You notice it first on uneven ground. A kerb that never seemed high. A garden path after rain. That small hesitation — not quite a stumble, just a moment where your body asks whether your foot knows where it’s going. Most people put it down to getting older and leave it at that. But the research suggests something simpler is often at work: the small muscles in your feet and lower legs have stopped doing their share.
This article is for information only and not medical advice. Consult your GP before starting any new exercise programme.
Balance isn’t mysterious. It’s a skill, like steering a car — and it depends on signals from your feet telling your brain where you are in space. When those signals weaken, your brain gets less information, and your body compensates by stiffening up. That stiffness is what makes you feel unsteady. The toe raise exercise, done correctly, reopens that communication line. It’s not complicated. It takes about two minutes. And it might be the single most underrated movement for anyone over 55 who wants to stay steady on their feet.
One study found that a ten-minute floor routine, including simple toe and foot movements, improved balance and agility in as little as two weeks.
-PLOS One
The toe raise isn’t about strength. It’s about waking up the nerves in your feet that tell your brain where the ground is. Do it right, and you’ll feel more planted within days — not months.
Why balance fades — and what the feet have to do with it
Most people think balance lives in the inner ear. That’s part of it. But the bigger part is proprioception — your body’s ability to sense its own position without looking. And the densest collection of those sensors is in your feet. Every step you take, your soles send thousands of tiny signals up through your ankles, knees, hips, and spine. If those signals are weak or garbled, your brain has to guess where your body is. Guessing makes you wobble.
What happens as we age is that we wear shoes with thick soles, walk on flat floors, and stop using the full range of motion in our feet. The toes stop spreading. The arch drops. The small intrinsic muscles — the ones that stabilise each step — get lazy. A 2025 study in PLOS One showed that even a short daily routine of lying-down foot and ankle movements improved balance and agility significantly. The key movement? Toe raises — lifting the toes while keeping the heel down, then pressing the toes down while lifting the heel. It sounds trivial. It isn’t.
Getting started safely
If you’ve had a fall recently, or you feel unsteady just standing still, start this exercise sitting down.
There’s no rush. The toe raise is gentle, but it still asks your feet to do something they may not have done properly in years. If you have neuropathy (nerve damage, common with diabetes), existing foot pain, or recent hip or knee surgery, check with your GP or a physio before starting. The movement itself is safe — but the context matters.
Feet flat on the floor, knees at a right angle. Place your hands on your thighs for support if needed.
Keep your heels on the ground. Lift your toes as high as comfortable. Hold for two seconds. Lower slowly.
Now lift your heels, pressing your toes and the balls of your feet into the floor. Hold two seconds. Lower.
Do both feet together first. Once comfortable, try one foot at a time — that challenges your balance more.
If you feel a sharp pain in the top of your foot or your arch, stop. A gentle stretch is normal. Cramping or pinching means you’re forcing the movement. Back off and try smaller lifts.
Once you can do ten reps sitting down without thinking about it, try the same movement standing up, holding the back of a chair. That’s where the real balance work begins. A review of balance exercises from Health.com emphasises that consistency — even a few minutes several times a week — matters more than intensity.
Do the toe raise while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil. Two minutes, twice a day. No special equipment, no changing clothes. That’s enough to start seeing a difference.
What the toe raise actually changes
It’s not about calf strength. It’s about waking up the conversation between your foot and your brain.
When you lift your toes, you stretch the plantar fascia — the band of tissue along the bottom of your foot. That stretch signals the muscles in your lower leg to activate. When you press your toes down, you engage the small intrinsic muscles that spread and stabilise your foot with each step. Over time, this improves what’s called the “ankle strategy” — your body’s automatic way of making tiny corrections to keep you upright. A stronger ankle strategy means you catch yourself before a stumble becomes a fall.
