The first thing most of us do in the morning, after silencing the alarm, is put our feet on the floor. Before the coffee brews, our feet and ankles take the body’s weight and get us standing. The feet are the first part of the body to react to the ground, and the ankles just above them play a big role in how well we move from that first step forward. Strong feet and ankles are one of the early lines of defense against a random fall or an unfortunate ankle roll, and they help all of us move better.
When we focus on ankle strength with our personal training clients, one of the first things we watch is whether the arch of the foot collapses inward as the foot takes weight. We also want the foot to generate enough force off the ground for the movement at hand, without hindrances or complications. Everyday functional movements such as getting out of bed, climbing a flight of stairs, and getting in and out of the car depend on both of these qualities. Balance, coordination, and proprioception, which is the body’s built-in sense of position, also play a role.
The ankle moves in a few basic directions. Dorsiflexion pulls the top of the foot up toward the shin. The tibialis anterior, the muscle running down the front of the shin, is responsible for most of this motion and lifts the toes so they clear the edge of each stair. Plantarflexion points the foot down. The gastrocnemius, the larger of the calf muscles, drives this motion and pushes the body up and forward when we climb a stair or rise onto the balls of the feet to reach a high kitchen shelf.
Inversion tilts the sole of the foot inward, and eversion tilts it outward. These motions let the foot adjust to uneven ground or a sloped driveway. Circumduction is a circular motion that combines all four directions, like drawing a circle in the air with the big toe. Smooth movement in each direction helps the foot adapt to the surface it lands on and can reduce the likelihood of rolling an ankle.
The toes have their own collection of muscles. The flexors curl the toes down and press them into the floor, while the extensors lift them up. The big toe is the last part of the foot to leave the ground when we walk, and it helps propel the body forward. When the big toe lifts, the tissue along the bottom of the foot tightens, helping raise the arch. Strong big toe extensors and flexors can help keep the arch from collapsing inward and support a steady push-off. Not doing enough foot and ankle exercise can leave these muscles deconditioned, leading to shorter, choppier steps and a feeling of unsteadiness when getting up from bed or a couch.
We prescribe the big toe extension exercise as fitness homework for many of our personal training clients. It’s a safe, simple, and effective exercise that builds strength and control across the foot’s biomechanics.
Sit in a sturdy chair with both feet flat on the floor and your knees bent at ninety degrees. Keep the ball of your foot and your other four toes pressed into the floor, and slowly lift only your big toe as high as you can. If the other toes want to lift along with it, use your hand to gently hold them down at first. Hold the top position for two seconds, then lower the big toe back to the floor with control. Ensure your arch stays lifted and your foot doesn’t roll inward as the toe rises. You should feel the muscles along the top of your foot and the front of your shin working. Repeat this movement for ten to fifteen repetitions on each foot.
Getting out of bed, climbing the stairs, and stepping out of the car are movements most of us make every day. A few minutes of foot and ankle exercise one to three times per week can make each of those movements a little steadier. Strong feet and ankles are an invaluable asset to our lifetime fitness journeys, and they help us start every day on solid footing with the first step out of bed.
Sean McCawley, the founder and owner of Napa Tenacious Fitness in Napa, CA, welcomes questions and comments. Reach him at 707-287-2727, napatenacious@gmail.com, or visit the website napatenaciousfitness.com.