Exercises for the muscles supporting the ankles do not require expensive equipment, a gym membership or even a high level of coordination. They are, however, worth your time. You are less likely to suffer an ankle injury such as a sprain if you have strong, flexible ankles. You also lower your chances of injuring yourself following a sprain if you exercise.
ROM
ROM, or range of motion, is a type of exercise that increases mobility at a joint such as the ankles by loosening up the muscles, ligaments and tendons around the joint and also strengthening them if they are weak. This allows the ankles to move fluidly in all directions. An example of an ankle ROM exercise is ankle circles. Simply sit down to take weight off the joint and circle one ankle at a time in both directions, making the circles as wide as you can.
Lower Leg Strengthening
Well-known exercises like calf raises and even lunges strengthen the muscles of the rear of the lower leg that control the ankle, but the tibialis anterior on the front of the lower leg is also an ankle muscle. To strengthen the tibialis anterior, use a resistance band and perform seated ankle flexion. To setup for the exercise, attach one end of a band to an object at floor level. Sit down and secure the other end to the ball of your foot. Extend the leg straight, point your toes and sit facing the object with the band taut. Then, flex your ankle to pull your toes toward you, which activates the tibialis anterior. Switch legs.
Calf Stretching
Calf flexibility is an important part of keeping the ankles injury-free. Stretching exercises for the calves do not require a lot of space, equipment or a large range of motion. A basic calf exercise is the calf stretch off a step. To perform this exercise, stand on a stair with one heel hanging off the edge. Shift your weight to the foot that is fully on the step and then push down with the heel off the edge to lengthen that calf muscle. Repeat with the other leg.
Balance Exercises
Poor balance increases your likelihood of injuring your ankle by two to three times. Balance exercises improve your balance with a straightforward means of progression so no matter your current level of balance, you can safely begin a program. Standing on one leg is the most basic of balance exercises. This may be too painful if you have an ankle injury, so you may have to wait until the ankle is sufficiently healed to bear weight. Work up to standing on one leg without support from a wall or chair for 30 seconds. Once you can do 30 seconds, stand on a pillow. Next, try two pillows.
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