Ankle strengthening exercise

Introduction

• Ankle strengthening exercise is recommended when you have any ankle related injury namely, ankle sprain, fracture around ankle or even any ankle related condition.
• These exercise makes the ankle more powerful as well as strong enough to perform all your day to day activity more easily.

What is the ankle strengthening exercise?

• An ankle joint is a more weight-bearing joint that consists of various bones, tendons, & ligaments. Together, these structures carry a weight of your body whilst allowing you to move.
• Ankle strengthening exercises may prevent pain, injury, or even some mobility problems.
• Ankle strengthening exercise assists you to get better mobility & allows you to wear different footwear.
• The exercise assists sportsmen to get better performance. Strong ankle prevents you from foot as well as leg injuries.

Which muscle is used for ankle strengthening exercise?

• Calf muscles – The gastrocnemius, & Soleus muscles
• Posterior tibialis,
• Flexor hallucis longus, peroneal longis as well as brevis.

There have many benefits of performing ankle strengthening exercises

• Assists to prevent injuries : Strengthening the ankle muscles assists to reduce a pressure around an ankle joint, which may help you to prevent injury of an ankle joint.
• Improving bone density: Ankle Strengthening exercises assists to increase bone density. The increased bone density reduced a risk of degenerative changes as well as decreases the chance of occurrence of bone diseases, namely osteoarthritis.
• Increasing balance: The strong ankle should improve the balance. Good balance is essential for many sports activities as well as exercises. This will also assists to decrease the risk of falls as well as injuries. Give assistance to get Quick recovery in ankle injuries.
• Assists to reduced pain
• Helps to increase muscle strength around an ankle joint.
• Prevents ankle sprain as well as ankle strain.
• Assists to improve gait
• Improve running stride
• Increase an ability to walk in different shoes.

Here explained the cause of ankle weakness as well as ankle injury

• Tighten or even stiff muscle around an ankle joint
• Ankle sprains
• Some congenital abnormalities in an ankle joint
• Abnormally high or even low arch of the foot.
• Overuse of the ankle joint
• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Gout
• Lupus erythematosus
• Previously injured ankle joint.
• Poor walking pattern
• Wearing incorrect footwear.

Some ankle strengthening exercise

• Standing Heel Raises
• Single-Leg Balance on an Unstable Surface
• Resisted Ankle Eversion and Inversion
• Star Exercise
• Squat Jumps
• Squats on Balance Board
• Towel curl

Standing Heel Raises

• How to do this strengthening exercise:
• For this exercise, first of all, you have to Stand normally with feet hip-width apart. After that, you can stand near a wall or even get a chair for taking a support.
• Then, gradually you have to let the heels towards the roof.
• Next, hold for a couple of seconds and then gradually lower this down with control.
• Keep in control with moves as well as go all the ways on to toes.
• Do this strengthening exercise ten to twelve times in one session. Perform two to three sessions in a day.

• How to do this variation :
• The variation of standing heel raises is a little bit challenging. After that, you have to embark with basic standing heel raise going up on the toes. Next, instead of lowering this down both heels at the same time, you have to lower the one heel merely.
• Then do again with heel raise on both feet as well as down on one foot.
• Complete this strengthening exercise ten to fifteen times on one leg in one set and then go further to another side as well. Do two sets in a day.

Single-Leg Balance on the Unstable Surface

• How to do this strengthening exercise:
• To do this exercise, you need the Bosu ball. Next, place your right foot on the Bosu ball as well as your left foot on the floor or the bench behind the right foot.
• After that, gradually raise the left foot off the floor with hip as well as knee ninety-degree flexion. Hold your leg up for ten to fifteen seconds and then gradually lower this down.
• You may complete ten to eleven repetitions on one leg then go to the another leg as well.
• If you are not able to hold for ten to fifteen seconds then you reduce the time of a hold.

Eversion Isometrics

• An ankle strengthening exercises mainly embark with isometric contractions. That means your ankle joint does not move while you are flexing the muscles.
• Eversion focuses on pushing an ankle outward.
• How to do this strengthening exercise:
• During seated, place an outside of an affected foot against the table leg or even closed door.
• After that, push outward with the foot into an object your foot is against. It will make your muscles contract. The ankle joint should not move.
• Next, hold the position for nearly ten seconds in one set. Perform two to three sets per day.
• Relax for five seconds.
• You can do these exercises early after injury or even surgery. They allow you to gently as well as safely add force to the muscles that support the ankle.

