Heel Raises

Getting into position

Stand tall with good posture. Keep your feet and legs about one inch apart and your hands just in front of your body at about waist height. Hold onto a chair for support. Tighten your tummy muscles and look straight ahead.

The exercise

Keeping your weight evenly distributed between both feet, lift your heels and body up as far as possible by pushing up through the balls of your feet. Ensure that you keep your weight over the big and the second toe and avoid rolling your weight out towards your little toe. Hold for a second, then lower your heels with control until they reach the floor before lifting up again.

Repeat until your legs begin to tire, do one more and then walk on the spot to refresh the muscles. Build up gradually to a maximum of 10 repetitions.

Caution

If you have bunions or arthritis in the toe joints and find the exercise uncomfortable, try sitting down. Sit tall with good posture, your legs feet and knees hip-width apart. Lean forward slightly from the hips with your hands on your thighs and lift and lower heels.