Think about how you want to feel when you’re balancing en pointe. The perfect opposition of feeling the stability of being deeply rooted to the floor, while at the same time lifting up away from it. Like a tree growing up toward the sunlight, and also reaching down deep for water. It may bend and sway with the wind, but that trunk doesn’t budge. This confidence in your balance is hard to feel if your ankles don’t have the strength and proprioception to give you the sense of stability.

Do you have a history of ankle sprains or fractures? Subluxing cuboid? Plantar Fasciitis? Feeling a bit wobbly on demi pointe or full pointe? Some supplemental exercises could even help reduce the chance of an injury occurring in the first place, and increase your sense of stability and confidence on your toes, so there’s nothing to lose!

Here are four of my favorite super functional strengthening exercises for dancers during rehab and PREhab that don’t require any fancy equipment.

*NOTE: If you have an injury history, or are currently injured, check in with your health care provider to see if these exercises are safe for you. The ideas here should not be taken as medical advice.

SHORT FOOT - This exercise is essential to help gain control of your arches as well as improving ankle stability! It works the intrinsic muscles (small muscles that originate and insert along the arch). It’s like a Kegle for your foot. I tell my patients to work on these while they’re standing waiting for the microwave, brushing their teeth, etc. Try to hold 5 seconds or so then repeat. You can do both feet together. Make these a daily habit, it can be a game changer!

Make a bigger arch and shorten your foot as if you were trying to fit into a pair of shoes a half size too small.
Draw the ball of your foot straight back toward your heel.
Don’t roll the foot in or out, keep equal pressure along the metatarsal heads/ ball of your foot. Make your arch like a suction cup on the floor.
Look down at your toes and notice if they are turning white or gripping the floor. Try to keep them long and relaxed.
You can progress the difficulty of this exercise by engaging your short foot while you demi plié or squat with both legs, then eventually while standing on one leg.

SOLEUS ÉLEVÉ - The soleus is the smaller of the two big calf muscles, and helps provide stability to your ankle. It is best isolated when you lift the heels while the knees are bent to 90 degrees as if sitting in a chair. This position doesn’t happen often in dance class, so this is a great exercise to add to your routine.

Standing at the barre in parallel, take a deep demi plié (try to bend your knees to 90 degrees)
Lift your heels for 3 counts and lower down for 5.

SINGLE LEG BALANCE EYES CLOSED - This may seem simple, but give it a try! It’s amazing how much we rely on the input from our eyes. This exercise challenges your proprioception (your awareness of where your body is in space), and is essential especially after ankle sprains!

Stand barefoot on one leg without letting your legs touch, then close your eyes.
Make 60 seconds your goal without letting your legs touch or putting your toes down on the floor.
Progress this exercise by doing it in your pointe shoe or standing on a folded yoga mat for a more unstable surface.
Work on your short foot here while you’re at it!

BALL ÉLEVÉ - This exercise is especially good if you have received the correction that you sickle, or excessively wing your feet.

Place a lacrosse or tennis ball between your heels while standing parallel.
Rise onto demi pointe for 3 counts and down for 5 keeping the same pressure on the ball through the range of motion to maintain good foot alignment.
Make 20-25 repetitions your goal!
Progress by doing this on one leg, or in pointe shoes!

When it comes to the foot and ankle, there are many exercises to choose from. This is not a comprehensive list, but simply a few of my favorites that are important and functional for dancers. If better ankle stability is your goal, remember to work through all planes of motion, and don’t forget to add a balance/ proprioception component. Never hesitate to reach out to your local dance medicine specialist! We love helping dancers stay healthy and reach their goals.

Keep on dancing,

Dr. Aimee