mobility

Best stretches and exercises for healthy feet

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Foot exercises can help prevent foot or ankle pain, while also strengthening feet and improving flexibility. Big toe stretches, toe splays, Achilles stretches, and sand walking are some activities that may be beneficial.

Regularly exercising and stretching the feet and ankles can help ensure that the muscles are providing the best support. These exercises may also increase range of motion in the feet, helping keep a person active for as long as possible.

Most foot exercises are simple and require no complicated equipment to perform. People can do them at home or in the gym as part of a regular exercise routine.Marvin Rickermann/EyeEm/Getty Images

Exercises for flexibility and mobility

The following exercises can improve flexibility and mobility in the feet.

1. Toe raise, point, and curl

This exercise has three stages and will help strengthen all parts of the feet and toes.

To do this exercise:

  1. Sit up straight in a chair, with the feet flat on the floor.
  2. Keeping the toes on the floor, raise the heels. Stop when only the balls of the feet remain on the ground.
  3. Hold this position for 5 seconds before lowering the heels.
  4. For the second stage, raise the heels and point the toes so that only the tips of the big and second toes are touching the floor.
  5. Hold for 5 seconds before lowering.
  6. For the third stage, raise the heels and curl the toes inward so that only the tips of the toes are touching the floor. Hold this position for 5 seconds.
  7. Build flexibility and mobility by repeating each stage 10 times.

2. Big toe stretch

Keeping a wide range of motion in the big toe is important. The following exercise also has three stages and is designed to stretch and relieve pain in the toes from wearing tight shoes.

To do this exercise:

  1. Sit up straight in a chair, with the feet flat on the floor.
  2. Bring the left foot to rest on the right thigh.
  3. Using the fingers, gently stretch the big toe up, down, and to the side.
  4. Keep the big toe in each position for 5 seconds.
  5. Repeat this 10 times before switching to the other foot.

Exercises for strength

The following exercises can help enhance the strength of the feet.

3. Toe splay

Doing the toe splay exercise can improve control over the toe muscles. People can do it on both feet at once or on alternate feet, depending on which they find more comfortable.

To do this exercise:

  1. Sit in a straight backed chair, with the feet gently resting on the floor.
  2. Spread the toes apart as far as possible without straining. Hold this position for 5 seconds.
  3. Repeat this motion 10 times.
  4. Once a person has built up their strength, they can try looping a rubber band around the toes. This will provide resistance and make the exercise more challenging.

4. Toe curls

Doing toe curls builds up the flexor muscles of the toes and feet, improving overall strength.

To do this exercise:

  1. Sit up straight in a chair, with the feet flat on the floor.
  2. Lay a small towel on the floor in front of the body, with the short side facing the feet.
  3. Place the toes of one foot on the short side of the towel. Try to grasp the towel between the toes and pull it toward oneself. Repeat this exercise five times before switching to the other foot.
  4. To make this exercise more challenging, try weighing down the opposite end of the towel with an object.

5. Marble pickup

Doing the marble pickup can increase strength in the muscles on the undersides of the feet and toes.

To do this exercise:

  1. Sit up straight in a chair, with the feet flat on the floor.
  2. Place an empty bowl and a bowl of 20 marbles on the floor in front of the feet.
  3. Using only the toes of one foot, pick up each marble and place it in the empty bowl.
  4. Repeat this exercise using the other foot.

6. Sand walking

Gabriel Codarcea / EyeEm/Getty Images

Walking barefoot on sand is a great way to stretch and strengthen the feet and calves. This is a good exercise in general because sand’s soft texture makes walking more physically demanding.

To do this exercise:

  1. Head to a beach, a desert, a volleyball court, or any other location with sand.
  2. Remove the shoes and socks.
  3. Walk for as long as possible. Try increasing the distance slowly over time to avoid overexerting the muscles in the feet and calves.

Exercises for pain

The following exercises can be helpful for pain relief and foot tightness.

7. Toe extension

The toe extension is useful in preventing or treating plantar fasciitis, which is a condition that causes pain in the heel when walking and difficulty raising the toes.

To do this exercise:

  1. Sit up straight in a chair, with the feet flat on the floor.
  2. Place the left foot on the right thigh.
  3. Pull the toes up toward the ankle. There should be a stretching feeling along the bottom of the foot and heel cord.
  4. Hold for 10 seconds. Massaging the arch of the foot while stretching will help ease tension and pain.
  5. Repeat this exercise 10 times on each foot.

8. Golf ball roll

Rolling a golf ball under the foot can help relieve discomfort or a feeling of tightness in the arch and ease pain associated with plantar fasciitis.

To do this exercise:

  1. Sit up straight in a chair, with the feet flat on the floor.
  2. Place a golf ball — or another small, hard ball — on the floor next to the feet.
  3. Lay one foot on the ball and move it around, pressing down as hard as is comfortable. The ball should be massaging the bottom of the foot.
  4. Continue for 2 minutes, then repeat using the other foot.
  5. A frozen bottle of water can be a soothing alternative if no suitable balls are available.

