Toe Exercises for Better Balance and Achy Feet, Per a P.T.

You probably don’t spend much time thinking about your feet—until they start complaining. Maybe your arches feel achy after your long weekend walk or the balls of your feet seem a bit sore when you’re barefoot around the house.

Your feet put in a ton of work for us each day, which could be one reason they hurt. Another? Getting older can also lead to more aches.

“The foot is the first point of contact for the human body as we stand, walk, and navigate most movements of daily life. So having a healthy foot structure is vital for our balance, gait, and posture,” explains Winnie Yu, P.T., D.P.T., C.S.C.S., a physical therapist at Bespoke Physical Therapy in New York. “It also allows us to remain active and can help prevent foot pain or a compensatory injury to other body parts, such as the ankle, knee, or even the hips and back.”

Our feet can’t escape the aging process, even if they’re an under-the-radar body part. Over time, the muscles, joints, and connective tissues in our feet can lose strength, flexibility, cushioning, and elasticity, which may contribute to everything from general soreness to flattened or widened arches, bunions, forefoot pain, and balance issues, says Yu.

Plus, other age-related issues, such as arthritis and plantar fasciitis, can contribute to aches, and leading an active lifestyle where you’re often on your feet can also lead to foot discomfort over time.

Ready for the good news? You can train your feet just as you do any other body part. And you should, because good foot health is a crucial aspect of healthy aging.

Specific yoga moves like the ones below can help strengthen, stretch, and wake up the muscles in your feet to improve mobility, flexibility, and coordination and help prevent or lessen aches and pains. They’re also great exercises for better balance.

Try doing Yu’s yoga-inspired toe workout at least once a week; aim to do three sets of 10 reps for each move (it’s OK if you have to work up to the three sets).

Meet the expert: Winnie Yu, P.T., D.P.T., C.S.C.S., a physical therapist at Bespoke Physical Therapy in New York.

1. Great Toe Extension

What it works:

This improves your big toe’s mobility, allowing for better push-off as you walk.

How to do it:

1. Sit in a chair, feet flat against the ground.
2. Lift the big toe up on one foot while keeping the other toes flat on the ground.
3. Lower it back down.
4. Repeat for 10 reps.
5. Then switch sides and repeat.

2. Alternating Toe Raises

What it works:

Not only does this improve big toe mobility, but also mobility through the rest of the toes, allowing for stronger walking and balance.

How to do it:

1. Sit in a chair, feet flat against the ground.
2. Lift the big toe up while keeping the other toes flat on the ground.
3. Lower it back down.
4. Now, keeping big toe flat against the ground, lift the other four toes off the ground at the same time.
5. Lower them back down.
6. Repeat for 10 reps.
7. Then switch sides and repeat.

3. Resisted Great Toe Flexion With Band

What it works:

Strengthen your feet and their arches, with a little resistance!

How to do it:

1. Sit in a chair, feet flat against the ground.
2. Loop a mini loop band around one big toe and hold the band taut away from the foot, allowing the band to pull the big toe back toward you without lifting the other toes off the ground.
3. Slowly lower the big toe against the resistance band (don’t let it touch the ground), pause for a second, then let the band pull the big toe back toward you.
4. Repeat for 10 reps.
5. Then switch sides and repeat.

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4. Doming

What it works:

This exercise builds ankle and arch strength and stability.

How to do it:

1. Sit in a chair, feet flat against the ground.
2. Keeping all toes flat on the ground, try to lift the arch up using just the foot muscles (try to avoid scrunching toes).
3. Release after a second.
4. Repeat for 10 reps.
5. Then switch sides and repeat. Once it starts to feel easier, try performing this move while standing for a greater challenge.

5. Kneeling Plantar Fascia Stretch

What it works:

This move improves foot flexibility, helping to ease aches in the plantar fascia or the band of tissue that runs across the bottom of the foot, from the heel bone to the toes.

How to do it:

1. Kneel on the floor with toes tucked under; the balls of feet and toes should both be against the ground.
2. Keeping hands on thighs or the floor for support, sit hips back toward heels until you feel a gentle stretch along the bottom of feet and toes.
3. Hold for 30 seconds.

6. Towel Scrunches

What it works:

This is a simple way to improve the strength of your foot muscles.

How to do it:

1. Sit in a chair barefoot.
2. Place a small towel (like a bathroom or kitchen hand towel) under the forefoot of the right foot.
3. Flex toes to scrunch the towel toward you until most of it is under the foot.
4. Repeat for 10 reps.
5. Then switch sides and repeat.

7. Toe Splay

What it works:

In addition to improving mobility, this move specifically helps with bunion pain.

How to do it:

1. Sit in a chair, feet flat against the ground.
2. Spread all of the toes out and away from one another on one foot.
3. Hold that position for a second before relaxing back to a neutral starting position.
4. Repeat for 10 reps.
5. Then switch sides and repeat.

8. Heel Raises With Ball

What it works:

Your calf strength also plays a role in how your feet feel. This move strengthens them, helping to relieve tension.

How to do it:

1. Stand and place a tennis or small yoga ball (the kind you use for self-massage) between heels (as if heels are hugging it).
2. Keeping toes pointed forward, lightly squeeze the ball between heels and come up onto forefoot. The ball between heels should lift off the ground and stay between feet.
3. Slowly lower heels.
4. Repeat for 10 reps.