If You Suffer From Foot, Knee, or Hip Pain, Here Are 6 Exercises to Kill It

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Between 15% and 25% of people in the US suffer from knee pain, which is the second largest cause of chronic pain. But even without it, we all suffer from minor injuries and tiredness from time to time. Here are some tips on how to use physical therapy to possibly make you feel better.

Bright Side is always on guard with helping you stay healthy and pain-free. That's why we want you to check out these six simple exercises to help you with knee, foot and hip pain.

Heel raises

To start off, grab a chair and stand behind it.

• Raise one of your legs.
• Slowly raise the heel of your other leg until you're standing on your toes.
• Slowly put the heel back on the floor.
• Repeat this exercise 10-15 times on each leg.

This will strengthen your ankles and work on the muscles around the knee.

Toe walking

This is a simple exercise that you can do while maintaining your house or doing your other chores. Simply walk around on your toes at a fast pace - this will strengthen your calves and give a small workout to your toes and the balls of your feet.

Keep walking for 5 to 15 minutes or until tired.

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Ankle сircles

To work on weak ankles you should do the following:

• Sitting down or standing up, raise one leg.
• Slowly rotate the foot of that leg in a circular motion.
• Repeat this 10 times in an inward circle and 10 times in outward circles for each leg.

Resistance training

For this next exercise, you'll need a resistance band.

• Fix the band around the couch leg or any other standing piece of furniture.
• Put one of your legs under the other, slightly bent at the knee.
• Grab onto a resistance band with the foot of the leg on top.
• Slowly pull the band, bending your foot toward your head.
• Repeat this 10-15 times on each leg.

This incorporates the work of calf muscles and your inner and outer thigh muscles.

Toe games

To exercise your toes on a daily basis you can play a game called "grabbies".

• Curl your toes on their own.
• Put a towel on the floor and grab onto it with your toes.
• Put small pebbles on the ground and try to put them in a basket using just your feet.

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Walking on balls

To relax and train the balls of your feet:

• Find a tennis ball or a ball of a similar diameter.
• Sit on a chair.
• Place your foot on the ball and step on it.
• Slowly push the ball with your foot toward the toes and then backward.
• Enjoy the massage!

Bonus:

Acupressure and foot massage are widely used around the world.

If after a long day you have sore feet, place your two thumbs on the spots in the picture (between toes 1 and 2, 4 and 5; about 1 cm or half an inch deep) and gently massage it for up to 15 minutes for easy and quick relaxation.

We hope you'll give these exercise a try to stay healthy and pain-free. What are your tricks to help you relax your feet after a long day? Share in the comments!

Illustrated by Natalia Tylosova for Bright Side

Why We Need to Wear Warm Socks at Night

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Socks are thought to have first been used during the era of ancient civilizations by the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. While their main purpose is to keep your feet warm and make shoes feel more comfortable, sleeping with socks on can actually improve your physical and mental well-being.

We at Bright Side have found 5 reasons why you might want to consider wearing socks before you go to bed, and the benefits are quite surprising!

1. Socks help you go to sleep faster.

Believe it or not, studies have shown that wearing socks at night will help you fall asleep faster. This is due to the fact that wearing socks warm up your feet. When your feet are warm, it sends a message to your brain to lower your body temperature, which in turn, signals your body that it’s time to go to bed.

2. Socks can prevent Raynaud’s disease.

Raynaud’s disease happens when blood is unable to circulate properly. It can be caused by factors such as stress or cold temperatures. The attack leads to numbness in the body or sudden pain and cramp-like symptoms. Wearing socks can help prevent Raynaud’s attacks by regulating your internal body temperature and keeping your feet insulated.

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3. Warm socks can keep you healthier.

© Livi Po / Unsplash, © Shutterstock.com

Because sleeping with socks lowers your body temperature and helps your blood circulate better, you have a higher chance of sleeping better and more soundly. This gives you even better odds of clocking in more hours of rest. More sleep equates to better health, happiness, and energy that will power you through your day.

