Orthopedic, or resistance, bands are pieces of rubber tubing similar to a bicycle inner tube that are used to provide resistance for therapeutic exercises. These bands help provide a steady resistance throughout the range of motion for a joint without the "sticking point" that often hampers the use of free weights during therapeutic exercise. These bands can be used in a variety of ways to help restore the strength, stability and flexibility in your ankle.
Isometric Exercises
Isometric exercises involve holding a specific position in your ankle joint while pushing or pulling with your muscles. While a fixed object is sometimes used, you can use resistance bands looped around your foot and anchored to a stationary object to perform these exercises as well. Position the bands to provide resistance to pulling your foot back toward your body, pulling your foot in toward the center of your body and even pushing your foot away from your body by holding one end in your hand and looping the other end around your foot.
Isotonic Exercises
Isotonic ankle exercises are performed by moving your foot throughout its range of motion against the resistance of the exercise band. These exercises are designed to help strengthen the muscles of your ankle while simultaneously helping you move your ankle joint through its range of motion. One benefit of using resistance bands for isotonic exercises is that you don't have to worry about putting on too much weight or getting stuck at that sticking point you have to fight through when using free weights or a cable machine.
Proprioceptive Exercises
Proprioceptive exercises help you improve your balance, stability and awareness of where your body weight is in relation to your center of gravity. Use resistance bands to help improve your proprioceptive awareness by looping one end around your unaffected ankle and balancing on your injured leg while moving your other leg against the resistance band. This helps improve your strength and balance on your injured ankle, while at the same time helping strengthen the muscles of your other leg.
Isokinetic Exercises
While isotonic exercises are designed to help strengthen the muscles of your ankle while performing a contraction, isokinetic exercises are designed to help restore your ability to move your ankle as necessary to perform your daily tasks under constant resistance. Accomplish this through calisthenic exercises that use your body weight as resistance. You also can perform this exercise using therapeutic bands because they provide a steady level of resistance throughout the movement. These exercises often involve looping one end of the resistance band around your foot and holding the other end in your hands or stabilizing it by hooking it onto a sturdy, immovable object.
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