Can’t Stand on Your Tiptoes? Here’s What Your Body’s Trying to Tell You

Standing on your tiptoes isn’t just for ballerinas. The ability to flex your ankles and come onto the balls of your feet is fundamental for day-to-day activities (say, reaching for something on a shelf). It’s also key for physical fitness (including running, jumping, and more).

Plus, regularly raising on your tiptoes will strengthen your legs, calves, and feet, says Jessica Mazzucco, a certified fitness trainer and founder of The Glute Recruit. Standing on your toes can indirectly improve body alignment by strengthening supporting muscles.

While hoisting your heels seems simple enough, it can be challenging for some people to accomplish without toppling over or feeling discomfort. Here are three reasons that could be restricting your relevé, plus tips to help you lift onto your toes.

1. You Have Weak Calves

If you can’t fully raise onto your toes, a weak calf muscle is often the most common cause, Mazzucco says. The gastrocnemius is a large muscle that comprises half of your calf. It runs down the back of your lower leg from behind your knee to your heel. And when it lacks strength, there can be a detrimental domino effect.

“A weak calf muscle can lead to problems such as stress and injury in the Achilles tendon and other areas such as the knees and plantar fascia,” the band of tissue that stretches across the bottom of your foot and connects your heel bone to your toes, Mazzucco says.

And all of these issues make standing on your tippy toes tougher. Plus, if you’re a runner, weak calves can also diminish your “push off,” leading to reduced speed and quicker fatigue, Mazzucco says.

Fix It

“Many of us have tight [or weak] calf muscles from sitting too much and a general lack of activity,” Mazzucco says. To counteract this, try movements that stretch and strengthen calves like calf raises.

How to Do It Stand on a step with your weight on the balls of your feet and your heels hanging off the step. Avoid placing all of your weight on the outside of your foot and make sure it’s evenly distributed over your big toe. Use a banister for support if you need it. Raise up onto your toes and slowly lower your feet while your heels drop below the step level. That's one rep. Complete two to three sets of 10 lifts every other day.

As you grow stronger, you can hold weights in your hands to increase the challenge, Mazzucco says.

2. You Have Limited Ankle Mobility

Stiff ankles might be the source of your tiptoe woes. When you lack mobility in the ankle joint and flexibility in its surrounding tendons and muscles, you’ll find it tougher to do many exercises (think: squats).

Conversely, a flexible ankle will give you a wider range of motion in almost every movement you do, which includes standing on your tiptoes, Mazzucco says.

Fix It

Ankle mobility exercises can help stretch and strengthen your stiff ankles. Again, calf raises are a good place to start. You can also amplify your ankle flexibility and range of motion by doing this wall stretch:

How to Do It Stand facing a wall and place your front foot about a fist-size distance away. While bracing yourself against the wall, shift your body weight forward to allow your knee to get close to the wall, and keep your heel touching the floor. As you get more range of motion, you can challenge yourself by stepping farther back. Hold for one minute, then repeat on the opposite leg.

3. You Have Fallen Arches or Flat Feet

If you have flat feet or fallen arches, standing on your toes will be a challenge. “Some people are born with flat feet, or it may occur over time when tendons in the lower leg weaken as a result of injury or wear,” Mazzucco says.

Fix It

Practicing toe walking can strengthen your arches and help your body better support your legs, resulting in less hip, ankle, and back pain, Mazzucco says. She also recommends foot stretches like this one:

How to Do It While standing, press your right big toe into the floor, and lift up your remaining toes. Hold for five seconds. Next, press your four toes into the floor while lifting up your big toe. Hold for five seconds. Repeat each way for 5 to 10 times, then switch and do the exercise on your left foot.

For a more advanced exercise, try heel raises: Place a tennis ball between your heels and squeeze them together as you lift your heels off the ground. This helps to strengthen your posterior tibial tendon, which helps hold up the arch while walking.

The Takeaway

• If you can’t stand on your tiptoes on one foot or both feet, you may have weak calves, limited ankle mobility, or flat feet.
• There are exercises you can do to help with standing on your tiptoes, like calf raises, heel raises, and wall stretches.
• It is a good idea to consult with a physical therapist or podiatrist for personalized recommendations.