📖 Read-only demo. All content is browsable; accounts, saved progress, and quizzes need the full app — run it locally from GitHub.

Skip to content
beginnerisolationclosed-chainSource-checked

Tibialis Toe Raise

Also called: Toe raise, heel walk

Primary muscles: Tibialis anterior

Joints / actions: Ankle joint (talocrural joint) (dorsiflexion)

Plane: sagittal

Equipment: bodyweight

What it is

Standing with weight on the heels, lifting the toes and front of the foot up toward the shin, then lowering with control.

Purpose

Strengthens the tibialis anterior for ankle dorsiflexion, balancing the much more commonly trained calf muscles.

Starting position

Stand tall with weight on the heels (or lean the back against a wall with heels slightly forward for a wall-supported version).

Step by step

  1. Lift the toes and front of the foot up toward the shin as high as comfortable, keeping the heels on the ground.
  2. Pause briefly at the top.
  3. Lower the toes back down under control and repeat.

Breathing

Exhale as the toes lift; inhale as they lower.

Coaching cues

"Heels down, toes up, control the lowering."

Common mistakes

Rocking the whole body instead of isolating ankle movement; rushing the tempo; too small a range of motion.

Easier regression

Perform seated instead of standing, reducing the balance demand.

Harder progression

Add a light band around the top of the foot for resistance, or perform single-leg.

Alternatives

Seated resisted dorsiflexion with a band.

Who may benefit

Runners and walkers wanting balanced ankle strength, and anyone building general lower-leg strength.

Who should modify or avoid it

Those with shin pain that worsens with this movement should reduce range or seek guidance.

Why this exercise works

It directly trains the tibialis anterior's dorsiflexion action, which is comparatively neglected relative to the calf muscles despite its role in controlling foot-strike and preventing toe drag while walking or running.

⚠ Safety note

A low-load, generally very safe exercise; balance support (a wall or rail) is fine to use.

Sources

“The tibialis anterior dorsiflexes the ankle.”

Anatomy and Physiology 2e — OpenStax, Rice University · Ch. 11.6 Appendicular Muscles of the Pelvic Girdle and Lower Limbs

Peer-reviewed textbook · License: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · Last checked 2026-07-19

Sign in to save this exercise and add notes.