Yoga and Toe Cramps

What is with yoga and toe cramps? Seems they go together like peanut butter and jelly and I can't figure out why. I thought it was just me . . . getting terrible toe cramps during yoga, making it nearly impossible to do the poses correctly. But last week, my friend reported having the same problem. OK, maybe it contagious since we take yoga classes together. Who knows?

I did a search online for toe cramps and learned that:

• The most common cause is ill-fitting shoes. Hmmmm, I'm not wearing any shoes during yogs.
• Another culprit is high heels . . . which I very rarely wear . . . especially in yoga class!
• Also to blame could be deficiencies in calcium or potassium - Now this is most likely my problem as my diet is pitiful.

I did find one tip to help prevent the terrible toe cramps, so I though I would pass it along:

To alleviate toe cramps, you can do special exercises designed to strengthen the muscles. Try standing on tiptoes and raising your body up and then down repeatedly, using your toes to support you. Hold each position for five seconds. Another good one is to pick up marbles with your toes and relocate them to another spot on the floor. Walking on sand strengthens toes, massages feet and exfoliates the skin … a great workout for feet!