Banded Ankle Inversion
CalvesIsolationLegsResistance BandBeginner
Seated, with a band pulling the inner edge of your foot outward, you turn the sole inward with the toes slightly pointed. It is the only exercise in the catalogue aimed at the tibialis posterior, the deep muscle that holds up the arch of the foot — a calf raise does not isolate it; you have to add the inversion.
How to perform
- 1.Sit with your leg straight and your ankle off the edge of the support.
- 2.Loop the band around the inner edge of your foot and anchor it on the opposite side, at ankle height.
- 3.Let the toes point slightly down, not up.
- 4.Turn the sole inward against the band without moving the knee.
- 5.Return slowly.
Common mistakes
- ●Lifting the toes as you turn: that hands the work to the tibialis ANTERIOR, which is a different muscle doing the opposite job
- ●Rotating the whole leg from the hip instead of the foot
- ●Anchoring the band so close there is no tension at the start
Proper technique
The slightly pointed toe IS the exercise: the tibialis posterior inverts AND points the foot down at the same time, and it is only isolated by combining both. Short, controlled range — do not chase extra range. High reps, like everything at the ankle.
Variants
Other exercises that work the same primary muscle.
muscle map
primary
secondary
Primary
- Tibialis posterior