6 Exercises to Strengthen Feet and Ankle to Enhance Mobility, Stability

Last updated on June 1st, 2024 at 12:19 pm

Ankle strengthening exercises are beneficial for various ankle joint and heel issues. Whether you’re an athlete aiming to enhance your performance or someone with heel pain, ankle, or foot pain, improving overall ankle health and stability can make a significant difference. 

This comprehensive guide on ankle strengthening exercises will cover easy yet effective exercises to strengthen and make your ankle more flexible. I carefully curate these exercises, which I often prescribe to my patients in our clinical setup. So, let’s get started.

Importance of ankle strengthening exercises

Before we begin the exercises, let’s discuss the basics of four movements that a normal ankle allows. This will help us understand the exercises we are going to learn. 

Our ankle joint allows movement in four different axes:

1. Ankle dorsiflexion: When we pull our foot upwards, the motion of the ankle is termed dorsiflexion.
2. Plantarflexion: When we take it downwards, we call it plantar flexion in medical terms.
3. Inversion: We can also turn our sole inwards in the direction of the body midline; this is called inversion.
4. Eversion: Exactly opposite of inversion, when we turn the sole outwards, it is called eversion.

All these four motions occur due to the action of specific muscles for these four movements. The calf muscles are our plantar flexors, which means the plantar flexion motion results from the calf muscles’ action.

The muscle in front of the leg is the tibialis anterior, which is responsible for dorsiflexion motion.

Exercises to strengthen feet and ankles

The exercises we are going to learn aim to strengthen these muscles. So, let us begin with the heel off when sitting.

1) Heel off in sitting exercise

The first exercise in the list of ankle strengthening exercises is heel off in sitting. It is recommended that the exercise for weak ankles should begin in a sitting position for at least a week.

As we become accustomed, you should shift to exercises in standing, where you need to perform exercises in a weight-bearing position. We will discuss exercises in the standing position later in this article, but let’s begin with exercises in sitting.

1. For heel-off in sitting exercise, your starting position would be sitting at the edge of a chair with your feet flat on the ground and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Sit straight and try to maintain good posture throughout the exercise.
2. In this position, lift both heels slowly and smoothly off the ground, keeping your toes in contact with the floor.
3. Raise it to a comfortable point and hold the position for a few seconds. 
4. Then, gradually lower your heel back down to the ground.
5. Aim for around 10-15 repetitions in a session, gradually increasing the range of motion as you become more comfortable.
6. You can do this exercise multiple times throughout the day, especially if you sit for extended periods.

2) Toe off exercise in sitting

The “toe-off exercise in sitting” is designed to target the muscles on the front of the lower leg. The medical term for this muscle is tibialis anterior.

1. The starting position for this exercise is the same as the previous one: sitting comfortably in a chair with both feet flat on the ground. 
2. In this position, keep your heels firmly on the ground, and then slowly lift your toes off the floor.
3. While doing so, slowly extend your toes upward as if trying to point them toward the ceiling. This movement engages the muscles of the toes and the front of the foot and leg.
4. Once you’ve extended your toes as far as you comfortably can, you should feel a gentle stretch in the back.
5. Hold the position for a few seconds. Then, slowly lower your toes to the starting position, allowing them to flex downward.
6. A minimum of about 10-15 repetitions is recommended, gradually increasing the number of repetitions as your foot muscles become stronger and more accustomed to the movement.

3) Heel off in standing exercise for weak ankles

Our first exercise among the list of foot and ankle strengthening exercises in standing position is heel off in standing. The same exercises I demonstrated in a sitting position can be done in a standing position.

This exercise is designed to improve the ankle’s flexibility and strengthen the leg and foot muscles in weight-bearing positions. 

1. So, stand straight with your foot flat on the ground and keep hip-width apart.
2. Place a chair in front and hold the backrest to get support and prevent any risk of falling and getting injured while performing the exercise.
3. Now initiate the movement by gently lifting both your heels off the ground while keeping your toes firmly on the ground. Your weight will transfer to the ball of your foot.
4. Try to lift your heel as comfortably as possible without causing strain or discomfort. You should feel a stretch in the muscle in front of the shin bone.
5. Hold the position for a few seconds, and while doing so, try to maintain control and balance during this phase of the exercise.
6. Gradually lower your heel back to the ground. As your heel contacts the ground, your weight will return to the entire foot.
7. We recommend 10-15 repetitions in a session, gradually increasing the number of repetitions as you become more accustomed to the exercise. You should make it a part of your regular routine.

4) Toe off in standing exercise to strengthen your ankles

Our next exercise is to toe-off in standing, which focuses on enhancing the strength of the muscles in your toes and the back part of your leg. This is also performed standing; however, the position differs from the previous one. This time, you must stand with the trunk supported over the wall.

1. So, stand close to the wall with your back facing it. Lean your back to support your trunk on the wall. Adjust your feet by moving them slightly forward so that you stand in a stable position. 
2. In this position, lift your toes off the ground, ensuring that your heel remains in contact with the floor.
3. Slowly and deliberately extend your toes upward as far as you comfortably can. This action engages the muscles in the front part of your foot and leg.
4. Hold this position for a few seconds. Focus on maintaining your balance and posture throughout the exercise.
5. Now, gradually lower your toes back down to the ground, allowing them to flex and touch the floor.
6. You should perform this for around 10-15 repetitions in a session.

Also read: How to Use Silicone Heel Cup for Pain-Free Heel

5) Foot inversion in standing exercise for ankle strengthening

Our final exercise in the list of ankle strengthening exercises is foot inversion in standing, which we also call weight-bearing lateral foot. It aims to strengthen the muscles responsible for turning the sole of your foot inward.

1. For this, our starting position would be standing straight with your feet hip-width apart. Keep the foot straight and relaxed. 
2. In this position, slowly turn both foot soles inward towards your body. Invert your foot as much as possible without causing strain or discomfort.
3. You should feel the muscles on the outer side of your foot engaging during this movement.
4. Hold the position for a few seconds.
5. Now, slowly and gently return your foot to the starting position with the sole flat on the ground.
6. We recommend it for about 10-15 repetitions in a single session. You can gradually increase the number of repetitions after a week or so.

Conclusion

These exercises are very simple, and I strongly recommend incorporating them into your routine. Over time, you may find ankle strength is improving, reflected in enhanced balance and increased mobility.

Remember, the journey to stronger ankles is a continuous one. So make it part of your daily exercise and workout. However, if you are suffering from ankle pain, there are a few other sets of ankle pain relief exercises that can better help you.

We have covered this in one of our articles, “What Causes Sharp Heel Pains? 11 Easy Exercises to Fix it Permanently,” which we suggest you follow.

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Sunit. S. Ekka

Dr Sunit Sanjay Ekka is a physiotherapist in practice for the last 15 years. He has done his BPT from one of the premium Central Government physiotherapy colleges, ie, SVNIRTAR. The patient is his best teacher and whatever he gets to learn he loves to share it on his Youtube channel and blog.