Foot and Ankle Strengthening Exercises

If you want to stay physically and mentally fit, you need to exercise regularly. If you want to exercise regularly, your feet and ankles need to be able to keep up with the pounding you dish out to them when you are jogging or working out. And if you want your feet to be able to keep up, you need to exercise them as well.

Exercising your feet and ankles not only can improve your workouts, it also can reduce the chances of injury. The great thing is that you can keep your feet and ankles in shape through simple exercises you can do at home or at work.

Here are some quick, easy, and effective feet and ankle exercises that can keep you on the road to wellness:

  • Ankle Pump-Ups. Every step you take from your heel to your toe requires flexibility and muscle strength. You can increase your ankle flexibility as well as strengthen the muscles in the front of your shins by pulling your foot up as if you were trying to reach the front of your shins with your toes. Hold like that for 10 seconds, doing three sets of 10. Try to do these exercises three times per day if possible.
  • Ankle pump-downs. Focusing on the same flexibility and strength as ankle pump ups, but for the calves, push your foot down and point your toes away from you towards the floor. Like with the pump-ups, hold for 10 seconds and do three sets of 10.

  • Bent knee wall stretch. Also working the calves, this exercise involves leaning against a solid wall and with arms outstretched. Move one foot forward while keeping the other back. Then, slightly bend the back knee until you can feel the stretch in the back of that calf. Hold for 30 seconds and do three sets of 10, three times a day.
  • Toe rise. Strengthen your toes and calf muscles by standing on a stable surface and raising yourself up on your toes by lifting your heels off of the ground. Hold for 10 seconds and do, you guessed it, three sets of 10. Feel free to hold onto a chair for balance if necessary.
  • Plantar Fascia Massage. The plantar fascia is a ligament that covers the layers of muscles, tendons, nerves, and blood vessels that run over the bottom of the foot. Plantar fasciitis, one of the most common causes of heel pain, involves inflammation of this tissue which connects your heel bone to your toes. You can massage the plantar fascia by sitting down, crossing your leg over your knee and pulling your toes back toward your nose. With your free hand, massage the area on the bottom of your foot just in front of your heel. Do this for 10 minutes, three times per day.

JAWSpodiatry: Your Hollywood, Florida Foot and Ankle Specialists

The exercises listed above are great ways to help keep your feet and ankles in shape. Another great way to do so is through partnering with the foot and ankle specialists at JAWSpodiatry in Hollywood, Florida.  We utilize the most advanced and non-invasive techniques to reduce pain and speed recovery for individuals suffering from foot and ankle problems. If you’d like to learn more about the innovative and effective treatments we provide or how we can help you with your foot and ankle issues, please call us today at (954) 922-7333 or contact us online to schedule a consultation.

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