4. They can prevent hot flashes.

Hot flashes are mainly caused by hormonal imbalances in the body because temperature control cannot be regulated. Wearing warm socks at night can help prevent hot flashes, especially in menopausal women, since the core body temperature is lowered by improved circulation.

5. Socks can help alleviate dry feet.

© Shutterstock.com

If you have dry feet or cracked heels, wearing socks can help you keep them moisturized. Apply body oil or moisturizing lotion to your feet before you go to bed and allow the socks to work their magic. You can use this method on your hands too! Keeping your feet and hands covered in socks lock in all the moisture to heal the crackly, dry skin.

Do you sleep with socks? What other benefits have you experienced?

Benefits Of Wearing Toe Separators

Website content extracted from: https://www.epainassist.com/joint-pain/foot-pain/benefits-of-wearing-toe-separators

Reviewed By:

Pramod Kerkar, M.D., FFARCSI, DA

Toe separators are highly popular at present and are recommended by many physical therapist and fitness/yoga instructors. These are inexpensive and also are beneficial in fixing several foot problems.

What Are Toe Separators?

Toe separators are little devices that are meant to be placed between your toes so as to help stretch and loosen the tense muscles in your toes. These are useful in providing you relief from bunions, plantar fasciitis and other types of foot pain.

The way these toe separators work, is to relieve any pressure from your foot joints by making sure that your toes remain straight. Often, most of the toe separators are made of Silicone so that they are comfortable to wear them while walking.

Below we will take a look on some of the benefits of wearing toe separators.

Toe Separators are Beneficial in Strengthening the Toes:

One of the best benefits of wearing toe separators is that they make the toes stronger. Toe separators encourage the toe movement, its bending and flexing, rather than being in a stable position. This strengthens the foot muscles, which in turn, is known to improve the support and stability. This will help you get rid of arch supports in a less time.

Toe Separators Can Help Correct Hammertoes:

There is one more benefit of wearing toe separators or supports. They are essential in treating hammertoes. Hammertoe is one type of deformity of the toe. It refers to an abnormal bending of any of your toes. There may be severe pain and discomfort while wearing the shoes, because of the pressure that is felt with it. So, it is essential to address the problem appropriately.

Toe separators will help you here. You must wear toe separators while wearing a shoe, if you have hammertoes. This reduces the pressure that is felt and eases the pain. This makes sure that there is enough space between the toes.

May Be Beneficial In Treating Bunions:

Toe separators might be beneficial in treating Bunions. Bunions is a musculoskeletal condition of the foot, that is painful, especially while wearing shoes. It changes the angle of the toes and results in the appearance of a large bump, which, when it grows large enough, may look like a sixth toe. This may be caused due to genetics and also because of wearing the wrong footwear. Women, especially those wearing tight shoes and high heels, experience this problem.

In extreme conditions, surgical treatments might be required. However, for mild cases, toe separators may be beneficial. It is best to use toe separators during the early stages of Bunion, which would help in easily addressing the problem.

For Plantar Fasciitis:

Using toe separators can also be beneficial for people who are suffering from plantar fasciitis. Wearing toe separators, actually, results in the proper alignment of the bones.

Toe Separators Can Help Relieve Pain and Aches of the Foot:

Some of the sports activities can stress feet muscles and also the toes. Apart from this, even if you had a long day at work, you may be having painful toes. This happens, mainly if you wear tight fitting shoes or those that have elevated heels. Using toe separators can help you get some relief from pain and aches.

Practical Benefits Of Toe Separators:

Below are some of the practical benefits of toe separators:

• You can wear them comfortably anytime, even during your sleep.
• Toe Separators are affordable for everyone.
• You can use toe separators more than once.
• Toe separators are not as risky as surgery.
• Toe separators can be worn with or without shoes. Moreover, the user can wear them regularly without any side effects.

