They are confined almost all year round in sometimes uncomfortable shoes. However, the feet, made up of around thirty joints and a hundred muscles, tendons and ligaments each, are a gold mine in terms of well-being.
Often forgotten, this area of the body should instead be particularly pampered. And some have understood this well, because exercises of “foot yoga“are democratizing.
But what are the benefits of such a practice and above all, what does it consist of?
How to practice foot yoga?
According to professionals, taking care of our feet can considerably improve our daily lives, if we do the right exercises. Starting with the “pada bandha”. “We place our foot on the ground to have all four sides of the foot engaged, from the heel to the toes. We then stretch them and place more power on the big toe, the little toe and the heel,” explains Caroline Clech, professor. yoga.
A sort of arch is then created at the level of the plantar arch, which allows bring the energies of the earth back to the legs, while improving your posture. “When you replace your feet correctly, it immediately corrects knee and pelvis positions,” adds Caroline Clech.
But foot yoga can even be practiced while walking. “Most people never think about how they put their foot on the ground,” says the practitioner, yet it is almost a well-being gesture. She therefore recommends rolling out the foot, from the heel to the toes. All in full awareness.
Foot yoga: what are the benefits?
According to the specialist, using these methods every day strengthens the foot, strengthens the ankle, shapes the calf and stimulates blood and lymphatic circulation.
And bref, foot yoga restores the body to a state of general balance and helps fight musculoskeletal disorders.
But if practicing yoga and focusing on your feet is very beneficial, the approach is not greatly exploited. She is even neglected. The fault lies in a certain modesty widely present in our society. “During my sessions, I notice the socks left on the feet. It’s an area that we don’t really like to look at, there’s a real taboo,” says the yoga teacher.
Wrongly, since they play a central role in our general well-being. Letting them get more fresh air to move around would also be beneficial for our health. In 2016, the Washington Post reported that people who often walked barefoot had a better perception of their surroundings.
What your feet say about your psyche
Feet are even talkative, in their own way, and convey meaning from an emotional point of view.
By positioning ourselves more on the heel, we would indeed be looking too much towards the past. Conversely, leaning on your toes would indicate a strong anchoring in the future. The center of the foot here represents the present, in other words where everyone should place their lower limbs.
Knowingly, Caroline Clech most often focuses on the feet of her apprentices during her yoga classes to help them find mental and physical calm. She also likes to quote a few words spoken by the Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh, which almost makes you want to walk in a different way: “Walk as if you were kissing the earth with your feet”.
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