Having weak ankles can cause a multitude of ankle and foot injuries. Weak ankles can negatively affect your balance, and increase your chances of getting injuries, sprains, tears, and breaks. Having strong ankles will ensure that you have a solid base and aren’t at a higher risk of injuring your ankle. However, if you do have weak ankles, there are many ankle strengthening exercises you can do from the comfort of your own home.
Ankle Circles
This is a highly effective yet simple exercise you can perform to strengthen your ankles. It improves the muscles around the ankle, therefore improving the stability of the joint. Simply sit on a chair and extend your leg out straight. Move your foot in a circular motion 10-20 times, rest it, then move it in the opposite direction.
Alternate legs so you do 3-4 sets each time. To make the exercise a little more dynamic, try moving your foot up and down and side to side.
Standing Calf Raises
Calf raises not only strengthen your calf and ankles, but can be considered a balance exercise. Stand at the edge of some sort of step or stair and hold onto the railing. If you don’t have an elevated surface, you can also stand on the floor. Raise your heels up and down slowly 10-15 times to strengthen your ankle joints.
While it may sound easy, you will most likely feel a burning sensation in your calf. That means the muscles are being activated and are working hard. The more often you do them, the more you’ll be able to do!
Use a Resistance Band
Resistance bands are a great tool commonly used in sports training, dance, yoga, and other activities to improve strength and flexibility. To use them to strengthen your ankles, sit down in a chair and raise your leg up and put the resistance band around the ball of your foot. Stretch your foot down slowly as far as possible so you feel your ankle muscles working, then slowly bring it back up to a flexed position. Repeat this about 10-15 times on each foot.
Wearing the Right Shoes
The shoes you wear have a large impact on the health and state of your feet and ankles. They can be what supports or further injures your feet. If you’re on your feet for a large part of your day, make sure to wear shoes with cushioned soles.
Make sure no shoes you wear are super thin and unsupportive, as that’s a recipe for a sprain or injury. Arch support is vital, especially if you have flatter feet. Talk to your podiatrist about what shoes would be best for you and your feet.
Schedule an Appointment Today
While having weak ankles puts you at risk of injury, there are certainly plenty of steps you can take to strengthen them! If you’re not sure where to start or what the signs of weak ankles are but think you might have them, we encourage you to please call our office. Our foot doctor by Bronzeville will be able to assess your ankles, symptoms, and past issues to determine if you’re at risk for ankle injury. Don’t delay- contact us today!