6 Proven Exercises To Help Build Strong Feet and Ankles

Maintaining good healthy feet and ankles can be vital to us and our ability to be able to walk, run, and to do any activities to keep us in shape. 

We sometimes forget that our feet and ankles need help to keep going pain-free. And being able to find certain exercises to do this are listed here for you to try and use. 

We want to make sure to take care of our bodies, mentally, emotionally, and especially physically is important.

How can we do this? By using the following: 

6 Proven Exercises To Help Build Strong Feet and Ankles

1. Bent-Knee Wall Stretch 
This exercise will stretch one of the deeper calf muscles that connect to the Achilles. 

Place your palms against the wall, with one leg forward and one leg back, and lower into a "seated" position by bending your knees. 
Continue to lean into the wall until you feel the stretch in the back of your calf, and hold 30 - 45 seconds then switch legs and repeat.

2. Toe Pick-Ups and Curls 

Place several small objects, like marbles or Monopoly pieces on the floor in front of you, using your toes pick them up one at a time and drop them into a cup or bowl. 
Do your best to complete two (2) sets of ten (10) with each foot. You can also use a towel instead of small objects. 

3. Foot Roll
This can help relieve Plantar Fasciitis pain and is good massage for the bottom of your feet.

Using a frozen water bottle, golf ball or Lacrosse ball, roll your foot over the item for 10 minutes, three times (3X) per day. 
Be sure to carefully work at the painful areas, put enough force into them and work the heel and toes. 

4. Negative Calf Raises
This is an exercise that'll help strengthen your toes, calf muscles, and Achilles. 

Stand on a step (use the bottom step - safety first!) with your heels hanging off and your toes on the edge. 
Lift one leg up off the step and slowly drop your heel below the step. 
Try to take at least 10 seconds to lower it all the way down. 
Repeat twice (2X) with each foot. 

Done correctly this exercise has been shown to help relieve Achielles pain and prevent Achilles Tendinitis.

5. Ankle Pump-Up and Down
The ankle pump is similar to the towel tug in that it stretches the calf muscles and increases ankle dorsiflexion. 

Pull your foot up like you're trying to bring your toes to your shin. 
Hold this for 10 seconds and repeat three times (3X) with each foot. 

The Ankle Pump Down will do the same, but increase ankle Plantarflexion. 
Push your foot down, pointing your toes toward the floor.
Again, hold for 10 seconds and repeat three times (3X) with each foot. 

6. Towel Tug
Stretching the ankle with a towel will increase ankle flexibility and stretch the calf muscles. 

Sitting on the floor or a bed, keep your knee straight and loop a towel around your foot. 
Pull the towel back toward yourself until you feel it stretching your calf and hold it for 30 seconds. 
Do this for both feet, completing (2) two sets of (10) ten.

Use these 6 proven exercises to help build strong feet and ankles for yourself beginning today. 

Visit Southwest Foot and Ankle ever 7 months to maintain healthy feet, give us a call here at a location nearest you.