9. Achilles stretch

The Achilles tendon is a cord connecting the heel to the calf muscles. It can strain easily, but keeping it strong may help with foot, ankle, or leg pain and tightness.

To do this exercise:

  1. Face a wall and raise the arms so that the palms of the hands are resting flat against the wall.
  2. Move one foot back, keeping the knee straight. Then, bend the knee of the opposite leg.
  3. Keep both the heels flat on the floor.
  4. Push the hips forward until there is a stretching feeling in the Achilles tendon and calf muscles.
  5. Hold for 30 seconds before switching sides. Repeat three times on each side.
  6. For a slightly different stretch, bend the back knee and push the hips forward.

Foot health and safety tips

To help keep the feet strong and healthy:

  • Complete a thorough warmup routine before exercising.
  • Wear supportive footwear for day-to-day activities and sports.
  • Replace worn-down shoes as often as possible.
  • Build up strength and flexibility slowly to condition the feet and ankles.
  • Avoid uneven surfaces, especially when running. Try not to run uphill too often.
  • Listen to the body. Do not overdo activities.
  • Prevent any recurrence of injury by resting and seeking appropriate treatment.

Summary

Keeping the feet and ankles healthy is a good idea. Performing the exercises above can help ease existing pain, prevent discomfort, and reduce the risk of injury.

People with a diagnosed foot condition such as plantar fasciitis or strain to the Achilles tendon may wish to try exercises to help.

Always check with a healthcare professional, if possible, before starting a new exercise and stretching routine.

Psychological barriers to the elevated future of mobility Are consumers ready to take to the skies?

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Engineers are making flying-car dreams come true. But for aerial passenger vehicles to become part of the new mobility ecosystem, creators and operators must convince skeptical consumers that airborne drones are both useful and safe.

Introduction: We were promised flying cars

Would you climb into an air taxi? The question isn’t purely speculative: In a previous article, Elevating the future of mobility, we discussed how passenger-bearing vertical takeoff and landing vehicles are expected to soon expand transportation into new modes.1 Creators intend to make urban science fiction a reality, reducing hourlong commutes to minutes in the air, improving productivity, reducing pollution, and improving the overall quality of life by replacing at least some driving in cities around the globe with autonomous aerial passenger vehicles.

 

Engineers have long worked on solving technological problems: For such aircraft to be viable, they would seemingly need to accommodate two to five passengers, be energy-efficient, and be far quieter than a traditional helicopter. It’s a tall order. But ultimately, the biggest barrier to the elevated future of mobility likely isn’t technological—it’s psychological.

In short, most consumers are skeptical of the idea of travel in these new short-range autonomous airborne vehicles, even after 90 years of onscreen portrayals—beginning with 1927’s Metropolis—to get them used to the idea.2 This shouldn’t surprise anyone—people have always hesitated to be the first to climb aboard new forms of transportation, whether hot air balloons, steam trains, gas-powered automobiles, prop planes, or self-driving cars. And to consumers, aerial vehicles seem, understandably, more inherently hazardous than earthbound vehicles.

That skepticism is as big a challenge for operators of next-generation aerial passenger vehicles as the technology is for engineers. Without broad popular acceptance of the idea, the elevated future of mobility may never get off the ground, and quadcopter cars could be relegated to entertainment for affluent hobbyists.3 Shaping consumer attitudes will likely be the joint responsibility of regulators, creators, and operators of these new aerial systems. People will need to feel confident that the vehicles are safe, reliable, and predictable—and that they’re actually improving society.

First, it’s key to understand consumers’ current attitudes toward these vehicles—and what key stakeholders can do to transform consumer perceptions and eventually make taking to the sky a part of commuters’ and travelers’ daily lives. To measure the dimensions of psychological barriers, Deloitte conducted a global survey this year, asking consumers about their perception of autonomous aerial passenger vehicles, with respect to their safety and perceived utility—two barriers to the acceptance of these vehicles of the future.

At the core of the elevated ecosystem: Consumers

Regulators, creators, and operators all have critical roles to play to make the elevated future of mobility ecosystem commercially viable. (See figure 1.) But the entire ecosystem revolves around the consumer: Unless ordinary people embrace this next-generation mode of transportation—incorporating airborne options into their daily lives along with more traditional modes—cars will likely stay earthbound. Passengers would need to feel as though aerial vehicles are, at least sometimes, the best way to get them where they want to go.

Operators’ role will be vital in the embryonic stages. Even with much still speculative, the pattern of initial adoption will almost certainly not follow that of the venerable automobile industry, which began by emphasizing an ownership model and introduced operators at a much later stage. In setting up a strictly autonomous system without a private-ownership option—meaning no freelance drivers zipping by above city streets—operators could help aerial passenger vehicles find a market in the early stages by emphasizing affordable access.

