The Strength & Rehabilitation Guide for Your Feet & AnklesThe Strength & Rehabilitation Guide for Your Feet & Ankles Introduction Hello, and welcome to the Atlas Athlete Strength and

The Strength & Rehabilitation Guide for Your Feet & Ankles


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IntroductionHello, and welcome to the Atlas Athlete Strength and Rehabilitation Guide for Your Feet & Ankles. We would like to thank you for your purchase of your Atlas Athlete Foot Sleeve, and give you some fantastic ways to boost your foot and ankle strength. We’re also going to show you how to treat some common disorders, such as plantar fasciitis.

We have included a breakdown of common foot problems and how to identify them. You will also learn the best way to treat your injuries and rehab your feet/ankles to great shape.

There are also a variety of foot and ankle exercises which will improve your strength and stability in these areas. Let’s look at some of the benefits you can gain by doing this.

Benefits of Foot/Ankle StrengtheningAll parts of the body can benefit from strengthening to improve your performance overall. Think about it, even having strong necks and wrists is a must for some sports people. A tennis player needs those strong forearms for example, while fighters and rugby players need strong neck muscles.

The feet are the base of the human body. It’s the point we connect to the ground with, and push off from to create force. The energy moves up our body and into the area it’s needed by doing this, like as the tennis players arm on a swing. We can do the movement without using this technique, and using only our muscles, but the force you can produce by pushing off is much bigger.

This is known as the kinetic chain. The chain starts with the ground, and moves up through the body to where it’s needed. Feet and ankles are the first links in the chain, so if they’re weak they might not be able to transfer the force very well.

Balance is another area where a stronger foot helps a lot. People who struggle with balance often have weak feet or ankles, meaning the muscles, ligaments and tendons can’t hold their weight stable in some positions.

People who run can benefit from stronger feet to help their body work more efficiently, and to avoid wear on these areas. Others might lift heavy weights and can benefit from the extra stability and better kinetic chain.

Injury prevention is much more likely with a strengthening program as well. The exercises you will learn in this guide can be quickly and easily added to your routine, so it won’t cost you much time either.

Overall everybody can benefit from the workouts included in this guide. No matter your lifestyle, you should give them all a go. The path to happier, healthier feet starts here.

Matt ChenMatt Chen,

Fitness & Nutrition Expert – Atlas Athlete

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Table of ContentsIntroduction ....................................................................................2

Disclaimer ....................................................................................3

Anatomy of the Foot & Ankle ..........................................4

Common Foot & Ankle Problems .................................5

Plantar Fasciitis ............................................................................6

Causes & Symptoms ...............................................................6

Treatment ......................................................................................6

Calcaneal Bursitis .......................................................................7

Causes & Symptoms ...............................................................7

Treatments ....................................................................................7

Achilles Tendinitis ......................................................................9

Causes & Symptoms ...............................................................9

Treatments ....................................................................................9

How to Improve Your Foot & Ankle Strength 10

Warming Up ............................................................................ 10

Midfoot Warm Up................................................................. 10

Ankle Warm Up ...................................................................... 10

Heel & Calf Stretch with Straight Leg ....................... 11

Heel & Calf Stretch with Bent Knee ........................... 11

Lowered Heel Calf Stretch .............................................. 12

Rehabilitation Exercises................................................... 14

Fascia Towel Stretch ............................................................ 14

Fascia Massage ....................................................................... 14

Plantar Stretch ........................................................................ 14

Other Rehabilitation Exercises .................................. 14

Bodyweight Exercises ........................................................ 16

Weighted Exercises ............................................................... 18

Barefoot Exercises ................................................................. 20

Increasing Your Training Load .................................... 21

Further Tips .................................................................................. 22

Thank You ...................................................................................... 23

Disclaimer Before we continue, please note that you should always get any injuries checked by a medical professional when possible. They are better qualified to make the final call on your injury than anyone else, as every case is different. Atlas Athlete advises readers to take full responsibility for their safety and know their limits.

Exercise also carries it’s own risks, and Atlas Athlete would advise all readers to train responsibly, and listen to your bodies. Exercise can be a little uncomfortable if you’re new to it, so take your time and remember to consult a medical professional if you have any illness, injury or are taking medication. This goes for anybody who has a medical condition too.

When in doubt, or if you feel much more uncomfortable than what would be considered normal, stop all exercise and consult your doctor before doing any more workouts.

With that said, the exercises in this guide, when properly used, will help you to increase your foot and ankle strength. This is great for preventing injury, and improving all-around athletic performance and health.

