Strengthening Foot Muscles

Chronic muscle weakness in the foot can be remedied. Even if you have a problem in one foot, it’s best to exercise both feet.

Place a small dry towel or your sock flat on the floor. Put your bare foot on top of the sock. By contracting your plantar muscles, attempt to pick up the sock by squeezing your toes with the rest of the muscles on the bottom of the foot, keeping your heel on the floor. If you can do this easily—literally are able to lift the towel or sock—the muscles work fine and there is no need for strengthening exercises. If you cannot perform this task, start with a few seconds of trying to pick up the sock. You should be able to lift the front of your foot off the floor while holding the sock. More than a few seconds may fatigue the muscles, so you can limit the activity to that time frame. Perform this exercise two or three times a day, gradually building up to about one minute for each foot. As it becomes easier, you can switch from sock or towel to a marble or small ball for a better workout.

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Once you can easily pick up the sock or marble, begin the next phase of this exercise. This involves lifting the sock or marble and moving it left and right. With your heel planted firmly on the floor, pick up the sock or marble and move it as far to the left as you can, placing it back on the floor. Next, pick up the sock or marble and move it as far to the right as you can, keeping your heel on the floor. Gradually, bring your foot (holding the sock or marble) farther and farther to the left and right each time. Be sure to keep your heel on the floor. You should feel the muscles in your leg as you perform this task. Work up to performing this part of the exercise for about two minutes in each foot, with a few seconds rest between movements. If you feel pain or cramping, slow down; if it continues, there may be more extensive problems in the foot, especially muscle imbalance. In this case, use the four primary therapies discussed above (being barefoot, soft-taping, etc.) for a week or two and try this exercise again.

A third part of these strengthening exercises involves lifting up your foot as far as possible while holding the sock or marble. This strengthens the tibialis anterior muscle more than the previous routine. After picking up the sock or marble, lift your foot straight up, as far up as it will go. Next, bring the sock or marble as far right as possible and place it on the floor. Then do the same to the left. In all movements, raise your foot as high as possible. Over time you’ll increase your range of motion as the tibialis anterior strengthens. (For pain or cramping, the same as above applies.)

Once you have strengthened your foot muscles, maintaining strength will occur through normal use, so you generally don’t have to continue the exercises. This is especially true if you spend adequate time being barefoot.