Towel Scrunch

Instructions

1. Sit in a chair with your foot resting flat on a towel placed on the floor.

2. Keep your heel on the ground the entire time.

3. Spread your toes naturally over the towel to start.

4. Begin gripping the towel with your toes.

5. Pull or scrunch the towel toward you using your toes.

6. Release slightly and then repeat the scrunching motion.

7. Continue bunching the towel toward you until you have pulled in as much of it as you can.

8. Reset the towel and repeat.

Common Compensations

• Do not lift your heel off the floor.

• Do not let your whole leg slide backward to move the towel.

• Do not let your ankle roll inward or outward excessively.

• Do not grip so hard that the foot cramps immediately.

• Do not rush through the scrunching motion.

• Do not use your other foot to help move the towel.

Extra Info

• You should feel this mostly in the muscles on the bottom of your foot and around your toes.

• You may also feel your arch working as you pull the towel in.

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

• It is normal for the movement to feel small and for the foot muscles to fatigue quickly at first.

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