A sprained ankle can be a painful experience that requires proper care for a speedy and complete recovery. After the initial swelling has subsided, you may be encouraged by your physician or athletic trainer to begin treatment and rehabilitation of your ankle joint. Exercise can help you maintain your ankle's natural range of motion, strength, flexibility, and balance. Exercise for a sprained ankle also improves blood flow which may speed up the healing process.
Calf Raise
The calf raise works the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles of the lower leg. Both of these muscles attach into the back of the ankle and are important for ankle strength and balance. To perform a calf raise, stand with your feet close together and try to lift your heels from the floor, as high as you can comfortably manage. As your ankles recover, you should be able to increase the height of the lift. Gradually increase the number of lifts you perform in a row over the course of your treatment.
Foot Inversion and Eversion
The foot inversion and eversion exercises help strengthen the medial and lateral muscles in your lower leg that help move the foot laterally or side-to-side. To perform inversion, wrap a resistance band around one foot and around a solid, stationary object, such as a weight bench. Now, twist your foot so that it moves toward your other foot. You should feel the resistance against the inside portion of your foot. Repeat this on the other foot. To perform foot eversion, wrap the resistance band around your foot and a stationary object so that the resistance is felt on the outside portion of your foot. Now, twist your foot so that it moves away from your other foot. After you finish one side, repeat on the other. You should perform this from a standing position and perform 10 twists on each side.
Single Leg Calf Raise
The single leg calf raise should be performed after you can comfortably perform the calf raise. The goal of this exercise is to test the strength of your injured ankle against the strength of your non-injured ankle. The goal is for the strength between the two ankles to be the same. Standing straight up, lift one foot off the ground slightly. Now, try and lift the heel of the foot that is on the floor as high as you can. Perform at least 10 lifts then repeat on your other foot.
Considerations
Get clearance from your physician or athletic trainer before beginning ankle sprain rehabilitation. This may be as early as two to three days after your injury, or as late as four to six weeks, depending on the severity of the sprain. The calf raise and foot inversions and eversions will typically be the first strength exercises you use to restrengthen your ankle. Once these exercises return to normal difficulty, you can further progress by performing the single leg calf raise to improve the coordination strength in the injured foot.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Sprained Ankle - Treatments and Drugs; Aug. 2009
- The Sports Physiotherapist; RICE or MEAT Protocol for Acute Ligament Sprain Treatment; Sept. 2010
- Rice University: Ankle Sprains
- Middle Tennessee State University: The Ankle - An Anterior Talofibular Ligament Rehab
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: Ankle Sprain
- Dubin Chiropractic; Ankle Sprain/Twisted Ankle; Joshua C. Dubin; 2003
