Yoga 101: Feet

Our feet have it pretty rough. We stand, we walk, we run, we stumble and stuff our feet into shoes that may not fit. A bit cruel to a part of our body that supports the brunt of our weight, right? Although yoga is one of the best ways to stretch and mend our feet, we often forget about them when we’re thinking about the alignment of the rest of our bodies.

Next time you’re in yoga, think about these tips to keep your feet healthy:

Root down through all four corners of your feet when you’re in any standing posture like Mountain Pose, Chair Pose or Dancer Pose. This will ensure your weight is equally distributed, and that you’re using the support of your bones and joints to hold your weight up. It also prevents pronation (when you carry your weight on the inside or arch side of your foot) and supination (when you carry your weight on the outer edge of your foot) – which both can lead to injuries in in your ankles, knees, hips and lower back down the line.

Stretch your feet in poses like Downward Facing Dog and Toes Pose. Both of these poses stretch the arches of the feet, although Toes Pose is a little more intense. 

Place a block between your thighs in any standing posture where both feet are on the ground, like Mountain Pose, Chair Pose, Vertical Twist or Prayer Twist. Actively squeeze the block to reinforce your feet into the mat. This will ensure you’re not pronating or supinating. 

Remember: The health of our feet affects the health of our ankles, knees, hips and lower back. Take care of your feet, and the rest of your body will thank you!