Simple Foot Exercises are effective!
Conclusion “These results suggest that the toe spread out (TSO) exercise can be recommended for preventing or correcting HV deformity at an early stage.”
We know and teach that foot exercises work. Here is a nice objective paper (click underlined for abstract) on two exercises we prescribe often.
Here is our variation of the TSO exercise we call the “Lift, Spread and Reach” exercise
Stand comfortably with your feet about shoulder width apart
Stand on your foot tripod with your toes extended. Concentrate on feeling pressure at the center of the calcaneus, the head of the 1st metatarsal and the head of the 5th metatarsal
Lift your toes as high as possible
Spread out (abduct) your toes as much as possible
Reach forward with your toes as far as possible
Place your toes back don on the ground as flat as possible.
repeat 10 X
You can augment the exercise with a rubber band around the toes to provide resistance after you can perform the exercise competently.
Happy exercising!
Ivo and Shawn
Kim MH1, Kwon OY, Kim SH, Jung DY.: Comparison of muscle activities of abductor hallucis and adductor hallucis between the short foot and toe-spread-out exercises in subjects with mild hallux valgus
J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2013;26(2):163-8. doi: 10.3233/BMR-2012-00363.
