How do I improve foot flexibility? (Read 1004 times)

On occasion, I have discomfort in the knuckle where my right big toe joins the foot when running. It feels like I'm really putting a lot of force on it, and it gets an uncomfortable feeling like I'm going to have a bruise later. I haven't actually had a bruise later, but that's the feeling. On my run the other day, I think I figured it out. The last time it happened, I remembered feeling a tight feeling under my arch and then noticed later in the run that my toe was beginning to hurt. This time, I again noticed the tight feeling and then paid very close attention to the motion of my feet afterwards. I could feel the left foot flexing and rolling with each strike as it should, and it felt very smooth and comfortable. The right foot on the other hand felt like it couldn't flex for some reason, and as my foot rolled, all the impact ended up focused on that big toe knuckle. Has anyone dealt with something like this? How did you address it? From my searching on foot flexibility, it seems to be related to PF, but I don't have any of the typical symptoms of PF at all, just a tight feeling under my arch on the occasional run. Nevertheless, I've started using a tennis ball on the sole of my foot, and it seemed to ease the tight feeling, but I haven't run on the road since then, so I'm not sure if it's eased up or not. Any help would be much appreciated.

I've read some about chi running, but I'm hesitant to mess with my form too much. I've really been lucky in not having any serious issues, and I feel like my form is pretty naturally smooth. Thanks for your feedback though. I know lots of folks have had good results with it. In the meantime, my problem has eased. It's happened a few times before, and only lasts for a day or two. I've been using the tennis ball on my arches and taking extra time to stretch my soleus, and I think both of these has helped. I have noticed however, that even when my right foot feels good and doesn't get uncomfortable, I just naturally have more tension in that arch and less flattening than the left. I wish they both felt like my left, because it feels just great, but I'm guessing that there's some small physical difference between them that accounts for my occasional troubles.

The closest thing to chi running is buying Nke Zoom Victory's where the shoe tightens like a track shoe around your foot and is flexible like a running shoe, they are new on the market and yet they have the comfort of a running shoe and are built using advanced enginnering. I do active isolated streches on both feet but more on my right foot to increase flexibility and also use pure cold water in my bathtub up to ankles with 3 ice trays and soak feet after any run. In other words, I am doing everything possible to avoid a foot problem. I had problems of lacing too tight on top and so now I lace around my high arch using the techniques on New Balaance dot com.

barefoot night time golf course running. Stay off the greens. Most golf cats can't exceed about 13 mph, in my estimation. Keep that in mind, if you encounter the grounds keeper.