With Parkinson’s Disease, the feet can cramp, tingle, tremor, twist, or curl up due to neuromuscular disconnect, tight tissue, and faulty gait mechanics. You should never ignore these symptoms because the health of your feet can affect your balance and overall quality of life.
You must treat your feet! My exercises for curling toes help counteract some of the tight tissue and promote extension to an already flexed foot.
Many people with Parkinson’s gradually develop stooped posture, which affects the feet as your toes grip to try to regain balance. The length of the muscles around your ankle may get stretched and others may shorten to compensate for your altered posture.
Your posture also affects how you walk. The heel striking the ground is the body’s signal to the brain to generate the power to push forward. If you’re unable to strike your heel as you walk, your steps will be shorter, making it harder to balance and transfer weight when walking.
Parkinson’s can also interfere with the brain receiving the right messages from the feet as to which foot is bearing weight. Without signals from the lower body, the brain resorts to visual help, like looking at the ground while walking, which makes your posture worse. It’s a vicious cycle.
Sometimes dystonia (a neuromuscular condition that can occur with or without PD) may cause your toes to curl under your foot. However, not everyone with Parkinson’s experiences dystonia.
Let’s treat your feet! Watch this video to see how you can use an ordinary rubber band to work your toes. You must get your toes more reactive and less contracted. The rubber band gives you something to push against to extend and spread your toes apart.
Your ankles and feet have 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments. They all work together to keep your body balanced upright. Treat your feet daily to keep them moving and extending. Spread your toes, hold for five seconds, and repeat 10 times every day!
💜 Coach Kimberly
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