Foot and calf strength

Every now and then I would spend an evening to do some foot exercises. I usually do not notice any change right away but you will notice a difference gradually. Some of these exercises can be done more often than the others, just because they could be done even while sitting.

Some feet strengthening exercises that I do.

• Ankle alphabet - Make upper case alphabets with your feet (one at a time), sitting cross legged. 
• Toe and shin walk - Walk around your house for 40-60 seconds - first on toes and then on heels. Doing this couple times is good.
• Stretch your toes while sitting and feet on ground so that every toe is spread out and not touching the neighbour toe and also touching the ground. It is hard. I could do sometimes only one foot at a time.See here for details
• Towel grabs - While sitting on the floor with knees bent and facing the ceiling and a small towel placed in front of your feet, grab the towel with your feet. You could also do a variation of grabbing a table tennis (or ping pong) ball

Some lower leg work

• Single legged vertical jumps (very light). About 80-100 on each side. Repeat 3 times.
• Single legged horizontal jumps (very light)- about 12-15 on each side. Repeat 2 times.
• Jumping jacks (favorite!)
• Calf raises. Make sure to also do eccentric ones too where you come down slower than you raise your calf and do one leg at a time.