The elevated future of mobility ecosystem: Consumers are the key

Skeptical about safety

In a recent global survey, Deloitte asked consumers a series of questions about their perception of autonomous aerial passenger vehicles, with respect to these vehicles’ safety and perceived utility. The sample size for the survey was 10,300; regions covered include the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, China, Japan, and Australia. The results suggest that many consumers, even now, see clear utility in next-generation aerial passenger vehicles but—unsurprisingly at this point—seem to harbor serious concerns about their safety.

Globally, nearly half of the survey respondents view autonomous aerial passenger vehicles as a potentially viable solution to roadway congestion. But initial impressions show how far operators need to go: 80 percent of the total respondents either believe that these vehicles “will not be safe” or are currently uncertain that they will be safe. (See figure 2.)

Responses across national borders were comparatively consistent, though Japanese respondents expressed particularly high safety concerns, with 87 percent of consumers seeing autonomous aerial passenger vehicles as unsafe or remaining undecided, while only 73 percent of Chinese consumers agreed with that assessment. In the United States and United Kingdom, 79 percent and 83 percent, respectively, expressed the same apprehension regarding safety.

Country differences emerged far more clearly on the question of whether people can readily envision such vehicles helping to alleviate roadway congestion: In China, almost three-quarters of respondents expressed enthusiasm, while only 44 percent and 38 percent of US and Japanese respondents agreed.

Nearly half of survey respondents are unconvinced that aerial passenger vehicles will be safe; a fifth are more confident
Nearly half of survey respondents see aerial passenger vehicles as a possible way to solve roadway congestion

Driving future adoption demands changing consumer perceptions

How to boost consumer confidence in the elevated future of mobility? In short, the industry should focus on changing perceptions of the safety and utility of autonomous aerial passenger vehicles. And considering the mental leap necessary for millions of passengers to feel safe climbing into a flying car, the challenge shouldn’t be understated: Changing consumer attitudes is expected to require a significant effort by every ecosystem stakeholder—regulators, creators, and operators. There’s already plenty of consumer apprehension around the safety of self-driving cars,4 and once those cars leave the ground and begin competing for airspace with recreational drones, package delivery drones, and larger autonomous aerial cargo vehicles—as well as existing objects and infrastructure—passengers will likely need that much more reassurance that it is safe to take to the skies.

Some steps that stakeholders can consider:

Regulators

  • Follow a stringent certification process to ensure that these vehicles are at least as safe as a piloted commercial aircraft.
  • Focus on creating a robust traffic management system for autonomous aerial vehicles—and integrating it with existing systems.5

Creators

  • Equip these vehicles with enhanced safety equipment such as advanced detect and avoid sensors6 as well as safe emergency landing systems to help assure consumers of their safety.
  • Demonstrate high levels of reliability and safety margins on all vehicle components.

Operators

  • While developing and introducing services, maintain a zero-tolerance stance on safety, since any accident could set back consumer attitudes by months or years.
  • As operators will collaborate with manufacturers to increase these vehicles’ market reach, they should create more consumer awareness of their safety and utility.

Conclusion: The importance of social acceptance

This next era of elevated mobility, one in which we might well see autonomous aerial passenger vehicles soaring past high-rise office windows, has a lot to learn from the aviation industry—particularly, how airlines and government agencies built social acceptance of aircraft as a new mode of transportation, back in the early 20th century. To help instill public confidence in an era of barnstorming and daredevils, the American aviation industry lobbied the federal government to create safety regulations, resulting in the 1926 Air Commerce Act.7

Today, aviation is one of the safest modes of transportation, with a fatal accident rate of only one per 16 million large commercial passenger flights.8 Most of those incidents take place during takeoffs and landings, where there is most human intervention, and safety has improved as automatic systems have taken over more of the entire process.9 Players in the new mobility ecosystem are counting on consumers’ eventual comfort with self-driving cars—and perhaps that would help people feel safer when operators introduce autonomous aerial passenger vehicles as an option for commuters or daytrippers.

Less human involvement means fewer overall safety concerns. At least, that’s what it should mean, as advocates of self-driving cars well know.10 It will take more than a few reassuring TV ads to convince millions of passengers to climb into autonomous aerial vehicles. But as public confidence in both air and road travel illustrates, the elevated future of mobility seems within reach.

Future of Mobility

The Deloitte US firms provide industry-leading consulting, tax, advisory, and audit services to many of the world’s most admired brands, including 80 percent of the Fortune 500. Our people work across more than 20 industry sectors with one purpose: to deliver measurable, lasting results. Deloitte offers a suite of services to help clients tackle Future of Mobility-related challenges, including setting strategic direction, planning operating models, and implementing new operations and capabilities. Our wide array of expertise allows us to become a true partner throughout an organization’s comprehensive, multidimensional journey of transformation.