Most balance exercises focus on the big muscles: glutes, quads, core. Those matter. But they’re downstream of the problem. If your feet aren’t sending good data, your core has to guess when to engage. The toe raise fixes the data stream first. A Women’s Health article covering the same PLOS One study noted that participants who did the routine showed measurable improvements in balance (less sway) and agility (faster side-to-side movement) — without any change in strength or power. That’s the key: you don’t need to get stronger to get steadier. You need to get more coordinated.
The toe raise is sometimes called “toe yoga” in physio circles. It’s also the first movement taught in many rehab programmes for plantar fasciitis and flat feet — because it restores the arch’s natural spring.
If you want to take it further, add the “rock, paper, scissors” toe movement from the study: clench all toes (rock), lift only the big toe (scissors), then spread all toes wide (paper). Do each five times per foot. It sounds silly. It works because it forces your brain to isolate movements it hasn’t asked for in years.
Options worth considering
Most people don’t need anything to do the toe raise. Bare feet on a hard floor is all you need. But if you want to make it a regular part of your day, a couple of things can help.
A balance pad or foam cushion adds an unstable surface that forces your feet to work harder. Standing on it while doing toe raises doubles the challenge. It’s not essential, but if you find the basic movement too easy, it’s a natural next step. The same pad can be used for single-leg stands and heel-to-toe walks — it’s a versatile piece of kit that takes up no space.
For anyone who spends long hours sitting, an under-desk foot pedal or mini elliptical keeps the ankle and foot moving throughout the day. It’s not a replacement for the toe raise, but it prevents the stiffness that makes balance worse. Several readers have mentioned using one during Zoom calls — it keeps the lower legs active without drawing attention.
If you have persistent foot pain or stiffness, a foot massager with heat can help loosen the muscles before you exercise. The RENPHO model, for example, combines kneading and air compression — it’s not a training tool, but it prepares the feet for movement. Use it for five minutes before your toe raises, and you’ll notice the lift comes more easily.
Narrowing it down
The best approach is the one you’ll actually do. But here’s how to match the option to your situation.
If you’re steady on your feet and just want to maintain what you have, the toe raise alone — barefoot, twice a day — is enough. No equipment needed. If you’ve already noticed yourself reaching for the wall or furniture more often, add the balance pad. It forces your feet to adapt in ways flat ground doesn’t. If you sit for most of the day, the under-desk pedal keeps the joints moving between sessions. And if foot pain is stopping you from even starting, address that first with a massager or a physio appointment — don’t push through pain.
The toe raise is also recommended in many falls prevention programmes run by the NHS. It’s one of the few exercises that directly targets the foot’s sensory feedback system — not just the muscles.
- The toe raise improves balance by restoring communication between your feet and your brain — not by building muscle.
- Start sitting down, progress to standing. Two minutes, twice a day is enough to see a difference within weeks.
- No equipment is required. A balance pad or foot massager can help, but the movement itself is what matters.
Closing thoughts
Balance isn’t something you lose permanently. It’s something you stop practising. The toe raise is a reminder that the body responds to small, consistent signals — not dramatic effort. You don’t need a gym, a class, or a gadget. You just need to give your feet a reason to wake up.
If you’re unsure where to start, try the movement right now, sitting down. Lift your toes. Hold. Lower. That’s it. Do it again tomorrow. Your body will do the rest.
For more on staying steady, you might find this piece on how seniors can improve agility through exercise useful. And if motivation is the sticking point, this article on how to stay motivated for exercise after 65 offers a different angle.
References
Atomi, A., et al. (2025). A supine exercise program linking trunk stability with lower extremity coordination is associated with improved body balance and agility. PLOS One. The study that showed a ten-minute floor routine improved balance and agility in two weeks.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Older adult fall prevention: facts about falls. Source for the 1 in 3 fall statistic among adults 65 and older.
Health.com. 5 simple exercises to help improve your balance. Reviewed by Hannah Harper, MPH. Provides the broader exercise context for balance training.
Women’s Health. This 10-minute, no-equipment workout could improve balance and agility. Reviewed by Carina Hsieh, MPH. Covers the same PLOS One study with practical interpretation.
