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Woman exercising and stretching using a mat

Top of Foot Pain: Exercises and Stretches for Relief and Prevention

Stretches for foot pain on the top of the foot can be a simple and easy way to reduce pain and even reduce the risk of injury. Some of the illnesses or conditions that can be helped are osteoarthritis, tendon soreness, bunions to name a few. Stretches can also be relaxing and they can give support and stability. Exercises for top of the foot pain will target:

  • The tendons that run along the top of your foot (the extensor tendons).
  • The tendons underneath your foot (the flexor tendons).
  • The very small and important tiny muscles within your foot- called the intrinsic muscles

But…there are important things to keep in mind before you start:

1. Stretches, while helpful, might not be the “cure-all” or “prevent-all”. If you have pain, then something is causing that pain. It is usually wiser to find out what’s causing that pain first from a qualified foot professional.

2. Sometimes reading about stretches or seeing a video on stretches might not convey everything that you need to know, like positioning and form, how long to hold the stretches, and what signs to look for if something is going wrong.

3. Stretching is not suitable for some conditions, like fractures and gout, no matter how many times you do them. In fact, sometimes stretching can make things worse. So, again, check with a qualified foot professional first to make sure you’re doing the right stretches and exercises for your foot condition.

4. Pain is not gain. You should never feel pain when stretching. Stretches usually display a very mild tightness in the target area – do not extend any further beyond that point. You also want to make sure you hold that stretch for a certain amount of time – usually about 10 seconds.

5. If you do a stretch or exercise for one leg, make sure you do it to the other too.

6. Sometimes stretches are only part of the treatment or prevention equation. If you stretch perfectly and then wear flipflops daily, you might be wiping out the “goodness” of the stretch. You might also need additional help (like orthotics, manipulation or other treatments) to help out your foot pain.

Let’s explore the top exercises and stretches for the prevention of pain on the top of your foot, and ultimately some foot pain relief!

Exercises for Pain on the Top of your Foot

Lets start off with a really nice and fun exercise that helps the intrinsic muscles within your foot. This helps with balance and support. So what do we do?

  • Sit on a chair
  • Place small objects close to you on the floor, like pens
  • Place a bowl on the floor and try to pick up the pens with your toes and then place the pens into the bowl

You can see how its done in our video here:

Toe Flex and Raise

This exercise works the tibialis anterior, a large muscle on the front of your leg that can have an impact on top of the foot pain. As a bonus, it can help strengthen your ankles and treat plantar fasciitis

  1. While standing, flex your toes high up towards the sky.
  2. Move forward so you are on your tiptoes. 
  3. Lower yourself back slowly. 
  4. Repeat the movement 15 times.

Click here to see a Feet First Clinic demonstration!

Towel Scrunches 

This exercise, also called toe curls, is all about keeping the top of your feet and toes strong. It is similar to the intrinsic muscles video above. You’ll need a towel or blanket (or any fabric you can pick up with your toes).

  1. Stand up with your feet flat on a piece of material and keep your heels anchored to the floor. You can also sit on a chair as long as you can do the same movements with your feet. 
  2. Scrunch your toes while grasping the material, pulling it towards you, almost like you are trying to pick it up with your toes. Make sure your heels stay firmly planted on the floor as you do this.
  3. Try the movements 15 times each, or more if you’re comfortable. You can also try two feet at the same time, or alternate. 

Click here to see a Feet First Clinic demonstration!

Toe Splay

This is one of the top exercises for improved mobility. It helps the small musculature of your foot and (as an added bonus) is also one of the easiest to perform!

  1. Stand up
  2. Spread your toes apart  
  3. Bring them back

The following is a video from the Alexandra Hospital SC Podiatrists demonstrating the Toe Splay

Great Toe Extension Stretch

This is a great exercise for arthritis, which often plagues the top of the foot with aches and pains. 

  1. While sitting on a chair, place the foot experiencing pain on the top of your other knee. If both feet are painful you can alternate. 
  2. While firmly holding your heel with one hand, use the other to pull your big toe back towards your ankle. 
  3. Wait until you can feel the stretch in the bottom of the foot (don’t worry, it still helps the top of the foot too!). 
  4. Repeat two to four times. 
  5. Switch feet and repeat. 

MyHealth Alberta provides an excellent image reference for this exercise:

High Arches Stretch

How about if you have high arches? Sometimes they can be painful but luckily there is an exercise to help:

  • Sit on a chair and cross one foot over the opposite knee
  • Grab the top of the crossed foot and then gently pull the foot towards your body
  • You should feel a mild stretch on the top of the stretched foot
  • Hold for 15 seconds and repeat 3 times.

You can see what it looks like here:

Top of the Foot Stretch

Given its name, this stretch is pretty straight forward in terms of how it can help your top of the foot pain, but it may also help with shin pain. This stretch has different variations but we’ll keep it as simple as possible. One thing to note: Be careful! The chair can slip, so we recommend doing this with your chair placed a wall.

  1. Sit at the very edge of a chair. 
  2. Extend one of your feet back with the top of the foot facing the floor and the knee pointing downward. 
  3. Gently press the top of the foot and toes against the floor until you feel the stretch working. 
  4. Repeat this movement ten times or less if you need, and alternate between feet. 

Athletico shows us how to do this stretch:

Need Extra Help With Your Top of the Foot Pain?

While exercises and stretches are great for pain prevention and management, sometimes the muscles and bones of the foot need a little extra care and attention. Call us at (416) 769-3338 or book an appointment using the form below or the button at the top of your browser!

Banner Image by Dragen Zigic from FreePik!

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Carolina Charles

Patient Relation Coordinator (She/Her)

If you’ve been to the clinic before, chances are you had the pleasure of meeting Carolina! Carolina’s daily goal is going above and beyond to make sure patients are always completely satisfied. Having worked in the podiatry industry for 22 years, Carolina brings a wealth of knowledge pertaining to client service, insurance policies, and procedures.​ She steers the ship to make sure everything runs smoothly on the daily. Carolina is known for spicing up every outfit with her signature costume jewellery.