The ankle joint is located where the bones of your lower legs and feet come together. There are three separate joints that make up your ankle. The tibiotalar joint, however, is most commonly thought of as the ankle joint. It allows you to flex your ankle so your toes move toward your knee, called dorsiflexion, and extend your ankle to point your toes away from your knee, called plantar flexion. Ankle injuries are common, especially among athletes, because your ankles have to bear so much weight. If you injure your ankle, after a period of rest to allow any swelling to subside, perform stretching and resistance exercises as part of your rehabilitation program. This will help restore range of motion to your ankle joint and strength to its surrounding muscles and connective tissues.
Ankle Rolls
Ankle rolls stretch your ankle joints through their possible movements. Performing ankle rolls can help you identify where you still feel pain and/or lack range of motion. To perform the exercise, sit on a chair and elevate your left foot. Smoothly move your ankle through dorsiflexion, followed by plantar flexion, and then turn your foot inward as you dorsiflex your ankle once again. Repeat this motion 10 times and then reverse the motion, moving your foot inward as you plantar flex your ankle. Make sure to do the exercise with your right foot as well.
Calf Stretch
This exercise stretches the calf muscles on the back of your lower legs, which provide support for your ankle joint, through maximal dorsiflexion. Place both hands against a wall and step backward with both feet so your body is angled. Press both heels into the ground and hold for 10 seconds.
Ankle Dorsiflexion
This exercise strengthens the tibialis anterior, extensor digitorum longus and peroneus tertius muscles on the front of your lower legs, which are the major ankle dorsiflexors. Sit upright with your legs extended and feet plantar flexed as much as possible. Have a partner hold the front of your left foot and provide resistance as you move your ankle through dorsiflexion. Perform 10 reps and then switch feet.
Heel Raises
Heel raises strengthen your calves, the primary plantar flexors of your ankle joint. They are especially helpful if you are an athlete, because the calves are essential for jumping, running and sprinting. Sit on a chair with your knees bent, heels on the floor, and toes elevated about 2 inches onto a sturdy surface, such as a wooden board. Hold dumbbells on top of your knees. Repeatedly lift your heels as high as possible and slowly lower them back down. Perform two or three sets of 8 to 12 reps.
Skier Jumps
Skier jumps are a high-impact, plyometric exercise and, therefore, should be performed toward the end of your rehabilitation program, after you have built a foundation of strength in the muscles and connective tissues surrounding your ankles. They are helpful for treating ankle sprains because they gently stress the ligaments on the outside of your ankles that are commonly injured when you sprain your ankle. To perform the exercise, stand on either side of a straight line and jump sideways, back and forth across it. Jump slowly at first and gradually pick up speed over 30 seconds' time. Perform three to five sets.
References
- "Basic Biomechanics (Fifth Edition)"; Susan J. Hall; 2007
- "Essentials of Athletic Injury Management (Seventh Edition)"; William E. Prentice, PhD., A.T.C., P.T.; 2008
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning (Second Edition)"; Thomas R. Baechle and Roger W. Earle; 2000
- American Council on Exercise: Ankle Flexion
- "Training for Speed, Agility, and Quickness Second Edition)"; Lee E. Brown and Vance A. Ferrigno; 2005
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