6 Intrinsic Foot Muscle Strengthening Exercises (Fix Pain & Flat Feet)

Foot muscle strength exercises build the foundation for pain-free knees, hips, and ankles. These exercises eliminate foot and ankle pain while correcting flat feet.

Most people think of the medial longitudinal arch as the arch of the foot. But there’s also the lateral longitudinal arch and the transverse arch. The intrinsic muscles creating all three arches work together to absorb force and create elastic energy.

But when they fall asleep? You start seeing issues like plantar fasciitis, achilles tendonitis, calf strain, shin splints, and tibialis posterior tendonitis.

Coach E will walk you through six foot exercises and incorporate them into three fundamental movement patterns: the squat, the hinge, and the lunge.

If you remember anything from this video, keep the cue that you don’t curl your toes for the Short and Skinny Foot exercise. You’ll integrate this exercise into so many other ankle, knee, and hip routines.

If these exercises activate some sleepy muscles for you, hit those like, subscribe, and notify buttons. We’re releasing new content nearly every week, so you can keep (and even restart) doing the things you love freely and without pain.

IN THIS VIDEO

00:00 - Intro
01:15 - Anatomy details
05:05 - ASMR: Plantar Fascia
06:38 - Foot Joint Mobilization
08:49 - Short & Skinny Foot
11:10 - Active Arch Exploration
12:38 - Fundamental Movement Patterns
17:41 - Active Arch X
19:05 - Next steps

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED

Medical Disclaimer
The medical information on any/all of our content is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information does not create any patient-physician relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment. Please consult your health care provider before making any health care decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition.

[PrecisionMovementCoach]

Exercises and video highlights:
00:00 - Intro
01:15 - Anatomy details
05:05 - ASMR: Plantar Fascia
06:38 - Foot Joint Mobilization
08:49 - Short & Skinny Foot
11:10 - Active Arch Exploration
12:38 - Fundamental Movement Patterns
17:41 - Active Arch X
19:05 - Next steps

[zein]

I suffered from a flattened splayfoot for over a decade now and my doctors always want me to wear foot orthotics but never do something against the root causes which are weakened bands and muscles. I already did the exercises for overpronation and I just tried these here out. They are really helpful! Thank you so much! You're a lifesaver!

[Ramona]

Coach “Idol”! Love it! Despite my years and years of practice and results, you bring a “breath of fresh air.” Love your approach, “not the mr know it all” attitude but “I want to teach you.” You are def tops!

[Ramona]

As a PT I have been targeting these intrinsics forever with my patients!

[yidiubz]

This is so detailed, good and helpful ! Thank you so much for sharing ! You are awesome!

[SP-kxxm]

Thank you for making such a great video and having such great energy!

[mikemccann]

Best overall approach I’ve seen.
I’ll spread the word.
Cheers

[myhandle]

This is the best video on this topic. Thank you so very much!

[edwigcarol]

I am a fan of your videos and here i simply feel : wow! Top Class

Needless to say that doing all your short demonstrations on YT bare foot you are convincing, authentic.

I must confess that it has taken me some 5 years (!!) to get deeply interested in my feet.. now I am.
One reason is that getting grounded decreases anxiety, brings more balance also in the mood and provides some basic security. All that out of proprioception...

[nikolaihaan]

Wow i really have to tell my feet to do it. They are dead lol will do the activation couple times a day if they start waking up 3x a do strengthen. I really did not know my feet are in that bad shape thank you very mutch for this video

[OurNewestMember]

This belongs on the "required reading" list! Or in the elusive human user's manual. Thank you!

[prachikolteom]

My daughter has flat foot, going to start with short and skinny foot. Thank you so much for the details!

[mygracecottage]

Thks so much, look forward to hopefully getting some relief from my plantar fasciitis 😢

[sherryBigDogLover]

Had left ankle replaced 9/2021 and right one replaced 10/2022. Lots of issues with recovery on the right. Surgeon ordered UCBLs and before that, arch supports. I think both will keep me a near cripple. I can't even walk my dogs! My right ankle buckles after use and I end up walking on the inside of my arch which becomes very painful. I believe that I can strengthen the muscles in my feet and around my ankle, and I don't want devices that will not help my recovery. Yes, there's still some arthritis, in the joints below the replacements, right is worse than the left, but I have nothing to lose by trying to exercise and build an arch into my feet, even though I have been flat footed for years due to walking on concrete floors for decades! Will keep you posted.... Female, age 63, retired.

[beefstickswellington]

That Active-X arch exercise NAILS all the weaknesses in my inverted/pronated feet, as long as I only allow my foot to do the balance correction. My foot is so weak! But that lets me know that's the exercise I need the most. Thanks!

[tuercacaso]

The usual high quality video and material presented by Coach E! I have a question -- is Active Arch X available on the pro/paid version of ROM Coach?

[kathykeba]

Hay, you have helped me so much already in the 3 weeks or so that I have been trying and retrying this method. I found you through a "fix knock knees" suggestion on my phone, and with this and the video on knee valgus prevention I am finding myself stronger and more capable. I am 74 with my knee cartilage all gone. Doc says can have knee replacement tomorrow but not a good idea since cipro made my joints loose and fall apart and I have no idea whether I'd just fall apart when he got done. My knee valgus is (or maybe was) 18 degrees on my left and 13 on my right. I measured it at the orthotics place yesterday and it was more like 11 and ? (I was and am in process of getting a KAFO to help me be safe as I care for my critters on my very muddy and bumpy property). Now, since watching the videos over and over and working on my foot muscles and supporting my knees with my feet instead of whatever I was doing before (being naturally lazy, I guess, since I didn't know) I find myself hurting less and less and believe it or not, being able to balance better on humps and bumps of horse pookey and upturned rocks. But, here's my question....I'm able to make my foot short very well, and feel that it's on the middle of my foot, but I'm having trouble with skinny. I think I'm doing it correctly, but it still feels like all my metatarsals are touching the floor, even though I'm squishing them together in what feels like an arch. Also, question.... if I am arched in that area and supposed to be aiming to walk with the middle being where I'm balanced over, how does this work if it's arched? Am I stepping down on air ( or foot pudge, since I still have a little of that) which means that the 2 ends of the transverse arch are really what's bearing the step? Thanks!

[faridmotreb]

Thank you so much Coach E. I am so excited that I see now that I have some other muscles that I didn't know of and activating that arch is such an interesting experience. I would still like to know, how can I keep this activation while walking and running? I can consciously activate the arch but keeping it while walking/running/ jumping sounds like quite a different level. Do you have suggestions on how to incorporate this into daily life?
(I am also taking the strong feet II on Rom Coach)
Best thanks

[masa_ssi]

very informative; thank you for the help

[nagdeolife]

I've been diagnosed with metatarsalgia. It hurts to walk much. I hope this video will help. Thanks Eric.