Balance

Heel-to-toe walk

Walking along a straight line, heel touching toe — trains balance for steadier everyday walking.

Beginner Low impact Wall
Movement diagram for Heel-to-toe walk: heel-to-toe stance
Original diagram — start and finish positions.

How to do it

  1. Stand upright and place your right heel on the floor directly in front of your left toes.
  2. Then do the same with your left heel.
  3. Keep looking forward at all times.
  4. Put your fingers against a wall for stability if you need to. Try at least 5 steps.

Form tips

  • Move slowly and smoothly.
  • As you improve, move away from the wall.

Common mistakes

  • Looking down at your feet.

Easier and harder

Make it easier

Stand still in the heel-to-toe position instead of walking.

Make it harder

Walk backwards heel-to-toe (with support).

Watch

Exercises to improve balance and muscle strength — Royal Osteoporosis Society on YouTube. The video loads from YouTube when you press play. Watch on YouTube

Sources

  1. NHS: Balance exercises — checked 3 Oct 2026
  2. Royal Osteoporosis Society: Exercise to help your balance — checked 3 Oct 2026

More balance exercises