7 Exercises That Pose Serious Risk to Your Feet

We are now fully into the depths of winter. Winter is an important time to work on our fitness regime, but it is also a time when the risk of injury can increase. It could come from having to move your workout indoors, it could come from not being as regular about your exercise plan (it is hard to work out when you are snowed in and running when the roads are wet and slick can be very treacherous).

If you are new to the gym or looking for new workouts to try at home be careful. We think that people should try new workouts, in order to shake things up, either for the seasons, or just to keep things exciting, but you do need to be careful.

Just because you see someone at the gym doing this “amazing workout,” or just because you watched a YouTube video about it, does not mean that it is an actual workout that is good for your body.

Some workouts can do real damage. Here is our list of workouts that can cause serious damage to your feet and leave you with foot pain.

1. Rebounding Box Jump

The rebounding box jump is an exercise that has become popular in some high-intensity workouts. Essentially, you jump to the top of a box, jump down, and jump right back up again on landing. Box jumps are an amazing exercise that can help with speed and explosive effort. Box jumps can also be a good tool for helping you to use your arms in order to get maximum power out of your legs. Only when your arms and legs are working together can get the full effect of the box jump. The rebounding box jump does not help with those things and can lead to a blown Achilles tendon. So, skip the rebounding version, and stick to the good old fashioned version.

2. Extended Cardio Sessions

Cardio machines are brilliant. They get you moving and are great for getting your heart rate up, but a cardio machine is not the only thing you should be using at the gym. The ideal length for a cardio workout is between 30 and 60 minutes. If you work out a high intensity for much longer than that, you risk actually burning off muscle mass. Because cardio machines only work a certain number of muscles and often do not work accessory muscles, too much cardio work can actually put you at risk for repetitive injuries like plantar fasciitis. So after you have hit the 45-minute mark of keeping your heart rate between 65 and 85% of its maximum capacity it is probably time to hit the weights or do some stretching and strengthening exercises like yoga.

3. High Heel Workout

It is a little insane that there is even a workout that puts high, heel, and workout that close together and does not also include the word never, but there you have it. It is a thing. Just head on over to YouTube and you can find a whole slew of workouts that are made to be done while wearing high heels. This is such a terrible idea. Some women think that it makes them more graceful walking in heels, but what it really does is put you at risk for ankle, foot, and knee injuries. So instead of investing in high heel aerobic classes, maybe you just find some cute athletic shoes.

4. Weighted Knee Extension

If you have ever been in a gym, you have seen a weighted knee extension machine. You sit in it and there is a roller that you tuck your feet behind. You then raise your feet and lift the bar. This machine is ridiculous. It does not mimic any motion that you would make in your normal life, and it can be incredibly hard on your ankles and knees. If you want to get stronger legs, stick to traditional lifts that can be done without a machine, they will work better, and they actually burn more calories because you have to keep your balance which activates other muscles in your core and body.

5. Smith Machine Squats

The Smith machine is a machine that is supposed to act as a spotter if you are squatting large amounts of weight. It is a terrible idea for most people because the path that you get locked into in the machine is not the best path for the majority of bodies. What if you have a long torso? What if your knees, naturally bend in a little? Our bodies are all so different that making a machine that is supposed to fit everyone is only going to make a machine that does not really fit anyone. This machine can lead to knee, ankle, and heel pain. Your best bet for those large lifts that you want to do? Find a friend who can actually spot you.

6. Spot Reduction

We know it is tempting to think that all you have to do to get shapely legs is do a million calf raises. It just does not work that way. Your body is a whole system and there is no such thing as spot reduction. Doing a million calf raises will just put you at risk of a repetitive injury like plantar fasciitis. So stick with working out your whole body focusing on different muscle groups.

7. No Exercise

Really, the worst thing that you can do is nothing. And that is true for everyone. There are compelling studies that show that increased weight is only a factor in decreased health outcomes when it is associated with a lack of movement. It does not have to be intense, but make a goal to move your body for 30 minutes every single day–we promise that you will not regret it.

Fuel Your Exercise Routine With KURU

While we hope your indoor winter exercise routine will include safe and effective activities, we also hope it includes shoes with arch support to help protect your whole body from the ground up. Through our patented KURUSOLE™ technology, you can improve the safety of your workouts, have more energy, and feel better than ever.

No matter which activity you are wanting to do in your life, KURU has a shoe for you that will give you the support, comfort and style that your feet have been craving.

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