Brightwell House , 40 Queens Road , Reading , RG1 4AU

Party Feet

PARTY PREP
Try some express exercises to prepare your feet for wearing heels.
1. "Remove any heels and place your feet flat on the floor. Keeping the ball of the foot down, lift all toes and stretch them apart as much as you can. One by one replace your toes down in turn, starting from the little toe and softly grip the floor with them."
2. "Point your foot down to the floor, extend the big toe whilst curling the four other toes under your foot. Gently press down through the foot as if you are trying to make a 'thumbprint' with your big toe and hold for 30 seconds. This may be uncomfortable but should not cause pain. Reverse this stretch and curl the big toe under and stretch the other four toes out in front."
WHILE WEARING HEELS
Although you've chosen the comfiest heels possible (yeah?), give them a helping hand in the comfort department with some gel cushions. Insolia high heel pain reliever – sold in Brightwell clinic £6.50
Once you're comfy, posture is really important, too. "Improve your stance by pulling in on your abs, tucking your tail bone under and lifting your chest bone a little to bring your centre of gravity back to midline. You should feel the weight shift from your toes back into the weight bearing joints in the ankle. This takes the pressure off your toe joints."
Try to minimise walking, but when you do attempt the catwalk trick of touching your heels down first, then push the balls of your feet forward.
AFTER THE PARTY
Once you've finally kicked off your kicks, ask yourself; is the pain in your toes or the arch of your foot? Try easy exercises to ease tension in both:
1. "Relieve stiff toes by placing a foot on the opposite knee and slide your fingers between each of your toes and place the thumb on the ball of the big toe. Gently flex the toes downwards whilst applying gentle upward pressure through the base of the big toe."
2. "Relieve tightness in the arch of the foot by cupping and grasping your heel firmly with one hand and with the other take the big toe between your thumb and first two fingers. Gently stretch them away from one another in a lengthening motion and with the stretch applied rotate your toe back and forth."
Whether your feet are hot and puffy from the party or dehydrated and cracked from the cold winter weather, try pampering them with some hydrating foot soak into a bowl of warm water and let your feet relax for 10 minutes while any throbbing melts away.
Finish by massaging in a nourishing moisturiser to the feet to revive and rejuvenate even the most partied-out feet. Then do it all again tomorrow.

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