Foot Pain? Weak Ankles? Do This.
Best exercises for plantar fasciitis & stronger feet, ankles
If you’ve been working on your balance this week, you may have noticed something surprising…
Your feet are talking to you. 😢
Maybe they’re tight, achy, or tired by the end of the day.
Maybe you’ve dealt with plantar fasciitis or other nagging foot pain.
The truth is that foot problems are incredibly common in midlife.
And while it’s tempting to think that a new pair of shoes is the answer, better shoes often don’t address the real issue.
Sometimes the solution isn’t more support—it’s helping your feet become stronger and more resilient.
Let’s begin working on that today.
JUST ONE THING
Your feet need movement, strength, and mobility, just like every other part of your body.
Your JUST ONE THING to Decrease Foot Pain
Stretch & Strengthen Your Feet
Your feet contain 26 bones, more than 100 muscles, ligaments, and tendons, AND they serve as the foundation for your entire body.
When the tissues in your feet become stiff and weak, it can affect everything above them
—including your balance, knees, hips, and even your low back.
A few minutes of foot stretches and simple foot exercises each day can help improve mobility, wake up the small muscles in your feet, and relieve tension that contributes to pain.
✨Don’t underestimate the power of healthy feet!
The stronger and more mobile your foundation becomes, the steadier and more confident you’ll feel everywhere else. 💪
Here are some easy moves that you can do today to strengthen your foundation 👣
Simple Moves to Reverse Foot & Heel Pain
- Foot & Ankle Stretch (10 reps/side): Place toes up the wall and ball of foot on floor, then tap your knee straight forward to the wall.
- Towel Grabs (10 reps/side): Put a towel on the floor with your foot on top, flare out toes, grab the towel and pull it in.
- Piano Toes (10 reps/side): Spread toes out as much as possible on bring toes down one at a time.
- Active Calf Stretch on Stair (10 reps/side): Let your heel hang off edge of stair then raise heel up to full calf raise.
Extra Tip: Every evening, do extra foot strengthening by taking your shoes off, actively spread your toes apart as far as possible, then bunch them up tight. Repeat for 10-15 reps.
Did You Know...
- Most foot problems come from poor posture or alignment (like fallen or high arches), weak muscles, and limited flexibility in the foot, ankle, and leg.
- A strong core can help with foot pain! Better core strength leads to more stable hips and a stronger lower back—where many leg and foot issues originate.
- Exercising barefoot is awesome! Doing even a few strength and balance exercises without shoes can improve foot strength and make your workouts more effective.
Until next week... Be strong💪
