The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke tells us that low-impact peripheral neuropathy exercises such as riding a stationary bicycle, swimming and walking can help decrease the pain and possible complications of neuropathy in the feet. These activities can also help with coordination and increase the strength of the muscles.
When you walk, keep your abdominal muscles slightly tensed and pulled in toward your lower back, and your pelvis slightly tucked. Walk only a short distance at first, trying to gradually increase the amount of time you spend walking and the distance you walk. To get the most benefit from biking and swimming, and to help prevent or decrease pain and stiffness in your ankles due to peripheral neuropathy, use your ankle joints’ full range of motion when doing these peripheral neuropathy exercise activities.
Peripheral neuropathy exercises that move the joints through their range of motion will help stimulate blood flow and nerve conduction in areas that are affected by neuropathy and serve as a treatment for peripheral neuropathy.
- Starting position for this peripheral neuropathy exercise is sitting in a comfortable chair, keeping your back and hips as straight as you can
- Lift your foot and point your toes
- Make a circle with your toes, moving in a clockwise direction
- Now make a circle, moving in a counterclockwise direction.
- Repeat the peripheral neuropathy exercises 5 to 10 times in both directions.
Peripheral neuropathy exercises for the fingers and hands
Peripheral neuropathy exercises # 1:
- Touch the end of your thumb to the end of your index finger
- Make a circle on the end of your index finger with your thumb
- Stretch your hand open
- Repeat, touching your thumb to your other fingers, stretching your hand open after each finger
Peripheral neuropathy exercises # 2:
- Touch the end of your thumb to the end of your index finger
- Move your index finger down your thumb, to the base of your thumb, then move it back up to the tip of your thumb and repeat
- Stretch your hand open
- Repeat with each of your other fingers twice, stretching your hand open after exercising each finger
If you have a burning sensation in your toes, or if they feel numb or tingling, try this peripheral neuropathy exercise.
- Starting position for this peripheral neuropathy exercise is sitting up in a chair with your back straight and both feet on the floor
- Your feet should be about a foot apart
- Keeping your heels firmly on the floor, raise the toes of both your feet off the floor
- Lower the toes of both of your feet at the same time, somewhat forcefully, tapping them
- Repeat these peripheral neuropathy exercises 20 times
Another peripheral neuropathy exercise to try for your feet that is easy to do while you’re sitting at your desk is this one:
- Starting position for this peripheral neuropathy exercise is sitting up straight in a chair with your back straight and both feet on the floor
- Bring your heels close together
- Raise your toes, keeping your heels on the floor, as high as you can lift them
- Turn your toes to the sides. Your feet with form a “V”
- Place your toes back on the floor, then lift them up again
- Bring your toes back to the center
- Place your toes back on the floor
- Repeat these peripheral neuropathy exercises 10 times
Peripheral neuropathy exercises # 3:
- Place your hands, palms down on your lap
- Raise your index finger and tap your leg twice
- Repeat with each of your other fingers and your thumb
Peripheral neuropathy exercises # 4:
- Place your hands on your lap
- Clasp your hands together loosely
- “Twiddle” your thumbs (draw circles with your thumbs around each other)
Peripheral neuropathy exercises for the lower extremities
- Starting position for this peripheral neuropathy exercise is sitting up straight in a chair with both of your feet resting firmly on the floor
- Keeping your heels firmly on the floor, raise your toes and then lower them, tapping the floor firmly
- Repeat 5 times
Peripheral neuropathy exercises # 6:
- Starting position for this peripheral neuropathy exercise is sitting up straight in a chair with both of your feet resting firmly on the floor
- Keeping your heels close together and firmly on the floor, raise your toes as high as you can.
- Keeping your toes raised, point them out to the side and place them on the floor (your feet will form a “V”)
- Raise your toes and bring them back together
- Lower your toes
- Repeat 5 times
Peripheral neuropathy exercises # 7:
- Starting position for this peripheral neuropathy exercise is sitting up straight in a chair with both your feet resting firmly on the floor
- Straighten your left leg at the knee and lift it slightly off the floor.
- Point the toes of your left leg, flexing your ankle
- Make a circle in a clockwise direction
- Make a circle in a counterclockwise direction
- Repeat the circles in both directions 5 times
- Put your left foot back on the floor
- Repeat the peripheral neuropathy exercises with your right leg
- Starting position for this peripheral neuropathy exercise is sitting straight up in a chair with your feet flat on the floor
- Keep your knees together
- Straighten your left leg, raising your left foot off the floor
- Keeping your left leg straight, point your toes away from you and hold this position briefly
- Now, keeping your left leg straight, point your toes toward your chest and hold this position briefly
- Rotate your ankle in the clockwise direction, then counter clockwise 5 times
- Lower your left leg
- Repeat the peripheral neuropathy exercises with your right foot
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