A sprained ankle makes you realize how much you take walking for granted. Being able to move around normally once the ankle heals is a great relief, but you must walk correctly. Sprains occur when your foot twists abnormally due to a sudden change in movement or when too much pressure is applied. Proper walking form will help keep you steady. If you walk with your toes pointed inward or outward instead of straight ahead, you risk another sprain because the angle of your foot makes it easier for the ankle to bend and become sprained again.
Step 1
Wait for your doctor's approval before resuming your normal walking habits. Walking is actually part of the healing process -- your doctor may have you start to walk while wearing a brace and using crutches soon after the injury occurs, depending on the severity -- but walking for long distances can lead to a new injury if you're not completely ready. Even if the pain is gone, get a final okay from your doctor.
Step 2
Wear shoes that give you some sort of ankle support like high-tops or hiking boots that are laced all the way up. Tie the laces in a double-knot to ensure they don't come undone. The last thing you need is to re-injure your ankle after tripping on a loose shoelace. Don't wear high heels, no matter how tempting. High heels are a major cause of ankle sprains in women.
Step 3
Place your heel on the ground and lower the rest of your foot, moving forward along the sole with a rolling motion as each successive part of your foot comes down -- in other words, don't snap the sole and ball of the foot and your toes down all at the same time. Ensure that your toes point forward and not off to the side. As the front of your foot comes down, lift the heel up. Your toes should be the last part of your foot to leave the ground. Bring the foot up and to the front while you repeat this with the other foot, landing gently on the heel.
Step 4
Take a few practice steps while holding on to something steady. If you're used to shuffling along and not rolling through steps, you might feel a bit off-balance. Rolling through your steps can feel very strange if you're not used to it.
Step 5
Continue stepping forward by actually pushing forward with your toes, rather than just shifting your weight forward onto the leg currently touching the ground. Lift the foot instead of dragging it forward to avoid catching your foot on a crack and tripping.
Step 6
Go slowly over rough or loose surfaces and look ahead for bumps and cracks in the sidewalk.
Step 7
Move your arms in an alternating pattern with your legs, so that the arm opposite of the leg currently moving is also moving. Stand up straight instead of hunched over.
Tips and Warnings
- Try to lose weight. MedlinePlus notes the extra weight from being overweight can stress your ankles.
Things You'll Need
- High-top sneakers or hiking boots (optional)
