How to Check the Health of Your Foot Arches

Have you ever heard of the foot push-up test?  If not, we will teach it to you today.  Our feet have arches that are made up of various tarsal and metatarsal bones found along the bottom of our feet from the tip of our toes to our heels.  The bones are supported by numerous tendons and ligaments to strengthen our feet and allow them to ably support our body weight.

There are different problems we can encounter with our feet like bunions, corns, plantar warts, and fallen arches among others.  Some problems may be more delicate than others but all of them can result in issues like instability, pain, and irritation when standing or walking.  The foot push-up test will reveal different types of information on just how healthy your foot arches are.

How to do it

The beauty of the foot push-up test lies in its simplicity.  Although simple it does reveal a lot about the functionality and performance of our feet.  Follow these steps.

1. Begin by going bare foot and stand in front of your kitchen counter.
2. Put your palms on the kitchen counter applying only minimal pressure.
3. With your back straight slowly lift one of your feet off the floor.
4. Gradually lift the heel of your other foot while placing your entire weight on the ball of that foot.
5. In a controlled motion, slowly lower the heel of your foot back to the floor.

Do 10 repetitions of the foot push-up to complete one set.  Repeat the entire process with your other foot completing one set as well.  You can do more sets if you want, provided that you do not experience extreme pain.  Remember to do the foot push-ups at your own pace and do them properly.

Evaluating the Results

So what does all of these push-ups reveal about your feet?  Let us try to honestly answer the following questions to evaluate just how healthy our foot arches are.

1. Did you find it difficult to do one push-up?

Normally, people who have difficulty rising up on the ball of their foot without exerting much pressure on their hands, experiencing pain, or leaning over the kitchen counter may be experiencing some form of mechanical problem on their feet.  When the arch tendon is stretched or ruptured, you may experience a lowering of the arch.  If this happens to you, go to a healthcare professional immediately for consultation.

2. Did you complete the 10 repetitions without any problems?

Are you one of those people who can rise up on the ball of their foot easily?  But did you complete the 10 repetitions with ease?  If not, then one explanation is that you may be experiencing arch fatigue.  You need to engage in different exercises that are designed to stretch and strengthen the muscles of your legs.  The stronger your leg muscles become, the easier it will be for you to do the foot push-up and incorporate it into your exercise routine.

3. Did you experience pain in your arch at any point of the exercise?

Was there pain, not necessarily intense, when you did the foot push-up test?  If there were no problems rising on the ball of your foot but you felt significant pain during the process there is a huge possibility that your arches may be inflamed or you may have overworked them.  You need to consult foot specialists to help you manage your problem with weak and overworked arches of your feet.

With 52 bones, 66 joints, and over 100 tendons, ligaments, and muscles in your feet, it is extremely important to ensure that they remain healthy and pain-free.  You should be aware that there are other factors like obesity, aging, and ill-fitting shoes for example can aggravate any foot problem.  Go to Foot Solutions UK to say goodbye to your aching feet.