By: Patrick Carroll, PT, DPT, FDN-C
>> Book a Visit
The feet are an often-overlooked piece of injury prevention for runners and training the muscles within the feet can help you significantly improve your resilience and performance. Foot strengthening has been shown to reduce injury risk in runners by 2.4x both for your feet/ankles but also up the chain at the knees, hips, and low back!1
The best part about foot strengthening is that it can be done anywhere, without equipment, and only takes a handful (footful?) of minutes to complete. Here are 3 tests to assess your own foot strength and become a stronger runner.
Toe Yoga Exercise for Foot Strength
Ankle Rocking and Inversion-Eversion Exercise
Short Foot Exercise
How to Improve Foot Strength for Running
Try to do each of these exercises for 10 reps. If you can’t complete these easily, the best way to train them is simply by repeating these motions and progressing by performing them in less stable positions as you adapt (seated -> standing -> single leg). Doing these consistently will help your feet become stronger and better able to distribute forces throughout your kinetic chain.
Physical Therapy for Running Injuries and Foot Pain
If you’re struggling with any of these or dealing with persistent pain while running, book a visit with one of our physical therapists to help develop a holistic plan and keep you running! To see which of our clinics is closest to you, be sure to check out our locations in California, Colorado, and Connecticut.
References
Taddei UT, Matias AB, Duarte M, Sacco ICN. Foot Core Training to Prevent Running-Related Injuries: A Survival Analysis of a Single-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial. Am J Sports Med. 2020;48(14):3610-3619. doi:10.1177/0363546520969205
