In my case, the natural arch along my toe knuckles has fallen, so my big toe is forced to bear the weight of my body instead of it being shared by all of the toes. It is amazing how much we need our big toe to be able to stand straight and to balance. Every part of our body plays a vital role in the functioning of the whole. We need to take care of our feet!
I could see that my bunion was getting larger over the last two years however it only really concerned me when it started to ache and hurt so much that walking was difficult. I went to physiotherapy and got wonderful stretches to do to loosen up the tight arch under my foot and to keep the big toe mobile. I have included pictures of the exercises that I do in the hope that maybe they will help you, should you be in this position yourself. You will find them at the end of the post.
My physiotherapist suggested taping my foot in such a way at night as to keep the big toe aligned properly. This worked for a year but because I teach aerobics and dance, it was only a matter of time before it got worse. So my physiotherapist recommended an orthotist. Here is his number. He has offices in Kirkland, Beaconsfield and Saint Laurent.
Francois Blondin
514-747-4350
Francois made orthotics for me that have change my life. I am now able to teach pain free. I wear a night splint and this had made all of the difference. No more tape! Do not hesitate to call Mr. Blondin. My only regret is that I did not go sooner.
Have a wonderful day! Pain free I hope.
Beth
Gently pulling back the big toe back and forth will help to keep it flexible.
Massaging the arch with a tennis ball has helped me quite a bit.
Externally rotating the foot outward. This view is before the stretch.
I stumbled upon your post and found exactly what I need. My feet are not awful (yet) and I am loving these exercises. I think if I tried them and stuck to them, they would make a huge impact on my feet. Now I just need to find myself a tennis ball. Thank you for sharing this. Really helpful.
ReplyDelete