Foot & Ankle Strengthening To Run Fast & Injury Free

Summary

Göran Winblad explains that the feet and ankles absorb impact, stabilize each step, and return energy as runners push off.

He cites a year-long study of 118 runners. The group that did not perform foot-strengthening exercises had 2.42 times the injury risk of the exercise group. The difference reportedly grew with consistent training: after two months, the exercise group had a 2.75% lower injury risk; after 12 months, it had an 18.39% lower risk.

Exercises and Recommendations

Winblad demonstrates six exercises:

• Foot tapping: Keep your heels on the ground and tap your feet as quickly as possible. Work up to 3 sets of 45 seconds.
• Calf raises: Rise onto your toes, then lower slowly. Start on both feet and progress to one leg to increase the challenge. Work up to 3 sets of 45 seconds.
• Toe-gripping walk: Curl or grasp your toes as each foot lands, and hold the position as you walk. Aim for 3 sets of 1 minute.
• Toe-spreading walk: Spread your toes as each foot lands while walking. Aim for 3 sets of 1 minute.
• Single-leg running-position balance: Stand on one foot with a slightly bent knee and imitate a running stride. Close your eyes to increase the challenge. Aim for 3 sets of 1 minute per foot.
• Slacklining: Walk along a slackline while balancing. This challenges the feet and ankles, as well as the body’s broader stabilizing muscles, and offers a playful way to build balance and strength.

Training Tips

Do the exercises without shoes to make it easier to engage the small foot muscles. Build up gradually: start with about half the suggested amount and increase over several weeks. Winblad recommends aiming for roughly 20 minutes, three times a week, while noting that a shorter session is better than none.

Presenter and Source

The presenter is Göran Winblad. The video discusses a study of 118 runners; the researchers’ name is unclear in the subtitles.