Alana Harrington
Your ankles and feet work tirelessly every day, helping you walk, run, jump, climb and move through life. Yet these hard-working areas are easy to overlook and leave unstable and weak, increasing risks for sprains, overuse injuries and balance issues.
Taking just a few minutes per day to do some simple, effective exercises can build much-needed strength and resilience from the ground up.
With stronger ankles and feet, you’ll not only reduce your risk of injury but also improve your overall mobility and confidence in movement.
Calf Raises
One of the best ways to build up the calf muscles that stabilize the ankles is with basic calf raises. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, then raise up on your toes, lifting your heels off the ground. Hold for 2 seconds at the top, then lower back down with control. Repeat for 2-3 sets of 15-20 reps. You can make these harder by doing them on just one leg or off a step edge.
Ankle Circles
These get the ankle joints and surrounding muscles moving smoothly through their full ranges of motion. While seated, extend one leg out and draw big circles with your toe and foot, going clockwise for 20 revolutions. Then reverse directions, circling 20 times counterclockwise. Take it slow and controlled. Switch legs and repeat on the other side.
Marble Pickups
This exercise really fires up the small intrinsic muscles on the bottom of your feet that help form the arches and aid balance. Sit in a chair and scatter 20 marbles or small balled-up socks on the floor. Use just your toes to pick them up one by one, depositing them in a bowl or container. Switch feet halfway through the set.
Heel and Toe Walks
These dynamic moves get the whole foot and ankle complex engaged while improving balance and proprioception. Take 20 steps forward by lifting up only onto your toes and the balls of your feet, keeping heels up. Then go back the other way, taking 20 elevated steps on just your heels with toes raised. Alternate between heel and toe walks for 2-3 sets.
One-Leg Balance
Do not overlook the importance of basic balancing work, especially as you get older. Stand behind a chair or counter and raise one foot off the floor. Hold for 30 seconds, focusing your gaze on a point ahead to help steady yourself. Add simple arm movements or torso twists to ramp up the difficulty. Switch sides and repeat for 2-3 rounds.
Toe Curls with a Towel
Toe curls are another great exercise that targets the muscles in your feet, especially the arches. Sit on a chair with a towel placed flat on the floor in front of you. Place your foot on the towel, and using just your toes, try to scrunch and pull the towel toward you.
Repeat this motion for 2-3 sets of 15-20 reps per foot. This exercise is excellent for improving grip strength in your toes, which plays a crucial role in maintaining balance and stability.
Toe Spreading Exercises
These exercises are essential for improving the flexibility and strength of the small muscles in your feet. These muscles are crucial for maintaining balance and proper foot alignment. To perform this exercise, sit comfortably and place your feet flat on the floor.
Slowly try to spread your toes apart as wide as you can, holding the position for 5 seconds before releasing. Repeat this motion for 2-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.
If you find it challenging, you can assist with your hands by gently spreading your toes apart. Regularly practicing toe spreading can help in reducing foot cramps and promoting better overall foot health.
Resistance Band Ankle Flexes
Using a resistance band can add a new level of difficulty to your ankle exercises. Sit on the floor with your legs extended straight out in front of you. Wrap a resistance band around the ball of one foot, holding the ends in your hands.
Slowly flex your foot toward you, stretching the band, then point your toes away, returning to the starting position. Do this for 2-3 sets of 15-20 reps on each foot. This exercise helps to strengthen both the front and back of your ankles, providing better support for your entire foot.
Make It a Routine
While these exercises may seem simplistic, they truly work if you stick with them as a regular routine. A few minutes of focused foot and ankle strengthening 3-4 times per week can yield noticeable improvements in stability, balance, and overall lower body strength.
If you have any concerns about starting an exercise program, make sure to consult a doctor at a foot and ankle clinic like Commonwealth Foot and Ankle first.
Stretching for Flexibility and Recovery
In addition to strengthening exercises, incorporating stretching into your routine is vital for maintaining flexibility and aiding recovery. After completing your strengthening exercises, take a few minutes to stretch your calves, Achilles tendon, and the bottoms of your feet.
A simple calf stretch can be done by placing your hands on a wall and stepping one foot back, keeping the heel on the ground and bending the front knee.
Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds and switch legs. Regular stretching will help keep your muscles and tendons flexible, reducing the risk of injury and improving your range of motion.
Why Strengthening Feet/Ankles Matters
You rely on the bones, muscles, and connective tissues around your feet and ankles for literally every single step you take. But these hard-working areas tend to get weaker as we age because of inactivity and lack of use.
Dedicating a small amount of time to specifically targeting these areas pays dividends by reducing risks for problems like sprains, plantar fasciitis, poor balance, and falls.
Conclusion
Strong feet and ankles also enhance performance for athletes and active folks by helping to improve agility, power transfer through your kinetic chain, and efficiency of movement.
Investing in some preventative conditioning is an easy way to maximize mobility and delay impacts of age-related declines in your lower body strength and function.
Keep building that stabilizing strength, and your entire body will thank you for the improved support and balance. As you continue to care for your feet and ankles, you’ll find yourself moving with more ease and confidence in every step you take.
