By Landon Tourville, Running Coach and Lead Trainer
When we think about strength training for runners, we often jump straight to glutes, hamstrings, and core. But one of the most overlooked—and most essential—areas for performance and injury resilience? Your feet.
Each foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints, and over 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments. These structures absorb shock, stabilize your stride, and help propel you forward. If you’re not actively training your feet, you’re leaving power and explosiveness on the table.
Research shows that incorporating short daily foot-strengthening routines can improve balance, reduce injury risk, and increase running efficiency. For stronger feet, try this simple 5-minute protocol:
- Towel scrunches (2×20 reps)
- Toe yoga – lift the big toe while keeping the others down, then reverse (2×10 each)
- Barefoot single-leg balance while brushing your teeth or waiting for coffee (1–2 min per side)
Optional: Calf raises barefoot on flat ground (2×12–15)
Consistency is key—add this into your warm-up, cooldown, or daily routine to see improvements in force transfer and push-off mechanics. In Addition, doing so can lead to better postural stability and increased foot proprioception, reducing the risk of overuse injuries like plantar fasciitis, achilles tendinopathy, and medial tibial stress syndrome.
Bottom Line: Strong feet make better runners. Give them the attention they deserve—your whole kinetic chain will thank you!
References:
Jung, D.Y., et al. (2011). A comparison in the muscle activity of the abductor hallucis and the medial longitudinal arch angle during foot exercises. Journal of Physical Therapy Science.
Fourchet, F., & Gojanovic, B. (2016). Foot strengthening: How barefoot running training can improve foot posture and mechanics. British Journal of Sports Medicine.
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