Harvey R. Danciger, DPM
74-000 Country Club Drive, Suite A-2
Palm Desert, CA 92260
(760) 568-0108
Exercise Those Toes!
Understanding the different kinds of problems with your feet is the best way to prevent and treat them. We believe our patients make the best decisions by being fully informed. Our patient library is an excellent learning tool for understanding all kinds of foot conditions, injuries, diseases, and deformities. It's also a great resource for answers to common questions like, "What should I look for in a shoe?", "How can I stretch my feet?", or "How can I prevent ingrown toenails?"
Browse through our library by using the tool bar on the right side of this page.
Not only can you find valuable information in our patient library, but we also provide excellent information on our blogs every week. By following us on twitter or checking out our facebook page, you can also follow links to interesting foot-related issues and see what others are saying about feet.
As always, you can contact our office to answer any questions or concerns.
Order Your
Complimentary Copy of
"Why Do My Feet Hurt?"
"The best way to take care of your feet and ankles is to have the information you need. That's why I'm making this book available to anyone who requests it"
- Dr. Harvey Danciger
Many people underestimate the importance of keeping their toes physically fit. Toes take a lot of abuse from the hours we spend on our feet each day. The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society recommends doing the following simple exercises to strengthen your toes and prevent foot discomfort.
Toe raise, toe point, toe curl: Hold each position for five seconds and repeat 10 times. This especially recommended for people with hammertoes or toe cramps.
Toe squeeze: Place a small, cylindrical object, such as a wine cork, between your toes and hold a squeeze for five seconds. Do this 10 times. Recommended for people with hammertoes and toe cramps.
Big toe pulls: Place a thick rubber band around the big toes and pull them away from each other and toward the small toes. Hold for five seconds and repeat 10 times. Recommended for people with bunions or toe cramps.
Toe pulls: Put a thick rubber band around all of your toes and spread them. Hold this position for five seconds and repeat 10 times. This is especially good for people with bunions, hammertoes or toe cramps
Golf ball roll: Roll a golf ball under the ball of your foot for two minutes. This is a great massage for the bottom of the foot and is recommended for people with plantar fasciitis, arch strain, or foot cramps.
Towel curls: Place a small towel on the floor and curl it toward you, using only your toes. You can increase the resistance by putting a weight on the end of the towel. Relax and repeat this exercise five times. Recommended for people with hammertoes, toe cramps, and pain in the ball of the foot.
Marble pick-up: Place 20 marbles on the floor. Pick up one marble at a time and put it in a small bowl. Do this exercise until you have picked up all 20 marbles. Recommended for people with pain in the ball of the foot, hammertoes, and toe cramps.
Sand walking: Take off your shoes and walk in the sand at the beach. This not only massages your feet, but also strengthens your toes and is good for general foot conditioning.
