Can you stand on your toes without the heels in a painful position?

This article is part of the monthly series of 'Pressing both heels as hard as you can'. If you can stand on your toes, you are probably doing this correctly and are therefore doing correct squatting exercises. What if you have a heel injury or plantar fasciitis?

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If you are suffering from a heel sprain or plantar fasciitis, don't despair. There are a number of exercises that can help you return to your normal walking and running without having to stop or slow down. The two most commonly used exercises are the split squat and the wide-leg deadlift. The split squat involves trying to lift as much weight as possible while maintaining your normal walking speed. The wide-leg deadlift is a much more difficult exercise to perform correctly and is done by pulling both sets of feet off the ground. However, if you stop the exercise early during either exercise or if you don't feel like doing them, then it may be better to look at other exercises or simply try to walk a little faster.

If you can do the splitset squat or the deadlift, then you are probably doing them correctly and will be improving your stability and strength in the heel area. However, if you are unable to do the exercise safely, then you should seek the advice of a qualified personal trainer to help you develop an injury prevention program. I strongly recommend you take your shoes off and practice the exercises barefoot. This will provide you with more freedom of movement and reduce the risk of any injury.