8 Exercises to Strengthen Ankles and Prevent Injuries

Many people have weak ankles from old injuries, flat feet, or poor balance. This can cause pain and lead to falls. Simple exercises to strengthen ankles can help make them steady and strong. You don’t need a gym or equipment. In this article, we show you all the best ones you can do at home.

The Alphabet

The alphabet exercise helps you improve ankle mobility and control. You need to:

• Sit in a chair and lift one foot slightly off the floor.
• Use your big toe like a pen and slowly trace the letters of the alphabet in the air.

Make sure to move your foot from the ankle, not the knee. It is one of the easy exercises to strengthen ankles without any equipment.

Eversion Isometrics

This exercise targets the outer side of your ankle. You need to:

• Sit in a chair and place the outside of your foot against a wall or a hard surface.
• Push your foot outward against the wall without moving your leg.
• Hold the pressure for five seconds and then stop. Repeat it ten times on each foot.

Resisted Strengthening Plantar Flexion

This exercise makes the back of your ankle stronger. All you need to do is:

• Sit with your legs out straight.
• Use a resistance band under your foot and hold the other end with your hands.
• Push your foot forward like pressing a gas pedal.

Hold it for a few seconds and then return slowly. Do this ten to fifteen times on each foot. Add this to your routine of exercises to strengthen ankles for full muscle support.

Towel Scrunches

Towel scrunches work on the small muscles in your foot and ankle. You should:

• Place a towel on the floor and put your bare foot on it.
• Use your toes to pull the towel toward you.

Do this for one to two minutes. Then switch to the other foot. It is a simple part of the exercises to strengthen ankles that also improves your foot grip.

Ankle Pumps

This movement helps improve blood flow and strength. Try to:

• Lie on your back with your legs flat.
• Point your toes away from you and then pull them back toward your face.
• Move your ankles up and down twenty times.

This can reduce swelling and stiffness. Include it in your daily list of exercises to strengthen Arizona foot and ankle, especially if you sit or lie down for long periods.

Calf Stretch

This is another stretch that focuses on a different calf muscle. Stand facing the wall and step back with one leg. This time, bend both knees while keeping your heels down. You will feel a stretch lower in your calf. Hold for thirty seconds and then change sides. Use this with other exercises to strengthen ankles to improve muscle balance and motion.

Heel Dips and Raises

This exercise builds balance and muscle strength in your calves and ankles. Stand with the front of your feet on a step and let your heels hang over the edge. Slowly rise up onto your toes and then lower your heels below the step. Repeat this movement fifteen to twenty times. This is one of the most important exercises to strengthen ankles to prevent future sprains.

Ankle Circles

Ankle circles help keep the joint flexible and reduce stiffness. Sit or lie down with one leg lifted. Rotate your foot in a circle ten times to the right and then ten times to the left. Make the movement slow and controlled. Use this movement with other exercises to strengthen ankles to support a full range of motion.

Let’s Recap

Weak ankles can make you feel unstable and cause pain. You can use these simple exercises to strengthen ankles at home without equipment. They improve balance, flexibility, and muscle strength. Try to do them each day for the best results. If pain does not improve or if you feel unsafe while doing them, stop Googling “best foot doctor near me” and visit Foot and Ankle Specialty Centers for a personal treatment plan.

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