Stretching | Health & Wellness

Fit Tip of the Day: Towel Stretch

Do you ever experience some pain on the soles of your feet after exercising? There are a lot of causes for agony of the feet — from simply wearing unsupportive or worn out shoes to plantar fasciitis. This towel stretch can help keep your feet limber and pain free.

I had a bad case of plantar fasciitis a few years ago and I’ve been taking better care of my feet ever since. Plantar fasciitis is an inflammatory problem and it causes stiffness and shooting pain in your feet. When I was in the throes of plantar fasciitis I had major post workout pain and simply stepping out of bed in the morning was really painful.

There are several things you can do to protect your feet; wear supportive shoes that are appropriate for your workout, alternate your workouts so you’re not always exercising on a hard surface, and regularly stretch your calves and feet.

My favorite stretch (and the one I think helped my plantar fasciitis the most) is the towel stretch.

Roll a towel and place it under the ball of your foot.
Hold an end of the towel in each hand.
Keep your knee straight and gently pull the towel toward you.
Hold for 15 seconds and repeat on the other side.

Fit Tip of the Day: Stretch for Change

women stretching 300x192 Fit Tip of the Day: Stretch for Change Stretching is an essential part of working out. Whether you mainly focus on cardio or strength training or a combination of the two, stretching can make all the difference in the final outcome of your body shape.

Stretching out your muscles before working out can help to prevent injury, but stretching the muscles you focused on during your fitness session after-wards will also help to lengthen the muscle fibers and tissue –- which is essential in order to achieve a slim, toned figure. For optimal results, make sure that you hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds — as soon as it starts to get difficult, take a deep breath and let yourself ease a little further into the stretch.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, it’s important to stretch your major muscle groups –- calves, hamstrings, abs, biceps and triceps, at least three times a week. So make sure to stretch before and after each workout — it’s worth it!