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Anatomy of the Foot & AnkleThere are a number of small bones in our feet. The toes are amongst the smallest. They are known as the phalanges, each of which is connected to a metatarsal bone.

The five metatarsals are the longer bones in your foot which connect the toes to the mid-foot area. Using your hand, you can feel along the top of your foot and follow the lines of these bones to understand where they are.

The mid-foot is a collection of bones that is clustered together. It’s made up of the navicular bone, the cuboid bone and the three cuneiform bones. They cluster together to act as one large, flexible yet solid area.

Behind this is talus bone, which is what most people think of as the ankle. Underneath and behind it is the calcaneus, better known as the heel bone. This is the biggest bone in the foot, as it supports the most weight.

Just above the ankle are the lower leg bones, the tibia and fibula, which extend all the way to the knee. These connect to the ankle bone (talus) at the lower end.

Each of these bones connects with a joint, some more flexible than others. For example, the joints in our toes are very flexible. Those in the mid-foot are much less flexible, though they still give more movement, shape and stability

than one solid bone would.

Tendons attach your muscles to your bones, holding them in place and giving you the ability to move your body by contracting and relaxing the muscles.

There are also ligaments in your foot to help stabilize the joints and hold tendons in place. The biggest of these is the plantar fascia, which forms the arch of your foot and connects the toes to the heel. The fascia itself is made up of three overlapping ligaments, which combine to form the fascia and foot-arch.

Your ankle is the joint between your lower leg and foot. It’s made up of the ankle, allowing up and down movement of the foot, and the subtalar joint right underneath it, allowing side to side movement. We use both of these joints together, so the foot can move in most directions comfortably.

Again tendons connect the muscles to bone, the largest and most important one being the Achilles tendon. This runs from the bottom of your calf muscle, to the heel bone. It is also the thickest tendon in the human body.

The ankle has four key ligaments to stabilize it. These are the posterior, anterior, lateral and medial ligaments.

BONES OF THE FOOT

Cuneiform

Proximal phalanges

Cuboid

Navicular

Metatarsals

Distal phalanges

Middle phalanges

Talus

Calcaneus

DORSAL SURFACE

Tibia

Cuboid

Calcaneus

Talus

Metatarsals Phalanges

Soleus

Abductor hallucis andflexor hallucis brevis

Extensor digitorum brevis

Extensor digitorum longus andperonaeus tertius

Tendon fromgastrocnemius

Tendon fromperonaeus longus(extends under footto base of 1stmetatarsal)

Peronaeus brevis

Tibia

Fibula

NavicularDistal phalanges

Talus

Calcaneus

CuneiformSoleus

Tendon fromgastrocnemius

Tibialis anterior

Abductor hallucis andflexor hallucis brevis

Flexor digitorum longus(extends under foot,dividing into four tendons)

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Common Foot & Ankle ProblemsAthlete’s Foot – Athlete’s foot is a fungal skin infection. When infected, the skin on your feet will become itchy and dry, beginning to crack and flake. Sometimes this is painful too, and the longer it’s left, the further it can spread.

It can be picked up from contact with already infected skin or being barefoot in the same area as somebody who has the infection already.

Check with your doctor for the best way to treat it, as there are different treatments for different areas and types of infection. Pharmacists sell anti-fungal creams designed for athletes foot, though they aren’t the best solution for everybody. A doctor or pharmacist can advise you more specifically.

Blisters – Caused by friction on the skin, these are lesions which can fill with fluid. They can become very painful and inconvenient. If you feel pain and think a blister is going to form, stop what you are doing and cushion the area in some way. This can prevent the blister from occurring. Folded up tissue works well if you can’t get access to something better at the time.

When a blister does occur you should cover the surrounding area with foam or something similar. Cut a hole where the blister itself is, so there’s no pressure on it. Some shops also sell foam donuts made specifically for blisters. These can be held in place with a plaster.

Bunions & Foot Deformities – Some people are prone to bunions and foot deformities. The most common deformity is the big toe bending inwards across the foot, creating a lump. This lump will be at the big toe joint, on the outside of the foot. Tight or badly fitting shoes can be the cause of this issue, though it’s more likely to be caused by poor foot mechanics. This is genetic, and if you are born with poor foot alignment there’s little you can do about it.

Repairing this condition is tough, and requires orthopaedic devices, like shoes. In more extreme cases, surgery is an option and is the only reliable way to remove and repair bunions.

Plantar Fasciitis – Heel pain is most often caused by plantar fasciitis. Sometimes the doctor will say you have heel spurs, which are small spurs of bone that develop in the heel area. These are known to be present when you have plantar fasciitis, and is part of the reason we feel heel pain with this disorder. The ligament running along the arch of your foot will be swollen and tight, causing further pain and discomfort.

