feet in yoga
April 17, 2018
The feet: some great actors that usually go unnoticed. Contemporary life only relates the sense of touch to the hands, never to the feet, which seem more like an extension of the shoe. However, the feet are the base on which we stand most of our lives, when standing, walking, climbing stairs, etc. and together with the legs they are the basis of many of the yoga postures. The soles of the feet are our roots, Yoga makes us an open invitation to reconnect them with the earth.
a bit of anatomyThe foot is that lower extremity on which the weight of the body rests and which allows locomotion. In each foot we have 26 bones. These can be divided into three parts: the tarsus, metatarsus and phalanges. They also contain different joints, muscles, ligaments, etc. Also, on the soles of the feet there are millions of nerve endings. Joint mobility and stability comes from the relationship between three variables: the shape of our bones, the structures that connect bones to each other at joints, and the muscles that surround the joint.
Feet & YogaYoga gives special importance to the function of the feet, not only because their movements affect the rest of the body, but also because the feet are located on the ground. lower chakras. In addition, the position of the feet guides the knees and hips, therefore, they have a fundamental role in the alignment of the entire body. It is essential to «step well» distributing the weight in a balanced way between the «four corners»: the base of the big toe, inner heel, the base of the little toe and outer heel.
foot supportRegarding the support of the feet in standing postures, there are certain pathologies basically associated with the lack of the internal arch of the foot or its increase in height. Good support of the base of the foot is characterized by presenting a plantar imprint similar to the image in the center, deviating towards flat feet if the internal plantar arch decreases or is non-existent, or towards pes cavus if there is an increase in the internal arch. During the practice of standing asanas, depending on the posture and our anatomy, the tendency of our foot will be to irregularly distribute the base of the foot on the ground. Our job in the postures is to carry out a correct distribution of the weight on the sole of the foot, which must be uniform between the front area of the foot, the heel and also between the outer edge and the inner edge of the foot. Benefits of a good footing on the ground
- Relaxes the nervous system.
- Stimulates blood circulation.
- Strengthens ankle, knee and hip joints.
- It is very good for back problems.
- Free from negative charges that are harmful to health.
What exercises for the feet can be practiced?
- Raise your fingers, wide open and extended, it will activate the muscles of your legs.
- Sign in dasana, mountain pose and be aware of the support of your feet on the ground. The non-slip surface and cushioning of the new YogaYe Pro Mat They will help you feel in touch with the earth. get your mat here.
- Start your practice or end your day with a foot rub with a tennis ball. Thanks to Julia Zetta for sharing with us this very good exercise that helps relax the plantar fascia.