Inversion Isometrics

• This ankle strengthening exercise focuses on the inversion, which involves pushing an ankle inward.
• How to perform this strengthening exercise:
• First of all, you may take a sitting position, then place an inside of the injured foot against the table leg or even closed door.
• Then, push inward with the foot into an object your foot is against. It will make the muscles contract. The ankle joint should not move.
• At the end, hold this position for ten seconds in starting phase, after five days increase the duration of hold from ten to twenty.
• Perform this exercise seven times in a session. Try to do two sessions in a day.
• Relax for ten seconds.

Resisted Strengthening Dorsiflexion

• You may perform resistance ankle strengthening exercises with the thick elastic band called the Theraband. These exercises assist to strengthen the muscles around the ankle as well as add support to a joint.
• Do each exercise ten to fifteen times in a row.
• Never tie the theraband or even anything else around the foot, ankle, or even leg in a way that would restrict blood flow.
• The resistance exercise assists to strengthen the anterior tibialis, the muscle in the front of your shin.
• How to perform this strengthening exercise:
• To initiate this exercise, you just tie a band around the table leg, next place your foot inside a theraband, with a band across the top of the foot.
• Next, moving only the ankle, point the foot back toward the nose during keeping the knees straight. Then, continue until you feel discomfort or cannot tilt it back any further.
• Hold the position for five seconds & gradually release.
• Return to the normal position, and then repeat.

Resisted Strengthening Plantar Flexion

• Resisted ankle plantar flexion assists to strengthen the calf muscles as well a Achilles tendon, the big tendon in a back of the ankle. This also uses the theraband to provide resistance.
• How to do this strengthening exercise:
• To start with, loop a theraband under the foot & hold a theraband with the hands.
• Then, moving only the ankle, point the foot forward during keeping the knees straight. You can feel tightness in your calf muscle behind your lower leg. Continue until you feel discomfort or cannot move this any further.
• Hold the position for six seconds.
• Return to a normal position.
• Perform this strengthening exercise ten times in a session. Do two sessions in a day.

Resisted Ankle Eversion

• How to do this strengthening exercise:
• To do this exercise, you require a resistance band. After that, wrap the resistance band around the foot.
• For eversion push the foot in the outward direction against a resistance band. Then, hold this for ten to twenty seconds, and gradually release this.
• Do this exercise ten to twenty times in one session. Do this exercise in two to three in a day.

Resisted Ankle inversion

• How to do this strengthening exercise:
• For this exercise: You may just wrap the resistance band around the ankle joint, then the therapist hold the band, and then you just move the leg is moved to the inward position, and the thera band provides the resistance for strengthening the inversors.
• Hold this position for nearly ten to twelve seconds, and then gradually release it. Perform this exercise ten to fifteen times.
• When your foot strength becomes more then you may increase the repetitions.

Star Exercise

• How to perform this strengthening exercise:
• To do this exercise: A star jump exercise by standing in the quarter squat position with the feet hip-width apart as well as the slight flexing of the knees. After that, push the foot into a floor & jump with the explosive motion.
• During in mid-air, you have to fully extend the arms as well as legs out to form the star shape.
• You have to complete ten to fifteen repetitions of one to two sets. Next, gradually you will increase the number of repetitions of this exercise.

Ankle alphabet

• An ankle alphabet will assist you to stretch as well as strengthen the muscles around an ankle & improve a range of motion in an ankle joint.
• How to perform an ankle alphabet:
• First of all, you just sit with one leg extended out in front.
• Next, place the pillow under a calf so that the foot hangs over another side.
• Then, use the big toe to draw the letters of an alphabet in the air.
• Repeat this strengthening exercise ten to fifteen times on each side in a session. Perform three sessions in a day.

Squat Jumps

• How to do this strengthening exercise:
• This is a great exercise to strengthen an ankle muscles with this exercise you also strengthen the glutes, quadriceps, as well as hamstrings.
• To do this exercise you have to stand with the foot hip-width apart. Next, flexed the knees until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
• Next, you have to jump straight up. Then, again come into the squatting position.
• Continue to jump straight up during squatting in between the next jump.
• Complete ten to twenty squat jump for one to two sets in a day.

Squats on Balance Board

• How to perform this strengthening:
• To do this exercise, you require the balance board or even wobble board with one fulcrum motion.
• You have to stand on a wobble board as well as flexed the knees until the thighs are parallel to the floor then gradually stand up.
• Then, you have to perform ten to fifteen squats without letting either edge of a board touch the ground.
• Slowly you may increase the repetitions.

Towel curl

• How to perform this strengthening exercise:
• To do this exercise, you may just sit in the chair or even stand with the foot hip-width apart.
• After that, spread a large towel on the floor in front of you.
• Then, put the both foot on a towel. Next, scrunch a towel by the toes towards you.
• Push a towel away from you to build strength in the foot.
• Do this exercise ten to fifteen times for one to two sets per day. Slowly increase the repetitions.