Treating plantar fasciitis isn’t easy, it takes a variety of stretches, massages and exercises to rehabilitate the foot. Our Atlas Athlete Foot Sleeve also helps with this condition, adding extra support, stability and pressure to the area. Ice, rest, compression and elevation are all effective during the early stages of this disorder as well.

Subcalcaneal Bursitis – Bursae are fluid filled sacs located beneath the heel bone. These can become inflamed too, usually caused by overuse or overloading. Falling from a large height and landing on your feet is an example of how this can be caused. Pain is again felt in the heel, though in a slightly different area to plantar fasciitis. A medical professional can tell the difference between these two disorders.

Rest, ice, compression and elevation are the best place to start here as well. Padded insoles or a heel cushion for your shoes will protect the area. Rest when the pain is too much, and use stretches and ankle strengthening exercises to treat it when possible. In extreme cases, a doctor can place a cast over your ankle if there is concern about the Achilles tendon as well.

There’s also the possibility to use steroid injections directly to the ankle, reducing swelling inside the joint. The Atlas Athlete Foot Sleeve provides support for the heel and ankle area too, which can be helpful for this disorder.

Achilles Tendinitis – Often caused by overuse, tendinitis is the swelling and/or micro-tearing of the Achilles tendon. You would feel pain or a burning sensation from the back of the ankle, where the tendon is located. There may also be visible swelling, and it could be tender to touch. The tendon can also stiffen up when resting, restricting your movement and causing more pain when you try to move after resting.

Again R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) helps here, as do specific stretches and exercises. Steroid injections are rare as they can put the tendon at further risk of tearing/rupturing, which is a serious situation. Experimental treatments are also being tried across the world, such as autologous blood injections. This is when blood platelets from your body are injected into the tendon, for the body to use during the tendon repair process. Having access to these extra platelets is believed to speed up healing time.

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Plantar Fasciitis

Causes & SymptomsThe causes are not entirely known for sure, though there are factors which definitely put you at increased risk. Being on your feet for extended periods of time, especially on hard floors, and suddenly adding intense exercise to an inactive lifestyle are both thought to increase the risk of this disorder. Being overweight also increases your risk, as does poor foot alignment, especially when it causes the foot to turn inwards. High arches, flat feet and uneven leg lengths can all contribute to this injury as well.

It’s not clear whether heel spurs occur and then cause the disorder, or whether the disorder occurs and causes heel spurs. Either way, these can be very painful when they are pressing into the fascia itself, or other soft parts of your foot. Ignoring this and continuing to put the fascia under stress can cause it to tear and rupture. This can be very painful and will require surgery to repair.

TreatmentThe first step to dealing with plantar fasciitis is to rest. Take a break from exercise and you can use anti-inflammatory pain killers to reduce swelling. Also start doing some appropriate stretches to loosen the area, and your Achilles tendon which can become tight too. The methods listed here effectively treat 9/10 cases of plantar fasciitis.

Rest up, avoid walking long distances, carrying heavy items and any strenuous movements like jogging or jumping. Stay off your feet when possible and keep them elevated when resting.

Apply ice to the bottoms of your feet, to reduce swelling and pain. Remember ice shouldn’t be applied for too long and should be covered with something first. Ideally ice should be applied for 15 minutes on, 15 off.

Massage the sole of your foot, especially first thing in the morning. Do this gently, using either your hands or a tennis ball. Repeat through the day when possible.

Stretch your fascia, Achilles tendon and calf muscle. Again try to do it early in the morning and repeat through the day.

Your Atlas Athlete Foot Sleeve will help to provide support where it’s needed, and will add some compression to the area too, speeding up your recovery.

An easy fascia stretch is to pull your toes and the front of your foot up towards yourself from a seated position. Do this gently and hold for a few seconds, then release and point your toes downwards. Hold again for a few seconds, then release. Repeat two or three times and wiggle the toes after each attempt to loosen up.

Sitting down with your legs out straight in front of you, cross one over the other. Reach forwards with both arms and pull the front of your foot back towards you. This stretches the fascia, Achilles tendon and the calf. Hold for 10 seconds and release. Repeat on both sides, twice.

Standing up against a wall, lean both arms forwards on to it with your feet hip width apart. Move one leg forward so it is bent and straighten the other leg out, with your heel barely touching the ground behind you. Lean your hips forward to bring your heel up, try to force it back down. This stretches your calf and Achilles tendon.

If the condition persists, you could try an orthotic device for inside your shoe. These reduce the weight load on your fascia, easing the pain.

