Key Takeaways

Your feet really have your back—and the rest of your body. Your feet are your foundation as you walk, run, jump, and maintain your balance throughout your daily life.

Given all the pressure they’re under, it’s not unusual for the feet to get tight. You may even noticepainand tension. If you don’t regularly stretch and strengthen your feet, you could even be more prone to injury.

Luckily, there are some things that you can do to help improve foot flexibility and range of motion. One popular option is toe yoga. Here’s everything you need to know about doing these gentle movements for the health of your feet.

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What Is Toe Yoga?

Toe yoga refers to various stretches and exercises that are designed to strengthen, stretch, and improve the flexibility of your toes, feet, and the muscles around them, Nam Tran, DPM, podiatrist and foot surgeon atDallas Direct Podiatryin Dallas, Texas, told Verywell.

This form of yoga also consists of stretching routines that enhance foot strength and the circulation—or blood flow—to your feet. Tran said that toe yoga is “used to promote overall foot health and wellness” through movements like raising the toes or just the big toe, curling or scrunching the toes, and heel raises.

Toe yoga emphasizes the intrinsic muscles of the foot, which are very small muscles that begin and end in the foot,Elizabeth Reilly, DPM, a podiatrist at Stanford Medicine and a clinical assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Stanford University, told Verywell.

What Are the Benefits of Toe Yoga?

According to Tran and Reilly, performing toe yoga exercises and stretches can potentially help with foot strength, flexibility, and posture, as well as preventing common foot problems.

Some health benefits of toe yoga include:

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How to Do Toe Yoga

Since toe yoga includes a series of exercises and stretches, there really isn’t one “right” way to do it. In fact, toe yoga exercises can be done in many different ways, including while standing or sitting in a chair, according to Tran. Here are just a few examples of how you can do toe yoga:

If you need more guidance or modifications to toe yoga exercises, Reilly said it’s best to talk to a qualified expert, such as a yoga teacher and or aphysical therapist. They may prescribe variations of toe yoga exercises that incorporate props and equipment like foot rollers or exercise bands.

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Who Should Be Doing Toe Yoga?

Toe yoga can help people who are prone to common foot injuries (heel pain, arch pain, orshin splints), athletes at risk for overuse injuries, and very active people (such as runners and dancers).

Older adultscan also benefit from the practice, as strengthening the feet can help with increasing mobility and decreasingfall risk, according to Reilly.

But it’s not right for everyone. If you have a new tendon or ligament tear, you should avoid doing toe yoga exercises, as they could make the injury worse.

“In these cases, a doctor should be consulted before starting toe yoga,” said Tran.

If you have a documented injury or history ofgait imbalanceor neurologic conditions, toe yoga may not be the best fit for you.

“I think you should seek the advice of an expert before starting,” said Reilly, noting these professionals could include a podiatrist, physical therapist, or yoga instructor.

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How to Add Toe Yoga to Your Routine

If you want to try toe yoga exercises and stretches, here are some expert tips for getting started:

When you decide to add toe yoga into your routine, it’s important to start slowly to allow your feet to adapt to the exercises and prevent overexertion or injury.

“Toe yoga can be a healthy addition to anyone’s routine. Older people might also greatly benefit from this to increase strength and stability to avoid falls,” said Tran, adding that “starting slow is always the best way to prevent overstretching and injuring your foot. Start with one exercise at first and add on others as time goes on.”

What This Means For YouToe yoga can offer many health benefits, including improved food strength and flexibility, and may help prevent common foot problems/injuries. If you want to try toe yoga, experts recommend s starting with a few simple exercises and slowly adding movements to your routine as you get more comfortable.You should always talk to your healthcare provider before starting a new physical activity routine, and professionals like podiatrists, physical therapists, and yoga instructors can help if you have questions about how to do the yoga exercises.

What This Means For You

Toe yoga can offer many health benefits, including improved food strength and flexibility, and may help prevent common foot problems/injuries. If you want to try toe yoga, experts recommend s starting with a few simple exercises and slowly adding movements to your routine as you get more comfortable.You should always talk to your healthcare provider before starting a new physical activity routine, and professionals like podiatrists, physical therapists, and yoga instructors can help if you have questions about how to do the yoga exercises.

Toe yoga can offer many health benefits, including improved food strength and flexibility, and may help prevent common foot problems/injuries. If you want to try toe yoga, experts recommend s starting with a few simple exercises and slowly adding movements to your routine as you get more comfortable.

You should always talk to your healthcare provider before starting a new physical activity routine, and professionals like podiatrists, physical therapists, and yoga instructors can help if you have questions about how to do the yoga exercises.

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3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Western Washington Medical Group.What your feet say about your health.Breathing Deeply.9 toe yoga exercises and their benefits.Joe Nimble.Toega exercises.

3 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Western Washington Medical Group.What your feet say about your health.Breathing Deeply.9 toe yoga exercises and their benefits.Joe Nimble.Toega exercises.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Western Washington Medical Group.What your feet say about your health.Breathing Deeply.9 toe yoga exercises and their benefits.Joe Nimble.Toega exercises.

Western Washington Medical Group.What your feet say about your health.

Breathing Deeply.9 toe yoga exercises and their benefits.

Joe Nimble.Toega exercises.

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