Whether you have weakness in your ankle or are rehabilitating from an ankle injury, strengthening the muscles that support your ankle will give added stability to the joint. If you have an injury, do not proceed with strengthening exercises until your doctor has cleared you to do them. Always use pain as your guide: Never perform any exercise that causes pain in your ankle.
Flex and Point
One of the first exercises you can perform after an injury, an effective one for weak ankles, is flexing and pointing you foot. You will need a resistance band for this exercise. Wrap the band all the way around your foot one time before grabbing the ends of the band. Start with your toes pointing up to the ceiling. Point your foot away from your body for 12 repetitions, then flex your foot toward your body for 12 repetitions. Repeat on the other side.
Wobble Cushion
Another exercise for building strength in your ankle joint is balancing on a wobble cushion or board, which resembles a flattened stability ball. On one side of a wobble cushion are nubs, place those against the floor. Stand on the wobble cushion, initially balancing with both feet. Progress to balancing on one foot at a time. Once you have mastered this, try turning your head from side to side while balancing to challenge your stability even more.
Toe/Heel Walking
Training with movement can be an effective strengthening tool. Special walking exercises can strengthen the muscles of you ankle. Start on one side of a room with your feet together. Rise up on the balls of your feet and balance. Walk across the room, not allowing your heels to touch the ground. When you reach the other side of the room, turn around and walk back on your heels with your toes raised off the ground. In both directions, make sure to keep control of your steps and do not allow your ankles to roll or wobble. Work up to five laps total.
Calf Raises
A final exercise for strengthening the muscles of you ankle is calf raises. Make sure you have mastered all of the previous exercises before you try calf raises. Using an exercise step or the bottom step of a staircase, balance the balls of your feet on the edge of the step with your legs straight. Rise up on you toes, then slowly lower your heels down below the height of the step. Complete 12 repetitions. Repeat this exercise with bent knees, too.
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