Five Easy Exercises to Get Your Foot and Ankle Strength Right – WSJ

Even non-runners can benefit from incorporating foot and ankle exercises into their routine, she says, especially as we age. “If you don’t have healthy foot and ankle mechanics, you feel it up the body chain,” says Dr. Trotter, who practices in Little Silver, N.J. “It can affect balance and lead to knee, back and hip pain.”

Katy Trotter, a Little Silver, N.J.-based podiatrist, says basic foot and ankle work can help you avoid aches and injuries.

Seasonal transitions, like switching footwear, can also lead to aches if you don’t take care of your feet. Dr. Trotter sees an uptick of patients each summer as many switch to flip-flops.

Jumping into a new sport can also tax the feet. Dr. Trotter notes that when runners or cyclists suddenly try sports that require more side-to-side movement, like pickleball or tennis, they also may experience aches. The repeated lateral movement can strain the plantar fascia, the band of tissue that connects your heel bone to the base of the toes.

The following exercises are so simple, they could feel easy to skip. But Dr. Trotter says they are very effective. She suggests performing them right after a run or a workout or making them part of your daily routine by doing them before you get out of bed or while you brush your teeth.

Calf Stretch

Why: Dr. Trotter estimates that lack of ankle mobility, specifically dorsiflexion (the ability to raise the foot up toward the shin), is responsible for 90% of the injuries she treats. “Without at least 10 degrees of ankle flexion, the foot compensates by pronating, or rolling inward, and flattening the arch,” she says. This destabilizes the foot and can lead to injuries. The calf stretch is an easy way to improve ankle dorsiflexion.

How: Stand with feet hip-width apart, about arms’ length from a wall. Place your hands, shoulder-width apart, against the wall. Step the right foot 12 inches behind the body with the toes pointed straight ahead. Gently lean the body forward, keeping the right knee straight. The right foot should maintain full contact with the ground. If the heel starts to raise, you’ve leaned too far. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat, but this time allow the right knee to bend. Hold for 30 seconds. Perform each stretch four times per side.

Option: “You can buy a wedge-shaped calf stretch board and stand on it while either brushing your teeth or cooking,” she says. “Even two minutes of stretching the calf is effective.”

Dr. Trotter holds a calf stretch.

Ankle Rotations

Why: This exercise helps strengthen the peroneus longus tendon, which runs under the foot and attaches near the inside of the arch. “It’s arguably the most important muscle stabilizer of the foot and ankle,” Dr. Trotter says. She performs this drill on the side of her bed every morning and evening.

How: Sit on the edge of a chair or bed with your knees bent at 90 degrees and feet hovering off the ground. Slowly trace an imaginary circle clockwise with the toe of your right foot. Try to keep the rest of the leg still. Repeat 15 circles, then reverse directions and switch feet. “A cracking or popping sound is actually good here,” she says. “It is a sign that the tendons and joints in the feet are realigning.”

Option: To perform this exercise while standing up, balance on the left foot and bend the right knee so that the right heel is raised, toes pointed and touching the ground. Keep the toes pressed into the ground as you rotate the heel clockwise in a circular motion. Rotating in this way will help to get the peroneal tendons snapped back behind the ankle and will also realign the foot’s joints. Rotate about 10 to 15 times. Switch feet.

Dr. Trotter performs an ankle rotation drill.

Doming Drills

Why: This drill strengthens the tiny muscles in the foot primarily used to move the toes. “These muscles are often weak and overpowered by the calf muscles,” Dr. Trotter says. Strengthening these small muscles can reduce the risk of developing plantar fasciitis.

How: Stand tall and slowly raise the arch of your right foot. Think about pulling the big toe joint back toward the heel. Avoid curling your toes. Try to keep the toes and heel flat on the ground. When you’ve raised the arch as high as it can go, pause, then slowly release down to the floor. Perform two to three sets of 10 to 15 reps per foot every other day.

Dr. Trotter performs a doming drill by raising her arch.

Eccentric Calf Raises

Why: By slowing down the lowering movement of a calf raise, we strengthen the muscles around the Achilles tendon while the muscle fibers are lengthening. “This is important in our stride as we start to push off,” Dr. Trotter says. “It helps recruit the deep muscles in the calf to assist and protect the Achilles tendon from injury.”

How: Stand tall. You can rest a hand on a chair or against a wall to help with balance. Slowly rise onto the balls of your feet. Pause at the top and take twice the amount of time to lower down to the floor. Don’t let the ankles roll in or out. Start with two sets of 15 and advance to two sets of 30 every other day.

Option: Perform on one leg at a time for an extra balance challenge. Stand with the balls of your feet on a curb or step so that your heels hover. This allows you to lower the heels more deeply.

Dr. Trotter performs eccentric calf raises on a step.

Toe Curls

Why: Toe curls activate the plantar flexors in the foot, which help us perform basic functions such as pointing our toes, standing on our tiptoes and sprinting.

How: Sit up straight in a chair, with feet flat on the floor. Spread a small towel on the floor in front of you with the short side facing your feet. You can be standing or sitting on a chair. Place the toes of your right foot on the short side of the towel. Try to grip the towel between the toes and pull it back toward the heel. Keep scrunching it toward you until you reach the end of the towel. Switch feet. Repeat two sets of 10 every other day.

Dr. Trotter does toe curls by scrunching up a towel.