How to build your own slant board For Improved Foot Strength & Flexibility
You could buy a slant board for about $40 USD here. If you’re short on time but want to start improving your foot strength, flexibility, and overall balance, that’s a great option.
But... if you’re up for a quick DIY project... follow these instructions and you’ll have an effective slant board in no time!
ABOUT THE SLANT BOARD
This is about as simple as it gets. Essentially, this is an angled 5x5 square that you’ll be balancing on. The trick is that the board balances on a triangle shaped piece. This makes it slightly wobbly and forces the foot to work harder to achieve balance and stability. To create this effect, the dimensions of the triangle piece ensure that it’s the primary point of contact against the floor.
WHAT YOU'll NEED
Wood
5 inch x 5 inch square of ¾ inch plywood
5 inch x 1 ⅜ inch rectangle of ¾ inch plywood
4 ½ inch by 1 ⅝ inch by 4.78 inch triangle of ¾ plywood
*The 4 ½ inch side and the 1 ⅝ inch side need to be at a 90 degree angle
Tools and Hardware
Wood glue
5 x 1.5 inch #6 or #8 wood screws
A drill
A saw to cut the wood to size
DIY DIRECTIONS
- Gather your wood and cut the pieces to size. Scrap pieces of plywood are perfect for this project. If you don’t have any, ask the handiest person you know - they'll probably have something hanging around that'll suit your perfectly. They might even cut the pieces for you too!
- Attach the rectangular piece to the square piece. Get the rectangle as flush to the edge of the square as possible. Make sure you pre-drill both pieces with pilot holes first to minimise the chance of your plywood splitting. Then add wood glue and screw the pieces together with two or three screws.
- Centre the triangle piece in the middle of the board. The longest edge of the triangle should be facing away from the 5x5 base (i.e. this is the part that will rest on the floor). Same as before, pre-drill two holes through the 5x5 base, and one hole through the rectangle piece. Then glue and fasten with two or three screws.
- Test it out. You’re done! If you find the bare wood to be a touch slippery, glue on a piece of fine sandpaper (something around a 200 grit would work well) or rubber. You could also coat it with a non-slip paint like Liquid Rubber Textured Sealant.
How To Use the Slant Board
If you haven’t seen it already, have a look at this video to see the 4 drills that I’ve found to be most useful for myself and my clients. It’s extremely effective at strengthening the foot and lower leg, and it can be a great way to warm-up the feet too.
Any questions? You can always shoot me an email... I'm happy to help!