One Foot Practice, Three Big Benefits (Ankles, Knees, Lower Back)

Hi, I'm Sydney with Pilates Tonic and back with another exercise focusing on the feet. In our last two videos, we focused a bit more on the toes and the fronts of the feet. In this video, we're gonna focus on more the whole bottom of your feet as well as your ankles. So you're gonna wanna sit in your chair where you can scoot your feet forward so you can get your ankles under your knees and you can see your feet. And now go ahead and do spread your toes out. So just ask for that extra kind of movement in the feet of spreading the toes out and then setting them down. And then you're gonna press into the balls of your feet. So think about pressing in to the space between your first and second toe knuckle on each foot and as you do that, lift your heels. So as you're lifting your ankles and watch to make sure that your ankles aren't rolling out or rolling in but you're really trying to keep your ankles lined up with the fronts of your feet and keep a little bit of pressure on that point between your first and second toe knuckle on each side. Now from here to put your heels back down, you're gonna think about stretching your heels, so the bottom of your feet. You're gonna think about reaching your heels like you're pulling your heels back away from the fronts of your feet and then set your heels down. We're gonna do that again. So you're gonna think about or feel for that pressure between that first and second toe knuckle, still keeping a little pressure at the little toe side of your foot as well and as you lift the ankles you're trying not to let your ankles cave in or drop out and you're just lifting up to where you can really keep that pressure between that first and second toe knuckle And then as you start to lower your heels down, think about pulling the heels like you're stretching the bottoms of your feet, reaching the heels away from the fronts of your feet to set the heels down. And then you can rest it. Now this is one that will look like you're not doing much but it can be a very, big feeling, very big and deliberate feeling when you find, start to feel and find those muscles in your feet and your ankles working. Working. And then once you get the hang of doing this one sitting, it's a really fantastic one to add to by standing up. Now if you have any questions, just leave them in the comments below. Thanks so much for watching and I'll see you next time.

When your feet function optimally, your entire body benefits—especially your ankles, knees, and lower back.

Today’s video is all about the feet again, this time with a different way to feel and think about how they move.

Get ready to lengthen your soles!

Give it a try, and let me know how it goes by replying to this email or leaving a comment below.

From my feet to yours,

Sydney

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Sydney

I’m here to help you get stronger and more flexible through alignment-based restorative exercise so you can enjoy all the activities you love in life. You can work with me in two convenient ways: digitally through the The Alignment Studio or personally with in-person Restorative Movement Sessions.

4 Responses

Joy Charlebois says:

November 18, 2025 at 12:46 pm

Sydney,
What specifically are we going to improve by doing this exercise. It requires a great deal of concentration and deliberation for me.
joy

Reply
1. Sydney says:
  
  November 18, 2025 at 12:55 pm
  
  Great question, Joy! The concentration and deliberation that’s required for this exercise is on purpose. Working this way, helps wake up the muscles in the feet. It also helps create stability in the ankles. Thanks for sharing!
  
  Reply
Noriko says:

November 19, 2025 at 1:35 pm

I feel it in my tummy, thighs, and shoulders more than in my feet…! My brain is really struggling.

Reply
1. Sydney says:
  
  November 19, 2025 at 3:10 pm
  
  Thanks for sharing, Noriko! This exercise is definitely a different approach to working the feet, and feeling it in those places is a very normal response. It will be neat to see if you start to sense your feet and ankles after a little practice or after taking a break and revisiting in a couple of days.
  
  Reply