Partial Weight-Bearing Seated Calf Raises

• These partial weight-bearing exercises give assistance to you to put more weight on the affected ankle. They are also used for an ankle strengthening. You may perform each one ten times in a row.
• How to do this strengthening exercise:
• To start with, sit in the chair with the affected foot on the ground.
• Then, lift the heel as far as possible during keeping the toes on the ground.
• Come back your heel to the ground.
• Do this exercise ten times in a session. Do two sessions in a day.

Partial Weight-Bearing Standing Weight Shift

• Sometimes after the injury, you can have to limit how much weight you put on the affected leg.
• It can assists you to protect your ankle as this heals.
• Then, you may slowly increase weight bearing on your affected (which should be strengthen) ankle. Weight shifts are the main ankle strengthening exercise for this.
• How to do this Partial Weight-Bearing Standing Weight Shift strengthening exercise:
• To initiate with, stand upright during holding onto the stable object.
• Then, shift some of your weight onto an affected foot.
• Hold the position for ten to fifteen seconds.
• Next, relax & put your weight back onto the already strengthen foot.

Full Weight-Bearing Single Leg Stance

• These ankle strengthening exercises will assist to put more weight on the affected foot. You should be sure your ankle may tolerate a pressure before you put the full weight on this.
• How to do this strengthening exercise:
• First of all, stand on the affected foot during lifting the uninjured foot off the floor.
• Then, hold this position for ten to fifteen seconds.
• Next, relax as well as put your weight back onto the uninjured foot.
• Do this exercise on each side 10 times in a row in a session, with two sessions in a day.
• Check with your therapist to be sure you are performing the right ankle strengthening exercises for you.

Full Weight-Bearing Lateral Stepping

• The ankle strengthening exercise involves stepping from side to side.
• How to do this strengthening exercise:
• To start with, place the rolled towel or even short object on the floor to the side of your affected foot.
• Then, step over a towel with the affected foot & remain on that foot.
• Next, bring the already strengthen foot over the object & stand on both feet.
• After that, step back over a towel with the already strengthen foot & remain on that foot.
• Then bring the affected foot back over a towel & stand on both feet.
• You may increase the speed of the exercise as your healing progresses.
• Do this exercise with hold while stepping lateral for ten seconds, do ten times in a session. Do two sessions in a day.

Full Weight-Bearing Lateral Jump

• The ankle strengthening exercise embarks to incorporate jump training, called plyometrics, into your rehab routine. This may help you get back to running & other sports.
• How to do this strengthening:
• First of all, place the rolled towel or even short object on the floor to the side of the affected foot.
• Next, hop over a towel & land on the affected foot.
• Then hop back over a towel & land on the already strengthen foot.
• Increase a speed of this exercise as your healing progresses.

Single Leg Stance on a Towel

• How to do this strengthening exercise:
• First of all, fold the towel into the small rectangle & place this on the ground.
• Then, stand with the affected foot on a towel.
• Next, lift the already strengthen leg off the floor. After that, stand only on a towel with the injured leg.
• Hold for ten seconds. As the balance improves, increase that time up to twenty seconds.
• Come back your uninjured foot to the ground.
• Do this exercise ten times in a row. When you are ready, increase the challenge by standing on more unsteady surfaces such as the wobble board.

Full Weight-Bearing Standing Calf Raises

• How to do this strengthening exercise:
• First of all, stand on an affected foot during lifting the uninjured foot off the floor.
• Raise yourself, standing only on a ball of the affected foot & lifting the heel off the floor.
• Hold this action for ten seconds.
• Relax & put your weight back onto the uninjured foot.
• Do this exercise ten times in a session. Perform three sessions in a day.

How to Work Out Safely & Avoid Injury

• Proper exercise technique is essential to ensure a safety as well as effectiveness of the exercise, but you may require to modify each exercise to get optimal results based on the needs.
• You may select the weight that allows you smooth as well as control motion.
• If you want continual progress as well as build body strength, after that incorporate proper warm-ups, rest, & nutrition into your exercise program.
• You have to take the rest for two to three hours before embarking the same muscle group exercise.
• Your muscles require some rest to get recovery after the workout.

When did you not perform this exercise?

• If you feel any pain or even discomfort while the exercise, after that stop immediately.
• If you have a past or even present health condition that is poor, after that consult your physician before initiate this exercise program.
• If you have the recent foot injury.
• If the ligament is injured.

FAQ