Boost Your Plantar Flexion: Key Muscle Exercises

To maintain a natural gait, you need to be able to perform a key movement called “plantar flexion.” In this guide, we will explain what plantar flexion is, what muscles are involved, and some exercises that can help you strengthen those muscles to perform those movements effectively and prevent injuries.

Most of these exercises are performed while sitting down, and should be safe for the majority of patients to perform. For standing exercises, we recommend doing those next to a wall that you can grab for balance if necessary. 

Try flexing your foot upward and downward. Flexing your foot upward (lifting your toes) is known as “dorsiflexion.” Flexing your foot downwards and pushing your toes toward the ground is known as “plantar flexion.”

You use plantar flexion as part of walking, to stand up on your tiptoes, or to push the pedals in your car, or the pedals on a piano. You may also use it for jumping and other common movements and activities.

Note that the inability to perform dorsiflexion is called “foot drop,” and can also lead to difficulties walking. 

To perform plantar flexion, you need to have a functional ankle joint. You also need the following muscles to be in strong, working order: the tibialis anterior (on the front of your leg), and the gastrocnemius, soleus, and plantaris (all on the back of your leg). 

If these muscles are weak or injured, you may experience gait disturbances, or be unable to stand on your toes or lift up your body as you attempt to do so.

If you sprain or fracture your ankle, or get another injury that damages any of the muscles we discussed above, you may develop plantar flexion issues. Conditions such as cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and stroke can also make it hard to perform plantar flexion. It is also possible for issues to develop as complications following a surgery.

As we stated before, if you have these injuries, walking with a healthy gait may not be possible, and you may not be able to stand on your toes or push down on pedals.

You can strengthen the muscles involved with plantar flexion to make the movement easier to perform, while also preventing injury. Here are a few recommended exercises.

1. Put a towel on the floor in front of a chair.

2. Sit on the chair and put your feet flat on the towel.

3. Curl your toes, attempting to grasp the towel with them.

4. Release the towel. Repeat as needed.

Some muscles this exercise works out include the flexor digitorum brevis, the quadratus plantae, the flexor hallucis brevis, and the flexor digiti minimi brevis. 

This is a great exercise for boosting your stability so you can better maintain your balance. 

1. Stand with your feet together.

2. Rise up on your tiptoes.

3. Lower yourself back down so your feet are flat.

4. Repeat as desired. 

By performing calf raises, you can increase strength in the muscles on the backs of the legs. Benefits include stronger, more stable joints, and a reduced chance of injuries.

1. Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.

2. Put a resistance band around one of your feet just behind the toes. Wrap the other end around a table leg or similar object to provide resistance.

3. Turn your foot outward so you stretch the band.

4. Turn your foot inward again.

5. Repeat as needed, then switch to the other foot to do it with that one. 

This exercise works out the fibularis brevis and fibularis longus. If your range of motion has become restricted, this exercise may help to increase it again. It should also improve your strength. 

For this exercise, you literally just need to sit so that you have one leg underneath you in a kneeling position (which you are seated on), and the other leg positioned with the foot flat on the floor, and the knee raised. Your back should be straight. After holding this position for a bit, switch sides. 

Take note that the leg underneath you should not be splayed to the side. Your foot should be tucked in underneath you. Performing this exercise should produce a stretch across your shin. 

1. Sit in the same basic position you did for the heel sit, but with both your feet underneath you (again, not splayed).

2. Place your hands on the floor in front of you.

3. Lift up the rest of your body so you are in a position similar to the Yoga pose called “downward dog.” Lift up onto your toes.

4. Lower yourself back down into the sitting position. Repeat as desired. 

This exercise can stretch and strengthen muscles in your feet and legs. 

1. Sit with your legs out flat on the floor in front of you.

2. Position your toes so they are pointing up.

3. Flex your toes on one foot outward, and then back up.

4. Switch feet and do the same with that foot.

5. Repeat as many times as desired.

You can strengthen your calves when doing this exercise, while also stretching your soles.

1. Sit in a chair with one leg crossed over the other so your foot is easy to reach (your foot should be on your thigh).

2. Manually stretch your big toe in different directions, a few seconds each time.

3. Switch feet and do it with the other one.

This is a good way to make your toes more flexible, while also preventing injury. 

1. Stand and face a wall, and put your hands on it.

2. Place one leg back behind you with your toes on the floor.

3. Bend your forward knee.

4. Switch sides and do it with your other leg.

This is an exercise that stretches the ankle and the top part of the foot. It can improve your flexibility, mobility, and stability.

1. Put a towel on the floor for friction if you have no carpeting. Place 20 marbles on it. Get a bowl and put it nearby.

2. Use your feet to pick up each marble and place it in the bowl.

By picking up marbles using your toes, you can make the muscles on the bottoms of your feet stronger. Along with strengthening your feet muscles, this exercise should improve your control and coordination when using your feet.

Both injuries and chronic conditions can lead to problems with plantar flexion and walking. To recover, however, you need to perform gentle exercises like those we discussed above, and get back to walking.

The Cadense Original Adaptive Shoe for men and women can help you to walk with a more natural gait, maintaining stability and balance. Even if you have difficulty flexing your foot up or down (these shoes are also ideal for people with foot drop), you will be able to cross uneven surfaces thanks to these shoes’ patented variable friction technology. 

These shoes also feature lightweight materials, wide, stable bases, and a design that combines comfort with support and style. This makes them perfect to wear even after you recover from any injuries that are affecting your gait. 

Have a look at our full collection of shoes for foot drop.