Numerous health issues can cause numbness in the hands. Articles must objectively weigh both the potential benefits and risks of any treatment to provide an unbiased perspective. One of the best things about these foot exercises is the fact that the tapping is subtle, which means that it can be performed anywhere. Heel and toe raises strengthen your feet and legs and restore mobility to your ankles. Sit with your arm in a comfortable position facing up. If you’re feeling pain, then you’re taking things too far. Diseases such as Type 2 diabetes or Raynaud's disease can also damage nerves. Many things can cause neuropathy, including certain chemotherapy drugs. No matter what type of exercise you choose to do for peripheral neuropathy relief, warmth helps. Pins and Needles? There are three main types of exercises ideal for people with peripheral neuropathy: aerobic, balance, and stretching. You can start with toe tapping by itself to get a feel for the exercise but engaging the feet and hands is excellent for all-round nerve health. Typically, people first experience tingling and numbness in the hands and feet. Foot Somatosensory Exercise – Roll a small ball (such as a tennis ball) underneath one foot for several minutes and change feet. Eight taps on the right followed by eight taps on the left, Four taps of both hands/feet repeated once, Two taps of both hands/feet repeated three times. Foot health is very important and one must always remember to strengthen all connected muscles. In some cases, these exercises can also contribute to reversing neuropathy of feet. One of the biggest issues that people with neuropathy have is the tingling and discomfort that they feel in their hands and feet. Change feet and perform the same exercise. The many causes of foot and leg neuropathy can be categorized as inherited, for example, diabetic neuropathy, or … A sure-fire way to warm up is to soak your legs in a bath of hot water for a few minutes prior to exercise. Make sure that you apply pressure to your feet in a sequence, going around the outside of the feet before going to the inside after you have done the toes. Neuropathy of the feet is a painful condition and one that can cause a lot of interruptions in your daily routine. Toe curls is a brilliant exercise to increase blood flow in the feet, ankles, and legs, which can prevent cramping and restore sensitivity. Once the toes are raised, extend your foot completely, ensuring the heel remains in contact with the floor, repeating 10 to 15 times. Keep your wrist flat against your leg as you tap your fingers according to the movement you are doing. Once warmed up, make sure that each exercise is performed safely. Neuropathy Cure is dedicated to only serving our readers content that meets our strict Editorial Policies that ensures it is accurate, informative, and as objective as possible. You can trust all of our content was written by us, for you. Those managing neuropathy … The immediate relief is just a small part of the treatment. When the blood circulation within your nerve cells is impaired by high blood sugar levels, you will experience symptoms of neuropathy. A fantastic treatment for neuropathy that feels as great as it works is a light somatosensory workout. walking for exercise (10, 000+ steps her day). Flexibility rises with regular practice as this exercise bolsters somatosensory awareness, balance and blood flow, aim for three full repetitions of each foot. © 2016-2020 NeuropathyCure.org. Return to start position and rock back on heels. Carry on moving the pressure along the outer edge of your foot and then finally apply pressure to the inner surface. Place a small face cloth, towel, or other piece of material right before you. It can take many months before significant results are felt but you need to stick to it. If you have been diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy, and it is affecting your feet, one of the therapies which you will be advised to undertake in order to relieve the condition is exercise. 7. The data are out there. While there are several causes for neuropathy in feet, this is a common issue, and many people are dealing with nerve pain in this area of the body. • Lift up on the ball of your left foot. Lastly, we do not tolerate plagiarism on our platform under any circumstances. Peripheral neuropathy, a result of damage to the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord (peripheral nerves), often causes weakness, numbness and pain, usually in your hands and feet. 4 Great Exercises for People Managing Diabetes-Related Neuropathy. Roll a tennis ball, or similar small ball, underneath your bare foot and ensure you have a good standing or sitting posture, Roll the ball underneath your feet for 30 seconds at a time, going from one leg to the other to relieve tension, Make sure that you alternate direction on each foot, going clockwise for 30 seconds before going in the other direction for another 30 seconds, Stand against a flat surface or sit in a chair ensuring you have the correct upright posture, Lift your heel off the floor while keeping your toes in contact with the ground, so only the back half of your foot is raised, Arch and extend the bridge of your foot fully while in this upright position, allow the center to stretch out, Repeat this process 10 to 15 times for each foot based on your capability, Stand in an upright position, keeping the feet together, your neck and spine straight with your eyes focused before you, As you work your toes, make sure to alter the center of pressure in your feet for a total workout, Start this exercise by pressing down on the big toe of each foot, Follow this by pressing down on the next three toes in sequence, before moving onto your smallest, Once this pressure has been applied to all of your toes, continue to move the pressure towards the arch by pressing the outer ball of your feet, Keep this pressure moving by including the inner ball of your feet and then eventually the heel. 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