Conclusion:

So, we have mentioned about some of the benefits of wearing toe separators. If you feel this could be an appropriate product for your feet, you can try them out. However, it is always essential for you to consult your doctor in case you have any pain, ache or problem in the feet and take the best advice and treatment for the condition.

Epsom Salt Soak

Image is from top10homeremedies.com 

The health benefits of using Epsoms Salt information is extracted from website: https://seasalt.com/epsom-salt-uses-and-benefits

What are the health benefits of using Epsom salt

The wonders of Epsom salt have been well known for hundreds of years and, unlike other salts, has beneficial properties that can soothe the body, mind, and soul. Some of the countless health benefits include relaxing the nervous system, curing skin problems, soothing back pain and aching limbs, easing muscle strain, healing cuts, treating colds and congestion, and drawing toxins from the body. One of the simplest ways to ease stress and stress-related problems is to soak in a tub full of hot water with a few cups of Ultra Epsom^® Salt. Some of the notable benefits of Epsom salt include:

Eases stress and relaxes the body

Stress drains the body of magnesium and increases levels of adrenaline. When dissolved in warm water, Epsom salt is absorbed through the skin and replenishes the level of magnesium in the body. The magnesium helps to produce serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of calm and relaxation. Research shows that magnesium also increases energy and stamina by encouraging the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy packets made in the cells. Experts believe that bathing with Epsom salt at least three times a week helps you to look better, feel better and gain more energy. Magnesium ions also help you relax and reduce irritability by lowering the effects of adrenaline. They create a relaxed feeling, improve sleep and concentration, and help muscles and nerves to function properly.

Relieves pain and muscle cramps

An Epsom salt bath is known to ease pain and relieve inflammation, making it beneficial in the treatment of sore muscles, bronchial asthma, and migraine headaches. In addition, it has been known to heal cuts and reduce soreness from childbirth. Mix a thick paste of Epsom salt with hot water and apply to get soothing comfort. Try soaking your aching, tired (and smelly) feet in a tub of water with half a cup of our Ultra Epsom Salt. Epsom salt softens skin and will even neutralize foot odor.

Helps muscles and nerves function properly

Studies show that Epsom salt can help regulate electrolytes in your body, ensuring proper functioning of the muscles, nerves, and enzymes. Magnesium is also known to be critical in the proper use of calcium, which serves as a main conductor of the electric impulses in your body.

Helps prevent hardening of arteries and blood clots

Epsom salt is believed to improve heart health and help prevent heart disease and strokes by improving blood circulation, protecting the elasticity of arteries, preventing blood clots, and reducing the risk of sudden heart attack deaths.

Makes insulin more effective

Proper magnesium and sulfate levels increase the effectiveness of insulin in the body and can help to lower the risk or severity of diabetes.

Relieves constipation

Numerous studies have revealed that Epsom salt can be used to treat constipation. Taken internally, Epson salt acts as a detoxifying agent for colon cleansing. The salt acts like a laxative by increasing water in the intestines and can bring about temporary relief from constipation. However, it is strictly warned that Epsom salts should not be used to relieve constipation without the consultation of a physician.

Eliminates toxins from the body

The sulfates in Epsom salt help flush toxins and heavy metals from the cells, easing muscle pain and helping the body to eliminate harmful substances. Your skin is a highly porous membrane and adding the right minerals to your bathwater triggers a process called reverse osmosis, which actually pulls salt out of your body, and harmful toxins along with it. For a detoxifying bath, at least once weekly add two cups of our Ultra Epsom Salt to the water in a bathtub and soak for 10 minutes.

What are some uses of Epsom salt?

