Alternating Toe Raises

Instructions

1. Sit or stand with your foot flat on the floor.

2. First, lift only your big toe up while keeping the lesser toes down.

3. Lower the big toe back down with control.

4. Next, keep the big toe down and lift the lesser toes up.

5. Lower the lesser toes back down with control.

6. Continue alternating: big toe up and down, then lesser toes up and down.

Common Compensations

• Do not let your foot roll inward or outward.

• Do not let your heel lift off the ground.

• Do not curl the toes aggressively instead of lifting them.

• Do not let the ankle move to help the toes lift.

• Do not rush the movement.

• Do not get frustrated if one part is harder to isolate. Slow, small movement is okay.

Extra Info

• You should feel this mostly in the small muscles of the foot and around the toes.

• You may also feel the arch working to help stabilize the foot.

• This exercise is meant to improve toe control and foot coordination.

• It is normal for one version, especially lifting the lesser toes while keeping the big toe down, to feel harder at first.

• You should not feel sharp pain in the toes, foot, or arch.