Strengthen your midfoot with these simple exercises
What's the story
The midfoot is a crucial area for walking and bearing weight.
Strengthening this part of the foot helps prevent injuries, improves balance, and boosts overall foot function.
This article outlines five exercises to strengthen your midfoot, ideal for anyone looking to improve foot health and stability.
Toe raises
Toe raises for stronger feet
Toe raises strengthen the muscles surrounding the midfoot.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Slowly raise your toes as high as possible while keeping your heels on the ground.
Hold for three seconds, then lower your toes. Repeat 15 times. This exercise targets the muscles around the joints, helping to provide support and stability.
Arch lifts
Arch lifts for midfoot stability
Arch lifts help condition the arch of the foot, providing support to the midfoot.
Sit with your feet flat on the floor.
Raise your arch by pulling it upwards without lifting your toes or heel.
Hold the position for five seconds, then relax.
Repeat 10 times to improve midfoot stability.
Towel scrunches
Towel scrunches for enhanced grip strength
Towel scrunches might not directly target the midfoot, but they're great for building toe strength and flexibility, which can help improve foot mechanics.
Simply lay a towel flat on the floor under your feet and try to scrunch or pull it towards you using ONLY your toes - no heel movement allowed!
Three sets of 10 on each foot should do the trick.
Ball pick-ups
Ball pick-ups for dexterity and strength
This exercise enhances dexterity and muscle strength in the toes and midfoot, helping to stabilize movements involving the midfoot.
Sit comfortably with a small ball (such as a golf ball) positioned in front of you on the floor.
Using only your toes, grasp the ball and hold it for five seconds before gently releasing it back onto the floor.
Repeat this action 10 times with each foot.
Balancing
Balancing exercises
Balancing exercises help build strength and enhance proprioception, or your body's sense of spatial awareness, in complex joints like the Lisfranc.
Start by standing on one leg, aiming for initially 30 seconds per leg.
As you get better, increase the time or add challenges like closing your eyes or standing on a pillow.
These changes work the smaller muscles improving strength and coordination.