Exercises and stretches to keep your feet healthy

Exercising your feet on a regular basis not only improves overall foot health but may also reduce your risk for injury.

Before walking or doing any other exercise, take a few minutes to march in place as a warm-up. Then try some of the quick exercises below to stretch and strengthen the muscles in your feet. Then hit the road—starting out slowly if it’s the first time you’ve exercised in a while.

Limber up

To limber up your foot before attempting other exercises, try this:

1. Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.

2. Lift your left leg so your foot is off the floor and use your big toe to make circles in the air, moving in a clockwise direction, for 15 to 20 rotations.

3. Reverse direction and make another 15 to 20 circles, this time in a counterclock­wise direction.

4. Repeat with your right foot.

Bottom-of-foot stretch

To stretch the muscles on the bottom of your feet and your toes:

1. Stand with feet together.

2. Step back with your left leg so your heel is raised and your toes press against the ground. You should feel the muscles on the bottom of your feet pull gently.

3. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.

4. Repeat with your right foot.

Top-of-foot stretch

To stretch the muscles on top of your feet and your toes:

1. Stand with feet together.

2. Working with one foot at a time, raise your heel and curl your toes under, pressing the tops of your toes against the floor. You should feel the muscles on the top of your feet and the front of your ankle gently stretch.

3. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.

4. Repeat with the other foot.

Calf and Achilles tendon stretch (runner’s stretch)

To stretch your Achilles tendon:

1. Stand at arm’s length from a wall, pressing your hands against it and keeping your feet together.

2. Step back with your left leg, bending your right knee slightly and keeping the left heel on the ground. You should feel a stretch along your calf to your ankle. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.

3. Repeat with your right leg.

Seated hamstring stretch

Tight muscles in the backs of your thighs can put stress on the calves and, in turn, the ankles and feet. To stretch the hamstrings:

1. Find a stable chair that is not on wheels, and sit with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.

2. Extend your right leg straight in front of you, with your right heel grounded on the floor and your toes pointing toward the ceiling.

3. Hinge forward at the hip, placing your hands on your left thigh for support.

4. Repeat with your left leg.

Strengthening exercise for ankles

You can practice a simple exercise to increase ankle strength that mimics the movement of your foot when you press down on an accelerator or clutch in a car:

1. Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor, pointing forward.

2. Lift your left leg. Hold the ends of an exercise band and place the center of the band under the ball of your foot.

3. Slowly press against the exercise band, as if you were stepping on the gas pedal of your car and hold for a few seconds. You should feel a stretch on the upper part of your foot. Then release.

4. Repeat 10 to 15 times.

5. Repeat with your right leg.

Strengthening exercise for calves

To strengthen your calves:

1. Wearing sneakers or shoes, stand with both feet flat. Raise your heels, shifting your weight onto the balls of your feet. Then lower your heels.

2. Repeat 10 times. Pause. Perform five sets of 10 repetitions daily.

After two weeks, if your feet are strong and uninjured, you can increase the intensity by performing the same set of exercises but standing on only one foot at a time. Rest the other foot gently on the back of your ankle. Hold the back of a chair or table for stability.

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