Build Strong Feet: Exercises To Strengthen Your Foot & Ankle

A lot depends on the health of our feet, especially when it comes to their strength and stability. But they often get quite neglected, when it comes to maintenance. Here’s how to help your feet keep the rest of your body in good condition:

On a good footing

The foot-specific exercises recommended here include:

1. Active toe flexion/extension: curl and extend your toes
2. Active toe adduction/abduction: use a towel for feedback this time as you spread your toes
3. “Short foot” exercise: create an arch by bringing the base of your big toe towards your heel
4. Resisted big toe flexion: use resistance bands; flex your big toe while controlling the others.
5. Standing big toe flexion (isometric): press your big toe against an inclined surface as forcefully as you can
6. Foot bridge exercise: hold your position with the front part of your feet on an elevated surface, to strengthen the arch.
7. Heel raises: which can be progressed from basic to more advanced variations, increasing difficulty
8. Ankle movements: dorsiflexion, inversion, etc, to increase mobility

It’s important to also look after your general lower body strength and stability, including (for example) single-leg deadlifts, step-downs, and lunges

Balance and proprioceptive exercises are good too, such as a static or dynamic one-leg balances, progressing to doing them with your eyes closed and/or on unstable surfaces (be careful, of course, and progress to this only when confident).

For more on all of these, an explanation of the anatomy, some other exercises too, and visual demonstrations, enjoy:

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Want to learn more?

You might also like to read:

Steps For Keeping Your Feet A Healthy Foundation

Take care!