The moment you sprain your ankle is a moment you wish you could do over. Ankle sprains occur in seconds and can happen during sports activities or when walking down a cracked sidewalk. Always speak with your doctor regarding ankle injuries to rule out any serious issues. If you are confident your ankle is sprained, you can rehabilitate it by performing exercises with a Thera-Band.
Thera-Band
Thera-Band is a brand of rubber exercise resistance bands. The bands can be cut to the desired length for your workout needs. You can select your resistance level from eight levels that range from extra thin/light to maximum/heavy. The bands are color coded for each different resistance level. When recovering from an ankle sprain, select a lighter resistance until your strength improves. If you have a latex allergy, Thera-Band has latex-free bands available.
Flexion
Your ankle moves in a plantar flexion motion when you point your toes and in a dorsiflexion motion when you pull your toes toward your leg. A Thera-Band is used to add resistance to these flexing ankle movements.
Your Thera-Band can be tied into a knot and, for this exercise, one end should be tied to a stable support such as the leg of a couch. Sit on the floor with your legs straight, face the band and tie the other end around the middle of your foot. Perform dorsiflexion by pulling your toes toward your leg against the resistance and then slowly release. The exercise can be repeated for three sets of 10 repetitions.
For plantar flexion, keep the band tied to your foot, but untie the band from the support and hold the ends in your hands. This allows the resistance to be on the opposite side of your foot. As you hold the band, point your toes away from your body to pull on the band and then slowly release. As your strength improves, repeat for one to three sets of 10 repetitions.
Ankle Inversion
Your ankle performs many movements including turning inward, which allows your toes to turn outward. You can strengthen this inversion by keeping the band tied to the middle of your foot and tying the other end to a secure base. The hip that is the same side of your injured ankle should be closest to the band's base, as you sit on the floor with both legs straight in front of you. Perform the inversion by lifting your heel inward and upward as your toes slightly turn outward. Aim to repeat the movement 10 times and for one to three sets.
Ankle Eversions
Your ankles turn outward, which turns your toes toward the midline of your body. For this exercise, tie the band to the middle of your foot and tie the other end to a secure base. The hip on the opposite side of your injured ankle should be positioned closest to the base, as you sit on the floor with your legs straight in front of you. Perform the eversion by lifting your heel up and away from your opposite foot. After you turn your ankle to the highest position, hold your ankle still and count to five before lowering your heel. Aim to repeat the eversion 10 times and for one to three sets.
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