While athletes often struggle with ankle sprains and tendonitis, ankle instability can plague anyone – and it can be debilitating, keeping you from enjoying everyday activities. Strengthening your ankles may help protect you from injuries such as sprains and breaks as well as prevent ankle turns, rolling, and weakness. If you are prone to ankle turns, sprains, or pain when you walk, these exercises, when done regularly, can help you strengthen and stabilize your ankles.
To perform this exercise, stand with your feet flat on the ground and lift yourself up on to your toes. Repeat for 15 reps; do three sets of 15. It’s important to maintain control as you lift and as you lower your heel back to the ground for the best results. This exercise strengthens the calf muscles that support that ankle.
Heel Walks
Another great exercise for improving ankle stability is the heel walk. Stand with your feet apart and lift your toes off the ground. Walk on your heels for approximately 20 steps, then walk backward while remaining on your heels.
Combined Heel-Toe Walk
Stand with your feet apart. Take steps forward starting on your heel, rolling your foot forward, and lifting up onto your toes with each step. This helps to build the muscle that support the ankle and helps improve stability.
While seated, lift your foot off the ground and move your foot in clockwise motion as if you were drawing circles with your toes. Reverse direction and repeat. Do several repetitions of this stretching exercise with both feet. This can also be done using your toes to spell out the alphabet. It is useful in the treatment of tendonitis and to improve flexibility.
If you are experiencing ankle pain, discomfort, a decreased range of motion, or other ankle-related symptoms, a consultation with an orthopedic specialist may be the first step towards diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. Dr. Burrus is an experienced fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon who is dedicated to providing high-quality, specialized holistic care. Call512.477.6341or fill out the formon this page to schedule an appointment.
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If you can walk up and down hills you increase cardio and will help build stronger muscles in your ankles, legs and feet giving you more stability throughout your everyday life. Walking also helps maintain your bone density. According to Wolff's law, new bone is laid down along lines of stress.
A progressive 6-week strength-training protocol using rubber exercise tubing produced improvements in both strength and joint position sense in the ankle. These findings suggest that strength training without an emphasis on proprioception may be beneficial to improve both strength and proprioception deficits.
For acute injuries, a walking boot, followed by a rigid ankle brace is advised. Eventually moving to semi-rigid ankle support. For ankle sprain prevention, the Aryse stability ankle system is a great option.
If you are an avid runner, cycling is an easy way to use different muscles in your legs. Cycling can help increase your ankle's range of motion and can easily be done at your own pace. By getting your heart rate up, cycling is also a form of cardio you can do without risking additional injury to a healing ankle.
Stability, ankle plantarflexor strength, and eversion range of motion is declined with aging. In addition, strength of ankle plantarflexor and eversion range of motion is significantly correlated with balance stability.
The following are negative consequences of toe walking: Tight ankles or contractures can develop. Poor balance reactions, frequent falling. Muscle imbalances “up the chain” meaning decreased hip or core strength due to the different postural alignment.
Place a looped resistance band around your foot and a heavy chair or table leg. Moving only your ankle, pull your toes back towards your shin (while keeping your knees straight). Continue until you feel discomfort or can't move it back any further. Hold this position for two seconds and slowly release.
It improves flexibility & develop calf muscles strength and also helps to improve postures & develop proprioceptive ability and body balance. Do note when doing Tiptoe exercise: Vertical lift, & upper body not leaning forward! Its the easiest form of exercise which you can do it anytime at home!
Conclusion. Toe walking may require less peak ankle plantarflexor strength, less peak ankle dorsiflexor strength, and less peak knee extensor strength, but greater hip extensor strength than does normal heel-toe walking.
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While athletes often struggle with ankle sprains and tendonitis, ankle instability can plague anyone – and it can be debilitating, keeping you from enjoying everyday activities. Strengthening your ankles may help protect you from injuries such as sprains and breaks as well as prevent ankle turns, rolling, and weakness. If you are prone to ankle turns, sprains, or pain when you walk, these exercises, when done regularly, can help you strengthen and stabilize your ankles.