As recommended by the College of Podiatry in the UK here is a 6 Step Work Out to keep your feet strong and stable. Like I’ve said before – a strong foundation means everything above it works better. You walk better, taller, slimmer and more stable.

So take off your socks, wriggle your toes and let’s go!

1. Towel Grabbing

1. Sit on a chair and put a (old!) towel on the floor in front of you.
2. Place your toes on the towel and heels flat on the floor
3. Raise your forefoot and then lower it to grab the towel with your toes.
4. Scrunch the towel towards you

Do this for 2 minutes for each foot

2. Playing marbles

A beloved exercise of ballerinas everywhere! They do this up to 50 times a DAY!!!

1. Sit on a chair and place some marbles on the floor. (Start with 5 and work up to 15!!)
2. Get an empty Tupperware box or similar and place on the floor.
3. Use your toes to pick up 1 marble at a time and place it in the container until you run out of marbles

Repeat for the other foot

3. Toe Alphabet

1. Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you.
2. Write the alphabet with your toes
3. Repeat with the other foot.

This is easily modified to be an ankle exercise if you sit so that your calf is supported and your ankle is freely able to rotate.

4. Short Foot

As recommended by Harvard no less!

1. Stand up with both feet flat on the floor.
2. Tighten the toes in one foot and “scrunch” / shorten the foot by pulling the toes towards the heel (same motion you used on the towel in the 1st exercise!).
3. Hold this “dome” for a slow count of 6 and then release
4. Repeat 8 – 10 times

Then do the other foot!

5. Good toes . . .

When my daughter was about 5 she went to ballet classes – I have blatantly stolen this one from her teacher!

1. Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you
2. Point your toes away from you
3. Hold for 1-2 seconds
4. Then flex your feet so your toes come towards you
5. Hold for 1-2 seconds
6. Repeat 6-8 times on each foot.

Variations – for the full ballet class experience you can chant “good toes” when pointing them and “bad toes” when flexing!

Also feel free to place a resistance band around the middle of the foot. Make sure there is tension when the foot is flexed (toes towards you!) and then repeat.

6. Icy Cool

If after all this exercise your feet are hot, swollen or painful, then treat your feet to a combined massage with ice therapy!

Half fill a small plastic bottle with water and freeze it.

When frozen, use this bottle as a roller massage by putting your foot on it and rolling the length of your foot and back. A cooling and relaxing massage for your feet!

P.S. Sandy Toes

Walking barefoot on the sand is also a great work out for your feet and core muscles. Maybe try writing the alphabet with your toes?

Take advantage of that beach!