Dominic Stone
Strong ankles are essential for walking, running, jumping, and more. Yet, weak ankles are susceptible to injury and can cause pain and mobility issues. Fortunately, there are many exercises to strengthen your ankles and adjoining ligaments, including stretches, resistance training, and plyometrics. These exercises can improve your stability and mobility, reduce the risk of falls and injuries, and even help increase bone density. Before starting an ankle-strengthening routine, it's important to consult a doctor, especially if you have existing ankle problems or injuries.
How to Train Ankle Muscles
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Importance | Ankle muscles are important for walking, running, jumping, and maintaining balance. |
| Risk of Injury | Weak ankles are susceptible to injury, especially sprains, which can put you out of commission for weeks. |
| Joint Health | Ankle training is called proprioception training, which helps the mind connect to the muscles and improves joint health. |
| Preventing Injuries | Training ankles can help prevent injuries, especially if you're doing high-impact activities like running. |
| Stretching | Stretching ankles is vital before exercising. It should be part of your routine to ensure plenty of blood flow to the joint muscles. |
| Exercises | There are several exercises to strengthen ankles, including dorsiflexion, double pogo hops, single-leg training, towel stretches, calf raises, ankle pumps, and more. |
| Medical Issues | Weak ankles could be a sign of other medical issues, so it's important to get checked out by a doctor before starting ankle exercises. |
| Frequency | It is recommended to do ankle exercises every day or a few days each week to maintain good balance, stability, and posture. |
| Pain | If any ankle movements are causing pain, it's best to see a medical professional. |
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What You'll Learn
Stretching and strengthening exercises
Ankle Circles
Ankle circles can be done from a sitting or lying position. Turn your ankle in a circle to the left, then repeat in the right direction. Try doing 10 circles in each direction with each foot.
Alphabet
Draw the alphabet in the air with your foot. Do 2 sets of this exercise on each foot.
Resistance Band Stretch
Sit on the floor with one leg bent at the knee, with your heel on the floor, and the other leg extended in front of you. Loop a resistance band around the front of your foot and hold both ends in your hands. Point your toes forward and then back, releasing the tension. Do 3 sets of 10 flexes on each foot, three days a week.
Wall Stretch
Stand facing a wall, with one foot in front of the other by about 12 inches. Point your toes up and slowly lean forward until you feel a stretch in the back of your lower leg. Hold for 30 seconds and then repeat on the other side. Do 3 rounds in total.
Chair Pose
Stand tall with your feet together. Inhale and raise your arms overhead, palms facing inward. Exhale and bend your knees slightly, working towards getting your thighs parallel to the ground. Try to hold this pose for 30 seconds to a full minute. To come out of it, inhale and straighten your knees.
Single-Leg Balance
Stand on a flat surface with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold your arms out to your sides and stand on one foot. Try to increase the number of seconds you can keep your balance on each leg.
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Proprioception training
Proprioception and balance exercises can help the body regain control of the joint's position and prevent injury. These exercises can also offer significant pain relief, stronger muscles, and improved mobility, strength, and flexibility. Studies have shown that proprioceptive training can reduce the incidence of initial or recurrent ankle sprains in athletes, regardless of their history of ankle sprains.
To incorporate proprioception training into your routine, start with gentle stretches and strengthening exercises for the ankles. For example, try standing on one leg, keeping your heel off the ground, and jumping up and down in place. This single-leg training helps work out asymmetries in the body. You can also try double pogo hops, where you jump with both feet together, taking off and landing on the balls of your feet.
Another simple but effective exercise is dorsiflexion, which is when you pull your toes up towards your shin. This movement improves endurance for running, sprinting, and other sports. To do this exercise, sit in a chair with your feet propped up and let your forefoot dangle off the edge. Slowly lower your toes towards the ground, then lift them back up. You can add resistance by holding a resistance band or light kettlebell over the forefoot.
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Towel stretches
Strong ankles are the key to improving your performance in sports, running, and dancing. They are also important for older people to improve their balance and stability, which is key for preventing falls.
Towel Curl
- Sit with both feet flat and place a small towel on the floor in front of you.
- Grab the center of the towel with your toes and curl it toward you, then relax.
- Repeat this exercise.
- You can make this exercise more challenging by placing a weight on the edge of the towel.
Towel Circles
- Place a rolled towel under your ankle.
- Turn your ankle slowly in circles, doing 10 circles in one direction and then 10 in the other.
- Ensure you only move your foot and ankle, not your leg.
Towel Dorsiflexion
- Sit with a towel wrapped around your foot.
- Gently pull the towel to dorsiflex the ankle and hold for a stretch.
- This targets the shin muscles and improves ankle flexibility and mobility.
Towel Hop
- Place a rolled towel on the ground to the side of your injured foot.
- Hop over the towel and land on the injured foot.
