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Heel exercises are an important part of keeping foot health in check and preventing injuries. They strengthen the muscles, improve flexibility, and make you more stable. Adding these exercises to your routine can help you avoid common foot problems like plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis. Here are five effective heel exercises to keep your feet healthy and injury-free. Calf raises are a simple yet effective exercise to strengthen the calf muscles, which support the heels. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, slowly rise onto your toes, hold for a few seconds, then lower back down. Repeat this 10 to 15 times. This exercise helps improve balance and stability while strengthening the muscles around the heel. Heel drops improve flexibility in the calves and Achilles tendon. Stand on a step with your heels hanging off the edge. Slowly lower your heels below the step level, then lift them back up to neutral position. Repeat this 10 times. This exercise helps in improving the range of motion in your ankles. Walking on your toes is an excellent way to improve balance while strengthening the muscles in your feet and calves. Walk across a room on your toes, keeping your heels off the ground as much as possible. Do this for about 30 seconds to one minute. This exercise will improve coordination between different parts of your foot. Ankle circles increase mobility in both ankles, which indirectly helps heel health by ensuring proper movement patterns when walking or running. Sit comfortably with one leg extended outwards; rotate your ankle in circular motions clockwise 10 times before switching directions for another 10 rotations counterclockwise. The towel stretch is great for improving flexibility in both calves and hamstrings, which indirectly benefits heel health by reducing tension on surrounding muscles. Sit on the floor with one leg extended straight outwards while looping a towel around its ball. Gently pull towards you until you feel a mild stretch along the back of the leg. Hold for 15 seconds before switching sides. Repeat three times per session daily.