Seek a doctors help if the issue remains, as they can use more advanced methods like corticosteroid injections or surgery.

The doctor can also give you a night splint, or some other form of support to help your recovery.

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Calcaneal Bursitis

Causes & SymptomsThe bursae are small fluid filled sacs in the joints. They provide shock absorption and lubrication to the area. Calcaneal Bursitis causes similar pain to plantar fasciitis, where the heel in particular causes pain. This usually occurs from overuse or too much stress being placed on the feet.

Too much exercise on hard surfaces like concrete can cause this condition. The bursae usually absorb some of the impact from these activities, but they can become swollen and damaged if there’s too much pressure for them to handle.

Contact sports, cold weather and sudden increases in exercise are all believed to increase the risk of calcaneal bursitis. The difference between bursitis and plantar fasciitis is usually noted by when and where you feel the pain.

Bursitis pain tends to get worse through the day as the foot is used, being most painful at night. Fasciitis is worst in the morning when the fascia has become stiff and tight from resting. Other than this, bursitis is also often felt in the heel.

TreatmentsAs with all injuries, you should start with the easiest solution and move through them until you can successfully rehabilitate the injury.

The first step as with most injuries is to rest, and avoid any pressure to the injured area. This means staying off your feet as much as possible, and trying to keep them elevated.

Again compression and ice work well. The Atlas Athlete Foot Sleeve can be used as a compression support for both plantar fasciitis and calcaneal bursitis.

Anti-inflammatory pain killers can be used, to reduce the swelling and ease your pain.

Check that your footwear is comfortable, with enough room for your foot to align properly. Badly fitting footwear is also believed to cause calcaneal bursitis, so be sure yours fits well and comfortably.

The Achilles & calf stretches from above work for this disorder too. Stretching the tendon and the calf can take some of the pressure off your bursae, easing pain and helping recovery. Remember to ease into the stretches gently, don’t do them abruptly.

Orthotic devices can again be used to ease the pain and give your feet extra support.

As before, if these solutions don’t work you need to see a doctor about further treatment. This could involve injections, surgery or draining of the bursae themselves.


Sports where you need to move explosively or change direction suddenly are also known to put you at increased risk.

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Achilles Tendinitis

Causes & SymptomsThis injury is caused by an overly tight Achilles tendon, the result of exercising without warming up or a sudden increase in intensity. Poor footwear can also be a cause, especially high heels and other footwear that places extra stress on the tendon.

Other foot problems can also increase your chances to hurt the tendon. Flat feet, alignment problems and fallen arches all place extra tension on your Achilles tendon, and can cause tendinitis over time.

Sports where you need to move explosively or change direction suddenly are also known to put you at increased risk.

Tendinitis pain is felt on the tendon itself, from the back of the heel up towards your calf. This pain can spread to the calf and foot, though is always most intense on the tendon itself.

The tendon is an awkward area to treat, so you have to do so carefully with stretches and gentle exercise. It also doesn’t have a great blood supply, so repairs can be slow. Be patient with it, as rushing only risks making this injury worse.

Treatments Before any type of exercise, make sure you warm up adequately. Stretch the calf and Achilles tendon thoroughly, as tightness contributes to the injury.

Check your footwear. If your ankle rolls inwards at all, it increases the risk of this injury. High heels and other unstable footwear are especially bad for this condition.

If your feet have naturally bad alignment, use an orthotic device to help realign everything properly, and ease the load on your tendons.

Calf strengthening helps to build the tendon up as well, which shortens recovery time and also helps prevent this injury from occurring in the future.

Rest, ice, compression and elevation can again help with your recovery. They also reduce pain & discomfort. Be careful not to use too much compression. The tendon already has a low supply of blood, too much compression can reduce it even more, which slows down healing.

Anti-inflammatory painkillers help reduce the swelling as well.

Calf stretches also help to ease the pain and boost the recovery process.

If the condition persists, it will need treatment from a medical professional. Your doctor might use steroid injections, though these need to be done carefully when it comes to the tendon.

There are also a few different surgical options to repair the tendon. The type of surgery depends on the cause of your tendinitis, and how badly damaged it is. Discuss these procedures with your doctor if needed. They can advise you based on your situation, though this is usually for more serious cases.

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How to Improve Your Foot & Ankle StrengthIncreasing foot strength gives a number of benefits, including improved stability and extra injury prevention. Let’s go over the ways you can increase your foot strength and get these benefits too.

