturalfootgear.com/blogs/educational-articles/how-to-place-metatarsal-pads

How Do Metatarsal Pads Work?
www.naturalfootgear.com/blogs/popular-q-a/how-do-metatarsal-pads-work

We hope this info helps! Please don’t hesitate to reach out by leaving another comment here or by using our site’s contact form (www.naturalfootgear.com/pages/contact) if any additional questions arise.

Yours in Foot Health,
Drs. Marty & Robyn Hughes

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