functional exercise: stretching toe flexors

yoga book / functional exercises / zehenflexoren dehnen

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Last updated: 8 Aug 2025
Level: A

Classification

Classic: Functional exercise
physiological: Stretching the intrinsic foot muscles, including the plantar flexors of the toes

Contraindication

Effects

  • (971) Stretching of the intrinsic foot muscles, including the plantar flexors of the toes

Preparation

Follow-up

derived asanas:

ähnliche asanas:

Diagnostik (Nr.)

Varianten

Instructions

  1. Stand a short distance away from a wall, facing the wall.
  2. Place one foot horizontally at a right angle to the wall and bend its toes upwards on the wall and press the basal joint area down as far as possible into the edge of the room. The heel is then as close to the wall as possible.

Details

  1. If the action of the flexors of the hallux (flexor hallucis longus and flexor hallucis brevis) is to be shifted towards the other toe flexorstoe flexors (flexor digitorum longus and flexor digitorum brevis), and flexor of the little toe, rotate the foot by one degree (heel to lateral) so that the hallux is relieved and the other toe flexors are more involved.
  2. As the flexor hallucis longus and the flexor digitorum longus are extrinsic muscles, they are located in the lower leg, a flexion of the ankle towards the dorsal (dorsiflexion) shifts the effect away from the intrinsic muscles towards the extrinsic muscles. However, if the intrinsic foot muscles are to be stretched, for example because they are known to be hypertonic or perhaps even already have plantar fasciitis, the ankle should not be dorsiflexed at all, but rather left in slight plantar flexion.
  3. Depending on previous movement behaviour and, in particular, sporting behaviour, the basal joint areas may still achieve quite low degrees of dorsiflexion. It will then take some time before a sufficient increase in flexibility is achieved. For walking and running (running), dorsiflexions of between 10° and 35° are required, depending on the running or walking style, stride length and footwear worn. 75° is also stated by many authors as the physiological measure of a healthy metatarsophalangeal joint. Flexibility in excess of 90° is neither desirable nor should it be forced through exercise.
  4. Various diseases of the hallux or its base joint may prohibit this exercise or cause other pain, i.e. stretching pain in the relevant muscles. Intra-articular pain is generally not tolerable unless the exercise is prescribed. Typically, a hallux valgus can cause intra-articular pain, a hallux rigidus would not allow any movement at all in the metatarsophalangeal joint and a hallux limitus would only allow very limited movement. If the hallux metatarsophalangeal joint (MTP 1) is ossified, you should not attempt to break up the ossification with this exercise, as the restoration of a functional joint is then no longer possible anyway due to a lack of articular cartilage, let alone that pain-free joint function could be expected.
  5. Gout can also cause intra-articular pain, but also an impressive rest pain. Performing this exercise should then be out of the question and would also be contraindicated. In the case of other joint diseases such as RA, PA or rheumatological diseases, the therapist’s instructions should be followed.
  6. One of the most important applications of this exercise is plantar fasciitis, which is usually due to a chronically excessive demand on the plantar fascia as a passive part of the tension belt system of the longitudinal arch of the foot and the resulting chronically increased tension. The plantar fascia, together with parts of the intrinsic foot musculature, restores the longitudinal arch of the foot after each step when the foot is unloaded at the end of the stance phase. This mechanism cannot be loaded at will. The overload can be caused by sport, but also by frequent, prolonged walking or standing. Particularly in the context of causative sport, it must be borne in mind that the plantar fascia is only the passive part of the tension belt system and the other, active part is most likely also overloaded, and these are primarily the intrinsic toe flexors, which this exercise stretches.
  7. In addition to this exercise, stretching of the foot muscles with the fascia roller should be practised in the case of already manifest disorders. Even a subjectively perceived increase in tension in the sole of the foot should be sufficient indication for the use of these two exercises. You should not wait for disorders to develop or for a diagnosis to be made. As a rule, it can be assumed that people who do a lot of sport that includes running, those who do a lot of walking or a lot of standing require such compensation. This need tends to increase with age.
  8. In the event of high tension in the intrinsic plantar foot muscles, the windlass mechanism should be tested for functionality (windlass test).
  9. Since the intrinsic plantar foot muscles and plantar fascia are part of the dorsal kinetic chain of the unilateral extremity, its other limbs such as the triceps surae with the achilles tendon and the ischiocrural group should also be tested for adequate function and flexibility.