Remember that strengthening your feet is a gradual process, don’t rush it. Doing too much, too soon can cause injuries and setbacks. Think of the long-term benefits to having strong feet, and build them up gradually. Always ease up if you begin to feel pain. When first starting out, using your Atlas Athlete Foot Sleeve will provide extra support. This is a great idea until you get used to the movements and build basic strength. It’s especially useful when rehabbing an injury.

Warming UpFeet are notoriously hard to warm up, because they are so far away from the heart and also lose heat easily. The heat loss is because of their large surface area, and also because they are in contact with shoes, floors and other cold surfaces most of the time.

When warming them up it’s good to use thick socks if possible. This lets them warm up faster. Move your feet and wiggle your toes to increase the blood flow. Keep this up until you feel your feet getting warmer.

Raising up on to your tip toes, either both feet at the same time or alternating, helps warm them up too. It also increases blood supply to vital areas like the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon.

Massaging the foot, tendon and fascia helps increase blood flow too. Skipping is another good way to increase blood flow and begin activating the muscles and tendons in your feet and ankles. If you’re interested in skipping ropes we highly recommend our top rated Atlas Rope for this practice.

Spreading your toes outwards and holding them in a spread position helps stretch out the smaller ligaments and tendons in your foot. Do this a few times and hold for 15-20 seconds at a time, wiggling them afterwards to make sure they’re loose.

Midfoot Warm UpSit on a chair and lift one foot off the ground. Keeping your leg and ankle as still as possible, try to point your foot and draw a circle with your toes. Your ankle will move a little, just try your best to limit it as much as possible and focus on moving the toes & midfoot instead. Repeat this 10 times, doing the same in the opposite direction, then move on to your other foot.

Ankle Warm Up

A similar movement, this one focuses more on the ankle. Sit in the chair, and try to draw a circle with your toes. This time keep your foot as straight and still as possible, using the rotation of your ankle to draw the imaginary circle. Do 10 repetitions in each direction, then repeat on the other foot.

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Heel & Calf Stretch with Straight Leg

Excercise 2Stand with your hands on the wall, and feet hip width apart. Have the foot you are standing on directly under you, with a bent knee. Straighten the leg you are stretching behind you, so your heel is just barely on the floor and the leg is straight. Lean your weight forwards by moving your hips forwards, until you feel the stretch in the calf area of your back leg. Keep both heels on the floor during this. Hold for 10-20 seconds, then release and do the other leg.

Heel & Calf Stretch with Bent Knee

Excercise 3

Similar to the previous stretch, in this one the leg you are stretching is the bent front leg. From the same position, don’t try to keep the back leg straight. Have a slight bend in it and allow the heel to leave the floor. Now lean your weight forwards, pushing the knee of your front leg forwards and downwards. You should feel the stretch in the lower calf of this front leg. Hold for 10-20 seconds and repeat on the other leg.

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Lowered Heel Calf Stretch

Use a step or other raised surface and place the front of your foot on top of it, with the heel and back of the foot hanging over the edge. Gently start easing your weight on to this foot. Your heel will begin pushing downwards, and you’ll feel the stretch in your lower calf area. Hold it for 10-20 seconds, then shake out the tension and repeat onyour other leg.

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For the heel and tendon areas you can perform gentle massages and occasionally apply heat to increase blood flow, which helps loosen the area and increase blood flow for recovery.

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Rehabilitation ExercisesThese exercises are great for rehabilitating your feet from plantar fasciitis and other disorders.

Fascia Towel Stretch

Sit on the floor with your legs together and out straight in front of you. Hold both ends of a towel and place the middle over your feet just past the toes, pulling them gently back towards you. You should feel this Hold this stretch for 20-30 seconds and repeat 2-3 times.

Fascia Massage Place a small foam roller, tennis ball or something similar on the floor and use it to massage the bottom of your foot. Hold on to something for support while doing this, or do it seated. Slowly put more weight on to the foot being massaged, being careful not to cause any pain. Move your foot and ankle in all directions, letting the curved surface massage the bottom of your foot. Do this until it becomes slightly uncomfortable, then switch feet.

Plantar StretchSitting in a chair, cross one leg over the other so your ankle is sidewards across your thigh. Turn the foot of your top leg so your toes point forwards from you, and take hold of your big toe and the ball of your foot. Pull this back gently towards yourself, flexing the sole of your foot, and hold for 20-30 seconds. Repeat this 2-3 times for each leg.

Other Rehabilitation ExercisesThere’s not a lot more you can do for the foot and ankle area in terms of rehab. For the heel and tendon areas you can perform gentle massages and occasionally apply heat to increase blood flow, which helps loosen the area and increase blood flow for recovery.

