# Can you condition your toes?



## malteaser14 (Nov 28, 2012)

I'm expecting this answer to be a resounding no, but then I have learnt alot from these forums so I'd thought I'd ask just incase! Been having an issue with muscle damage at the base of my toe for about 10months now. It went away when I was resting my foot after some ligiment damage, but came back almost immediately after I went back training. It does t always hurt but a simple knock will cause alot of pain for quite sometime. Any ideas... Other than not being so clumsy


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## GrandmasterP (Nov 28, 2012)

Give it time buddy. Feet and toes especially take twice and more as long to heal tendon and .ligament wise than most places cos it's hard to rest them properly and ten months seems long to you but maybe not long enough to your toes.
A good NHS chiropodist (my old trade) will be able to make or have made an in shoe orthotic pad to keep the area in the best position to promote healing without you losing mobility. Beyond that your toe will tell you what it likes and does not like you to do with it as it heals.
The non NHS and old army remedy for anything south of the ankle is to pee on it. I've done that in my boots before now, worked a treat for blistering but the smell....., not been brave enough since and would have been sacked from the old job for recommending it.


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## malteaser14 (Nov 28, 2012)

I'm literally crying with laughter! However funny that remedy is, I think I'll give peeing on my foot a miss thanks!  

The same thing happened to my other foot, I lost all movement in my big toe and two to its side. I had to physically move them with my hand a few times a day to get the movement back, and now that foots fine and can take a knock without any problems (touch wood!) I was hoping there would be an easy fix for this foot, but I guess not. 

Thanks for the reply


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## punisher73 (Nov 28, 2012)

In traditional okinawan karate, yes they trained the toes.  The used to kick with the tip of the big toe, and also had a "toe rip kick" that curled the toes and used a claw motion downward.

Couple of things they did to strengthen the toes.
1) Iron sandals, much like our flip flops (remember when they were still called "thongs") they were made of metal and the toes were used to grip and hold the sandal in place.
2) Using an object to strike the toe with.  Here is a video of a common method


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## arnisador (Nov 28, 2012)

Uechi-ryu is esp. known for this.


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## Touch Of Death (Nov 28, 2012)

Find a stair well, and run up the stair well on the edges with just your toes, repeat the exercise as often as you desire; also, lightly strike objects with the tip of your toe to toughen that up. There is some story of a Japanese guy shattering the knee cap of some western sailor with the tip of his toe to go along with the training.


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## jks9199 (Nov 28, 2012)

malteaser14 said:


> I'm expecting this answer to be a resounding no, but then I have learnt alot from these forums so I'd thought I'd ask just incase! Been having an issue with muscle damage at the base of my toe for about 10months now. It went away when I was resting my foot after some ligiment damage, but came back almost immediately after I went back training. It does t always hurt but a simple knock will cause alot of pain for quite sometime. Any ideas... Other than not being so clumsy


Not sure what you're asking.

The toes, like pretty much any other part of the body, can be conditioned to withstand use as a weapon.  There are people who can kick through a fuel can, for example.  Some of it is learning to form the foot properly.  Some of it is developing the flexibility and strength to support the use.  

But it also sounds like you've got an injury that's not being given time to heal.  One of the biggest problems with foot injuries is that they're so hard to rest; after all, it's hard not to walk on your feet.


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## MikeBielat (Dec 8, 2012)

Do you have kids or grand kids?

This works great for me:


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