Whether you like a relaxing soak or wish to enhance your beauty effortlessly, making Epsom salt a part of your daily routine can add a whole lot of goodness to your way of life. To experience the numerous health benefits of Epsom salt, take relaxing, stress-relieving Epsom salt baths three times weekly by adding 2 cups of Ultra Epsom Salt to a warm bath and soaking for at least 12 minutes. For the added benefit of moisturizing your skin, add 1/2 cup olive oil or baby oil. Do not use soap as it will interfere with the action of the salts. Try to rest for about two hours afterward. If you have arthritic joints, move them as much as possible after an Epsom salt bath to prevent congestion in the joints.

For a foot bath, pamper weary feet by adding 1/2 cup of Epsom salt to a basin of warm water. Relax and soak feet for 20 minutes. If you like, rub away any calluses using a pumice stone. Dry feet, then add two drops of peppermint essential oil to your favorite natural moisturizer, like shea or coconut butter, and rub in thoroughly to lock in the moisture. If you are pregnant or have any health concerns, check with your doctor before using Epsom salts.

Epsom Salt Uses: HEALTH

Athlete’s foot: Soak feet in an Epsom salt bath to help relieve the symptoms of athlete’s foot.

Remove splinters: Soak affected skin area in an Epsom salt bath to draw out the splinter.

Treat toenail fungus: Soak your affected toes in hot water mixed with a handful of Epsom salt three times a day.

Soothe sprains and bruises: Add 2 cups of Epsom salt to a warm bath and soak to reduce the pain and swelling of sprains and bruises.

Ease discomfort of gout: Ease the discomfort of gout and reduce inflammation by adding 2–3 teaspoons of Epsom salts into a basin and immersing the affected foot/joint. The water should be as hot as it is comfortable. Soak for about 30 minutes.

Epsom Salt Uses: BEAUTY

Exfoliate dead skin: In the shower or bath, mix a handful of Epsom salt with a tablespoon of bath or olive oil and rub all over your wet skin to exfoliate and soften. Rinse thoroughly.

Exfoliating face cleanser: To clean your face and exfoliate skin at the same time, mix a half-teaspoon of Epsom salt with your regular cleansing cream. Gently massage into skin and rinse with cold water.

Dislodge blackheads: Add a teaspoon of Epsom salt and 3 drops of iodine into a half cup of boiling water. Apply this mixture to the blackheads with a cotton ball.

Remove foot odor: Mix a half cup of Epsom salt in warm water and soak your feet for 10 minutes to remove bad odor, sooth achy feet, and soften rough skin.

Remove hairspray: Combine 1 gallon of water, 1 cup of lemon juice, and 1 cup Epsom salt. Cover the mixture and let set for 24 hours. The next day, pour the mixture into your dry hair and leave on for 20 minutes before shampooing as normal.

Hair volumizer: Combine equal parts deep conditioner and Epsom salt and warm in a pan. Work the warm mixture through your hair and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly.

Epsom Salt Uses: HOUSEHOLD

Clean bathroom tiles: Mix equal parts Epsom salt and liquid dish detergent and use as a scrub on bathroom tile.

Prevent slugs: Sprinkle Epsom salt on or near interior entry points to prevent slugs.

As a hand wash: Mix Epsom salt with baby oil and keep by the sink for an effective hand wash.

Clean detergent build-up on washing machines: Fill the machine tub with hot water, add Epsom salt, and run an agitate/soak/agitate cycle to dissolve detergent build-up (please consult your machine's instruction manual for specific instructions).

Epsom Salt Uses: GARDENING

Fertilize your houseplants: Most plants need nutrients like magnesium and sulfur to stay in good health, and Epsom salt makes the primary nutrients in most plant foods (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) more effective. Sprinkle Epsom salt once weekly to help nourish your houseplants, flowers, and vegetables.

Keep your lawn green: Magnesium sulfate crystals, when added to the soil, provide vital nutrients that help prevent yellowing leaves and the loss of green color (magnesium is an essential element in the chlorophyll molecule) in plants. Add 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt to a gallon of water and sprinkle on your lawn to keep the grass healthy and green.

Insecticide spray: Use Epsom salts on your lawn and in your garden to safely and naturally get rid of plant pests.