An ankle sprain is a common injury that involves stretching or tearing of the ligaments in your ankle. Depending on the severity of your ligament damage, you can heal a sprained ankle in anywhere from several days to several weeks with the help of a variety of exercises. You also can use certain exercises to help prevent the recurrence of a sprain.
Sprained Ankle Basics
Ligaments are lengths of connective tissue that connect your bones to each other and help stabilize your joints. You can easily damage your ankle ligaments if you fall awkwardly or twist your ankle joint out of its normal position. If you have a mild ankle sprain, you will typically only stretch your ligaments. However, if you have a more severe sprain, you may have partially or completely torn ligament tissue. Milder sprains can be treated without surgery, while severe sprains may require surgical repair.
Initial Exercises
If you have a mild or moderate ankle sprain, you may be able to start performing range-of-motion exercises a couple of days after your injury, according to the Sports Injury Clinic. Potential options include seated exercises performed with a balance board or wobble board, active upward and downward movements of your ankle joint and active side-to-side movements of your ankle. You also may be able to start performing a variety of stretching exercises, including shin stretches and stretches for your gastrocnemius and soleus muscles, which form your calf.
Additional Exercises
Strengthening exercises that can help you recover from a sprained ankle include resisted up-and-down movements, resisted side-to-side movements, calf raises and exercises that require you to place your ankle against a wall and push without moving. Typically, you will only perform side-to-side strengthening exercises once your doctor or therapist tells you that ligament healing is well under way. If you play sports, your physical therapist may also recommend that you perform functional exercises that prepare you for a return to your preferred activity. Potential options here include standing balance board exercises, lunges, running and customized exercises for your sport.
Prevention and Considerations
The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends a variety of exercises to help prevent a re-injury of your ankle. They include standing and sitting heel raises, ankle circles, toe raises, step-ups and alphabet letters, which require you to "write" the alphabet in the air with your big toe. You can continue performing the strengthening exercises you used during your recovery. Consult your doctor and a physical therapist before beginning any exercise program for a sprained ankle. They can help you choose appropriate exercises and avoid worsening your injury.
