Heel walk
Walking on the heels with the toes lifted works the muscle along the front of the shin.
Shin strength family
Heel walk
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Source-researched guide. Clinical review is pending.
How to move
- Stand tall, near a wall or rail for balance if you need it.
- Lift the toes and the front of both feet so you stand on your heels.
- Take small, steady steps forward on the heels, then lower the feet and rest.
Form cues
- Keep the knees soft and the body upright.
- Shorten the distance if the shins cramp.
Practice and cautions
No universal dose is assigned. Choose a manageable amount for your current capacity, leave room for controlled repetitions, and allow recovery. A clinician’s individual plan takes priority.
This is movement education, not an assessment or treatment prescription. Stop for sharp or increasing pain, dizziness, numbness or tingling; seek individual guidance for symptoms, injury or restrictions.
Sources and review status
Sources support the educational description; they do not establish that this exercise is suitable for you.
No variation is labeled clinically validated.
What it works
Equipment
None: body weight and floor space.
Level
Beginner. See the easier and harder options above.
Workouts that use it
Pain guides that use it
Part of a staged plan, with when to get help first.
- Shin splints exercises: settle, strengthen, return to running
- High arches (pes cavus): foot pain, ankle sprains and when to get them checked
- Foot drop: when it's urgent, braces and stimulation, and exercises while the nerve recovers
- Toe walking in children: when it's normal, the signs to get checked, and what helps
- Pain on top of the foot: tight laces and tendons, a stress fracture, the midfoot, gout and nerves
- Shin pain: shin splints, a stress fracture, compartment syndrome and the muscles at the front
- Foot pain in children: heel pain, flat feet, growing feet and shoes, sport and the signs to check
- Shin pain on the treadmill: shin splints, a stress fracture, incline, stride and what helps
- Shin pain when hiking: shin splints, stress fractures, descents, boots and laces, and what helps
- Shin pain from jump rope: shin splints, stress fractures, floors, landings and what helps
Guides that use it
Similar moves
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Questions people ask
What muscles does the Heel walk work?
Mainly the shins.
What equipment do I need for the Heel walk?
No equipment: your body weight and a little floor space.
Is the Heel walk good for beginners?
It is graded beginner, so it suits most people starting out. When it feels easy, try the Single-leg tibialis raise.
What is an easier alternative to the Heel walk?
Try the Tibialis raise. Both are written steps in the same progression.
How do I make the Heel walk harder?
Progress to the Single-leg tibialis raise. Follow that guide’s technique and any stated timing.