Whether you're recovering from an ankle injury, suffer from joint pain or tendinitis, ankle pain can put a wrench in your exercise plans. A variety of exercise methods, from running to weightlifting, often put pressure on the ankle, and you could make your pain even worse by ignoring the symptoms. Instead, look for ways to rehabilitate your ankle through gentle exercises, and choose ones that are low impact and easy to perform with a sore ankle.
Water Aerobics and Swimming
Water aerobics are especially beneficial when you suffer from joint pain, as the buoyancy of the water protects your sore joints from impact. While running or cycling may aggravate your condition, exercising in the water or swimming laps can help you stay fit while your ankle recovers. Look specifically for a rehabilitative water aerobics class or a class targeted toward those with joint pain to ensure that you'll get a thorough low-impact workout.
Exercise Band Stretch
Using an exercise band to manually move your ankle can help you stretch the muscles and tendons before you begin to exercise. Sit on a supportive chair and position another chair in front of you. Place your sore ankle on the seat of the other chair and loop a resistance band around the instep of your foot. Grasp the ends of the resistance band and use the resistance to press your toes back toward your ankle. Stop when you feel your ankle strain.
Balance Exercise
If you've been off of an injured ankle for a few days, work on your balance when you're ready to start putting weight on the ankle again. Start slowly by standing beside a sturdy chair. Put your foot on the floor, testing for pain. If you still experience pain, avoid putting more weight on your ankle, as it could cause further damage. If the pain is only slight, shift your weight to your injured foot and hold for no more than 30 seconds. Repeat three times per day.
Alphabet Circles
Even if you're stuck in bed, you can still begin to regain range of motion in your ankle while lying down. This can better prepare you for rehabilitation when your ankle has healed and you've been cleared for exercise once again. While lying in bed, point your toes and write out the alphabet with the big toe of your injured foot to practice moving your ankle back and forth, forward and back. Try writing actual words and names as you practice.
Member Comments