Many people experience ankle or foot pain at some point. Keeping your feet strong can help you alleviate
your soreness and improve flexibility and overall health.
Regularly stretching and exercising the ankle and feet can help ensure that the muscles are strong enough
to provide the best support. These exercises may also help increase the range of motion in your feet, keeping a person
active for a long period of time.
If your ankles and feet ache a lot, if you have diabetes or arthritis, or if you have any injuries, be
sure to consult your doctor or physical therapist before you start any of these exercises. Your doctor may add some
other exercises or take away a few of the ones listed here depending on your needs.
Toe Raise, Point & Curl
This three-part exercise will help to get your feet and toes moving.
- Sit in a chair with a straight-back keeping your feet flat on the floor.
- Keeping your toes flat on the ground raise your heels until only the toes and balls of your feet touch
the ground. Hold the position for five seconds. - Point your toes in a way that only the ends of your big and second toes can touch the ground. Hold it
there for five seconds. - Keeping your heel off the ground roll your toes under in a way that the tops of your toes touch the
ground. Again hold for five seconds. - Repeat each step 10 times.
Toes Play
This movement is performed to gain control over the toe muscles.
- Sit in a straight-backed chair while your feet are gently resting on the floor.
- Move all your toes apart as far as comfortable and hold there for five seconds.
- Repeat 10 times.
- This exercise can be made harder by looping a rubber band around your toes.
Toe Extension
This stretch is good to treat or prevent plantar fasciitis, which is the leading cause for heel pain.
- Sit in a chair keeping your back straight, place your feet flat on the floor.
- Pick your one foot up and place it on the other thigh.
- Grab your toes with your hand and pull them up in the direction of your ankle until you feel a stretch
in your heel cord and along the bottom of your foot. - Massage your foot arch with your other hand during the stretch and hold for 10 seconds.
- Repeat the process 10 times on each foot.
Toe Curls
This exercise helps strengthen the muscles on the top of your toes and feet.
- Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and back straight.
- Lay a hand towel or kitchen towel on the floor in front of you in a way that the short end is at your
feet. - Placing the toes of one foot on the end of the towel, scrunch your toes so you can pull the towel
toward you. - Repeat five times using each foot.
The difficulty of this exercise can be increased by placing a small weight on the far end of the towel.