Outside of that you can move on to many of the exercises in the following sections. Remember to start light and take it slow.


Picking up small objects from the floor with your toes requires you to use a lot of muscles in the foot that don’t normally see much activity. This strengthens them giving you a lot more stability and flexibility.

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Bodyweight ExercisesBalance on one foot with the other lifted in to the air. Try to keep your balance for 60 seconds, without the other foot touching the floor. As you wobble around your ankle muscles are working to try and keep you stable. Your feet muscles will also be used, and will begin to strengthen

Once this becomes easier to do, try doing it with your eyes closed. It might sound easy, but it makes a big difference. We rely on our sight to help us know when we’re off balance, removing that makes it more difficult to keep your balance, so the exercise is tougher.

Past that you can perform it on an unsteady surface like a foam block, or a bosu ball. Again this makes it more difficult and works the muscles and support structure harder.

Negative calf raises are performed by standing on a step with the fronts of your feet, leaving your heels hanging over the edge. Raise up on to your toes, like a normal calf raise. Now lift one foot off the step completely and keep it in the air. Use a wall or bannister for support if needed, though try to advance past this and do it without support. Slowly lower the heel of your other foot back down, taking around 10 seconds to get it all the way down. It’s the lowering phase that builds up the Achilles tendon in particular.

Now put your other foot back on the step as well and return to the start position. You can then repeat this, aiming for 8-10 reps. Remember not to push too hard at the start, if your Achilles is weak you’ll need to build up to the 8-10 reps stage. Do both legs for 3 sets, and you’ll begin to notice improved tendon strength within a couple of weeks.

Picking up small objects from the floor with your toes requires you to use a lot of muscles in the foot that don’t normally see much activity. This strengthens them giving you a lot more stability and flexibility.

Use small items like marbles or small rubber balls, and pick them up using your toes, move them, and drop them. Do this 10 times with each foot to activate the muscles properly.

Toe Tapping is done by sitting in a chair with both feet flat on the ground. Now keep your heels down against the ground, while lifting the toes up on one foot as far as you can. Bring them back down to the floor and immediately do the other foot. Set a rhythm and keep a quick pace, so it’s like you are tapping your toes on the floor.

Do this for at least a minute if you can, and slowly add a bit more time when you get comfortable with it.

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Pushing/Pulling against resistance is another wonderful way to make your feet stronger. Simply use your hands to hold the foot as still as possible and keep it from moving. While you do that, try to use the muscles in your ankle and foot to move it, pushing against your hands.

Hold this for 10-15 seconds, then do it again in a different direction. Shake out any tension and tightness in between reps. Do it with your foot pushing upwards, downwards, inwards and outwards. 1 or 2 sets is enough when starting out, try to build up to 3 sets though, and remember to do all sides equally.

Resistance bands can be used to perform this exercise too, by looping the band around your foot or both feet. Doing it with one foot will make it harder to do, so find a level you’re happy with and work with it.

In this exercise the band provides the resistance for you to push, pull or turn/twist your foot against. It’s very similar to holding the feet with your hands, though the resistance is more uniform and easy to measure. It also lets you do the exercise from different positions, and concentrate completely on moving your foot, instead of gripping with your hands too.

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Weighted ExercisesUsing weights lets you increase the load your feet and ankles need to bear. Just as with any other muscles in the human body, they will adapt and become stronger from the heavier load.

Weighted Hopping is great for ankles in particular, though you should try it without weights first to ensure you are ready for it. Stand on one leg, lifting the other into the air. Now begin hopping around, slowly at first.

When you hop, push off from the ball of your foot and your toes, raising up on to this part of your foot just before you leave the floor. Try to land using the same method in reverse; landing on the ball of your foot and the toes, then lowering the heel back to the floor.

As you get more confident with the motion, try moving around the room while hopping. Try different directions to make sure you’re not overusing one part of the ankle while underusing others.

When you’re ready for the weighted version, grab a couple of dumbells or kettlebells and hold one in each hand. Adjust the weight if you find this too easy or hard at any point, and make sure you advance steadily. Remember to keep the weights light, as you’re aiming to keep this up for around 60 seconds each time.

Balancing with weights is another way to increase the benefits of your training. The exercise works the same as the bodyweight variation, you just hold a pair of dumbells like with the weighted hopping. Hold the weights down at your sides, keeping your back straight to avoid damaging it.

This one can also be done with your eyes closed, or on an unstable surface. Be very careful when you reach this level, make sure you’ve built up to it and haven’t rushed, or you could cause a serious injury. This is definitely not a beginners exercise.

