56-year-old Aunt Guo recently found that her legs would not only ache and swell, but also gradually swell when she stood for a long time. Worried it was a leg disease, she immediately went to the hospital for an examination and was diagnosed with varicose veins and leg swelling.
The attending doctor suggested that she should stand on tiptoes every day to relieve these symptoms. Aunt Guo, half skeptical, wondered if standing on tiptoes could actually treat her condition. With a try-it-out attitude, she followed the doctor's advice and stood on tiptoes while brushing her teeth and eating every day. Six months later, Aunt Guo went to the hospital for a follow-up visit and found that the symptoms of her leg varicose veins had almost disappeared, and the muscle swelling in her legs had completely subsided. Furthermore, Aunt Guo told the doctor that she hadn't experienced insomnia or constipation during the time she stood on tiptoes, and her daughter praised her for looking much healthier.
Many people, like Aunt Guo, may be curious about the health benefits of standing on tiptoes. Today, let's delve deeper into why standing on tiptoes has such significant effects. 1. An age-old method of staying healthy: This practice has been mentioned in ancient texts, such as the "Yin Shu" from the early Western Han Dynasty, which described the benefits of standing on tiptoes.
It was also included as the last exercise in the long-standing health regimen known as the Eight Section Brocade, which utilizes stretching and standing on tiptoes to stimulate the kidney meridian and promote overall health.
The modern medical explanation for the health benefits of standing on tiptoes is that it generates muscular movement, providing the driving force for venous return to the heart, promoting blood flow in the lower limbs, and ensuring adequate oxygen supply to the heart.
2. Five benefits of standing on tiptoes daily: - Protecting the heart: The pressure generated by the contraction of the calf muscles while standing on tiptoes helps squeeze the veins in the legs, promoting blood flow back to the heart and reducing blood stasis. - Exercising leg muscles: Although the range of motion is not extensive, standing on tiptoes can still exercise various leg muscles, such as the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. - Nourishing the kidneys: Stimulating the kidney meridian by standing on tiptoes can improve its circulation and nourish the kidneys.
This benefits people with kidney deficiency, who may experience symptoms such as back pain, leg weakness, decreased energy, and memory decline. - Promoting lower limb blood circulation: Standing on tiptoes increases blood flow in the lower limbs, accelerates blood circulation, improves oxygen concentration, and helps prevent cardiovascular diseases such as varicose veins and arteriosclerosis. - Harmonizing qi and blood: According to traditional Chinese medicine, the three meridians from the toes to the legs are connected to the spleen, kidney, and liver meridians. Regularly standing on tiptoes can promote the upward movement of qi and blood, tonify the internal organs, and regulate the body's energy and blood.
3. Remember these four points for a healthier practice: - Massage the calves: After standing on tiptoes, it is important to massage the calves to relax the muscles and avoid muscle soreness or hypertrophy. - Provide support for elderly individuals with reduced mobility: It is advisable for elderly individuals with reduced mobility to have stable support while performing tiptoe exercises to prevent leg cramps and falls. - Avoid excessive duration: It is recommended to stand on tiptoes for about 2 to 3 seconds each time, preferably once in the morning and once in the evening, for 1 to 5 minutes.
Long periods of tiptoeing can increase joint stress and cause heel pain. - Not recommended for certain groups: Pregnant women, elderly individuals with limited mobility, individuals with osteoporosis, and those with high blood pressure are not recommended to practice tiptoe exercises due to the risk of accidents.
Although tiptoe exercises are simple, it is important to gradually progress and not exert excessive force. It is crucial to follow the correct and scientific methods. If any discomfort occurs, it must be stopped immediately to avoid further injury.
