Mobilize Your Toes: The Hand-Foot Shake
Mobilize your Toes with the Hand-Foot Shake
Oh the toes. Whenever I teach this at the Movement Fix Workshop I am surprised how many people are disgusted by the idea of interlocking their fingers and toes.
In reality, it's just a hand-foot shake with yourself. You shake the hands of random people throughout the day...at least you know where your feet have been.
The ability of the toes to splay is important for energy absorption by the foot.
If you run, jump, or walk, energy has to get absorbed. The foot is a big absorber of that energy. The more your toes can spread apart, the larger surface area you have over which to absorb that energy.
The hand-foot shake will help you get your toes separated more.
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How to Perform the Hand-Foot Shake
The first step is to interlock your toes with your fingers from the opposite hand (left foot, right hand).
For some people, this is effortless. The handshake easily happens.
For others, spreading the toes is like opening a rusty door. You literally have to peel your toes apart to get your fingers in there and it can hurt a little bit. You might even feel your fingers get crushed.
Do the best you can.
The first step is to interlock your toes with your fingers from the opposite hand (left foot, right hand).
For some people, this is effortless. The handshake easily happens.
For others, spreading the toes is like opening a rusty door. You literally have to peel your toes apart to get your fingers in there and it can hurt a little bit. You might even feel your fingers get crushed.
Do the best you can.
How much and often should you do this? That depends...but generally 1-2x/day for 10 reps each direction is a great starting point.
You shouldn't be sore after doing this, but it may feel stretching/tight.
If you have any soreness the next day, take a day or two off until your feet aren't sore. It probably means you did a little too much.
Need More Help with your Feet and Ankles?
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Comments
I have been doing the hand foot shake for several months and I am just getting now able to move my toes independently from one another. I never realized how much toes play a huge part in running and jumping.
Oh yeah, they are hugely important! You need to absorb energy somewhere in the body. If the feet don't do enough you will end up absorbing that energy in the knee, hip, low back, etc instead!