Calf Raises are usually done on a specialist machine where you sit down and place your knees under a surface attached to the weights. You plant the toes down and lift the heels up, using your calves to push the platform on your legs up, lifting the attached weight.

No access to a machine like this? Don’t worry, you can do a standing variation instead. All you need is a floor and some weights. Use dumbells, kettlebells, a barbell or anything else you can get hold of. Grab your weight(s) and use your calves to raise up on to the balls of your feet, then lower back down.

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Aim for around 8-10 reps with either version. If you can do more, raise the weight instead to make it harder. Remember, we’re focusing on strength which is best improved by a lower amount of reps, using higher weight when it comes to muscles, such as your calf.

Ankle Lifts are done using a small weight, like a dumbell, and tying a belt or other type of band around it. The loop made by the belt/band now has the weight hanging from the bottom of it. From a seated position, place your foot inside the top of the loop.

Keeping your foot in the air, slowly raise and lower the weight. The closer to the front of your foot the band is, the harder the exercise becomes. Be careful not to cause injury though, so if you feel pain stop and adjust.

This motion is the reverse of a calf raise, and strengthens different yet equally important muscles in the lower leg and ankle, as well as the foot.

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Barefoot ExercisesBeyond the resistance exercises listed above, you can do barefoot running exercises too. These are done without shoes so that your feet & ankles have to rely on their muscles to support you instead of the structure of your shoes. Using the Atlas Athlete Foot Sleeve when you first start will give you a little extra support, especially if your feet or ankles are weak.

The resistance exercises should be used to give a base level of foot strength before attempting barefoot running. When you first try it, do so on a soft surface for a while to see how it feels, and wait a day before trying to push further. Sometimes the aches and pains don’t come on until later in the day or the morning after.

You can also start off by walking around barefoot for a while, again use a soft surface like grass or sand. Walking barefoot when at home is a great start too.

Running in sand is a great barefoot exercise, as the surface is soft and firm enough to be safe, yet unstable and tough enough to give your feet and ankles a great workout. Sand also absorbs a lot of energy, so you work quite hard without suffering much impact. This is great for all of the lower body muscles.

Running on grass is another option if there isn’t a beach nearby. The soft ground should be easy enough on your feet to keep them safe, while the same softness means your feet need to make little adjustments as you go and really spring from the ground, giving a great workout.

Pebble walking feels like a mixture of a balancing exercise, foot massage and barefoot work. With this exercise, you walk over small smooth pebbles or a similar surface. The surface is unstable and will move a little, working out your feet as you go.

Walking is recommended instead of running, as the pebbles could move suddenly and cause a fall if you’re moving too fast. Take your time and enjoy the workout, as this also activates a number of nerves in the foot, just like the massage technique would.

There’s also the option to do other exercises barefoot, which includes everything from push-ups to squats. Whenever your feet are on the floor and acting as an anchor, going barefoot allows them to set in a natural position. It also forces the muscles to support themselves instead of relying on a trainer/shoe. When first starting out, using your Atlas Athlete Foot Sleeve will provide extra support and protection.

Doing many of your resistance exercises barefoot also helps your body to align in a natural position all around, as the feet and ankles have a knock on effect. This can help correct imbalances all over the body, and improve your performance by letting you use better technique.

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Increasing Your Training LoadOnce you are able to do all of the above comfortably, you might want to push further and go for bigger strength gains and even more stability. This is especially true if you have been injury prone in the past, though you have to be careful if this is the case, and advance slowly.

The biggest jump in intensity would be to add Plyometric Exercises to your workouts. Plyometrics are explosive exercises where you apply the maximum amount of force you can, as quickly as possible. Jumps from the ground are the best example of this, though merely leaving the ground doesn’t make an exercise plyometric. It’s the use of max strength and speed together that makes it plyometric in nature.

With all plyometric exercises you shouldn’t do more than 6-10 reps for 2-3 sets once a week. Doing more thanthis can overload your body unless youare gradually conditioned to it, as anathlete would be. The overload can thencause injury, so play it safe and consulta medical or fitness professional if you’reunsure. Your Atlas Athlete FootSleeve is a great support whendoing plyometrics, though you canremove it later to make things a bitharder.

You can do this with Hopping, by holding on to weights to make the exercise difficult. Then you need to go from a position of having your foot flat on the floor to springing off the ball of your foot, as high as you possibly can. Land and lower the heel back to the ground, then go again.

There is a variation of this where you try not to let the heel touch the ground, only lowering it down

halfway and also hopping up from the same start position. This variation focuses more on the ankle, calf and tendon, with a slightly lower load on the foot and fascia. The first variant does more fascia and foot, slightly less calf and ankle. The differences are small, so decide by what feels comfortable at first.