- Then, hop back over the towel and land on the uninjured foot.
- You can increase the speed of this exercise as your healing progresses.
Towel Balance
- Fold a towel into a small rectangle and place it on the ground.
- Stand with the injured foot on the towel and lift the uninjured leg off the ground.
- Hold for 15 seconds. As your balance improves, increase the time up to 45 seconds.
- Perform this exercise 10 times in a row.
It is important to remember that you should not feel pain during these exercises. Consult a doctor or physical therapist if you experience any discomfort.
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Resistance exercises
Resistance Band Exercises
One way to train your ankle muscles is to use a resistance band. These exercises can be done with a thick elastic band, such as a Theraband, which you can get from a physical therapist or a sporting goods store.
- Sit in a chair next to a table and wrap a looped resistance band from the table leg to the inside of your foot. Adjust your foot so that the band is taut. Raise your toes slightly, then move your foot away from the table, stretching the band while keeping your heel in place. This exercise strengthens the muscles on the outside of your ankle.
- Loop the band around the base of your big toe and wrap it around your foot so that you create a line of pull perpendicular to your leg. Start with your foot rotated towards your little toe and slowly move it towards your big toe, against the resistance of the band. Then, gently return your foot to the starting position without letting the band snap back. Repeat with the band set up the opposite way, with the loop around the base of your little toe.
- Tie the resistance band to a fixed object and wrap the ends around your forefoot. Start with your foot pointing down and pull your ankle up as far as you can. Repeat this 10 times.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your knees bent. Place a resistance band under your forefoot and hold the ends of the band with your hands. Keeping your toes pointed up, turn your foot inward so that the sole faces your other leg. Hold this position for 2 seconds, then return to a neutral position.
- Loop the band under your foot again and hold the ends with your hands. Keeping your toes pointed up, turn your foot outward, away from your other leg. This is called a resisted eversion, which strengthens the outward direction of your ankle.
Other Resistance Exercises
There are also other exercises that can help train your ankle muscles, some of which can be done with free weights:
- Stand on the balls of your feet on the bottom step of a staircase, with your heels hanging off the step. Use a bannister for support if needed. Raise up onto your toes and then slowly lower your feet, with your heels dropping below the step level. Do 2 or 3 sets of 10 lifts every other day. You can add resistance by holding weights while doing toe raises.
- Stand straight with your hands on your hips. Jump straight up without bending your knees. Flex your ankles and pull up your toes while in the air. Extend your ankles back just before you touch the floor and push off the balls of your feet explosively. Try to keep your feet on the floor for as little time as possible. Start with a few repetitions and work your way up to 25.
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Balance activities
One simple balance exercise involves standing on a folded towel placed on the ground. Stand on the injured foot, with the other leg lifted off the ground. Hold for 15 seconds, and then return the uninjured foot to the floor. Perform this exercise 10 times in a row, and as your balance improves, increase the time up to 45 seconds. You can also try this exercise on a wobble board or a BAPS board (Biomechanical Ankle Platform System) to increase the challenge.
Another balance exercise is the single-leg balance with closed eyes. Stand on a flat surface with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold onto a chair or wall for support if needed. Lift one leg and balance on the other leg. Try to increase the number of seconds you can keep steady on each leg. Once you can balance for 60 seconds, try variations such as closing your eyes or standing on an unsteady surface.
In addition to these targeted balance exercises, single-leg training can also help with balance and stability. Try standing on one leg and jumping up and down in place as quickly as you can, taking off and landing on the ball of your foot. This helps to work out asymmetries in the body and improves propulsion and power.
Remember, it is important to consult with a doctor or physical therapist before starting any new exercise routine, especially if you have a previous injury or are experiencing pain.
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Frequently asked questions
Here are some exercises to train your ankle muscles:
- Towel stretch: Sit with both legs straight out in front. Wrap a towel around the top of the foot, holding the towel at either end. Gently pull the towel so that the toes angle back toward the body. Hold the position for 30 seconds, then release for 30 seconds. Repeat the stretch 3 times, then switch to the opposite side.
- Towel curls: Sit with both feet flat on the ground. Place a towel under one foot. Curl the toes to grip the towel and lift it off the ground. Hold it for a couple of seconds, then release. Repeat with the opposite foot.
- Dorsiflexion: Sit in a chair with your feet propped up on a stool or bumper plate. Let the forefoot dangle off the edge. Slowly lower the toes down towards the ground for 5 seconds, then lift them back up towards the shins for a count of 2 seconds.
Tight or weak ankle muscles can cause pain and problems with mobility. They can also increase the risk of injury to the bones, tendons, and ligaments of the ankle. Training your ankle muscles can help improve ankle joint mobility and reduce the risk of injury.
You can incorporate ankle training into your daily routine or at the beginning or end of your workout. Nagler Foot Center recommends doing ankle exercises a few days each week.
