Foot and Ankle Conditioning Exercises for Everyone

If our podiatrists recommend physical therapy for foot or ankle pain, it’s for a good reason. Exercises targeted specifically for the feet and ankles speed up recovery from an injury and help you gain back your strength. But here’s a tidbit you may not have thought about: the kinds of exercises we prescribe post-injury are also great for anyone to perform anytime, anywhere.
Foot and ankle conditioning exercises can help high school athletes, weekend warriors, swimmers, walkers, runners, gardeners, and senior citizens:
- improve balance and prevent falling
- stretch tight calf muscles, which can strain the Achilles tendon (see our recent blog on the importance of preventing an Achilles tendon injury)
- warm-up or cool-down from exercising
- relieve toe cramps
- reduce the pain of bunions and hammertoes
- maintain long-term stability in the ankle joint
- prevent future injuries to the lower leg, ankle, and feet
No special equipment needed
You can perform exercises that target the feet and ankles just about anywhere with things you’ve already got in your home:
- A towel to grab with your toes and pick up
- Small objects such as marbles or game pieces – also to pick up with your toes
- A golf ball to roll under your arch to relieve plantar fasciitis pain
- A chair to hold onto while you perform calf raises
- A wall to lean against and stretch out your calves
You’ll find easy instructions for these and other helpful conditioning exercises on our website.
Our experienced podiatric surgeons, Dr. Craig B. Frey, Dr. Megan L. Oltmann, and Dr. Jim Swienconek, help people of all ages use exercises to strengthen their lower limbs or recover from foot and ankle injuries. Call Foot & Ankle Associates of Cleveland in Solon, Ohio at (440) 903-1041 or contact us online to schedule a consultation. We offer a modern office with the latest technology for podiatric patients in Portage, Geauga, Cuyahoga, and Summit Counties, proudly serving our patients from Solon, Aurora, Bedford, Chagrin Falls, Hudson, Macedonia, and Twinsburg.