Standing calf raises are another exercise that can be done in an explosive manner. This is similar to hopping, though done with both feet at the same time. Hold some weights, heavy enough that 8-10 reps is tough to do, and do a couple of sets.

You can add this to your barefoot training as well when you are running on grass or sand. During the run, leap off the floor trying to jump as far as possible, landing with either foot. Do some of them as a jump to the other foot, and others as a big hop, landing on the same foot. 6-8 jumps from each foot should be plenty. You can do multiple sets once comfortable with it.

Tuck jumps are another exercise that helps to build up your feet and ankles. It both requires the feet and ankles to stabilise on landing, and uses your muscles explosively when taking off. To get all of these benefits, you need to do it barefoot, so use a soft surface like grass, sand or a mat.

To do a tuck jump you should stand straight with feet hip width apart. Now leap off the floor as high as you can, bringing your knees to your chest, then back down again for the landing. Do 6-8 reps for 2 or 3 sets, and add a bit of weight if you want to make it harder.

Excercise 12

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Further TipsThese exercises give you a variety of great ways to strengthen your feet and ankles. Here are a few general tips you can use to look after your feet and ankles as well.

Make sure your shoes fit properly. Your feet swell a little through the day as you use them, so try to shop for shoes in the afternoon or evening. This way you know they’re going to be comfortable all day long.

Try avoiding high heels, as they force your foot into an unnatural position and hold it there. The same goes for tight, narrow shoes and other irregular shapes. Anything that holds your foot in a strange position or squeezes it can cause damage over time. Footwear should be roomy and comfortable, with adequate support for your feet.

Also avoid sandals and other footwear which offers no support and makes you walk in an unnatural way. When you move in ways that the body isn’t meant to, it weakens your muscles, ligaments and tendons.

Repeating stretches multiple times through the day helps with strength and flexibility, as well as recovery. Do the stretches once or twice for 10-15 seconds a number of times over the day, and the gains will be better than doing more stretches all at once. You should still also stretch before and after exercise as well though.

Stay barefoot when possible, even if it’s only at home. When you’re barefoot, the feet and ankles have the freedom to work properly, so they will naturally build up and self repair.

Staying barefoot also helps with issues like athlete’s foot, as does changing your footwear each day. Footwear can take around 36 hours to properly air out, so it’s handy to have different choices.

Also make sure your footwear is appropriate for what you’re doing. Use running shoes when running, with good foot support particularly in the arch. Making sure you have well supported and tough boots for hiking, and shoes with good grip in icy conditions are two more examples of appropriate footwear. Make sure all sets fit you comfortably and are not worn down too.

Try to do a few calf raises and other similar exercises throughout the day as well, just a few reps at a time. The increased load being spread through the day adds extra improvements without costing you much in time or energy.

Always make sure to properly warm up the feet and ankles before exercising them specifically. Also do some stretches and gentle movements to cool down afterwards.

With other forms of exercise, make sure you do a warm up too, and stretch larger areas like the plantar fascia, Achilles tendon and your calf (upper and lower). Tightness in any of these areas can have a knock on affect and cause problems in other areas. Tight calves for example often lead to plantar fasciitis, and have even been linked to back pain.

Be careful with hill work or other exercises on inclined surfaces, as the incline places additional stress on the ankles and the Achilles tendon. This is because the ankles and feet are working at an unnatural angle. Build up gradually when doing exercises on an incline, to let your body adapt to it and avoid injury. Also be extra cautious when first starting out.

Also take care if you need to execute sharp and sudden turns, such as in tennis or football. The strength and flexibility work will help prevent this if you keep it up, and the Atlas Athlete Foot Sleeve can be worn if you take part in a sport that needs quick turns and movements. The sleeve gives extra support without hindering movement, and is lightweight too, so it won’t slow you down.

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Thank YouWe hope you make good use of the information and exercises included in this guide. Putting this all to use will help increase the strength, stability and flexibility of your ankles and feet. When this happens you can look forward to improved athletic performance and much higher injury resistance.

Thank you for reading through this, and for your purchase of the Atlas Athlete Foot Sleeve. We welcome your thoughts and feedback on our products, so go ahead and leave some feedback for us online if you want to.

Stay motivated and consistent with your workouts, both from this guide and otherwise. In the end consistency always wins. All the best.

Documents

The Strength & Rehabilitation Guide for Your Feet & AnklesThe Strength & Rehabilitation Guide for Your Feet & Ankles Introduction Hello, and welcome to the Atlas Athlete Strength and