The ankle is one joint in the body that has to bear all of the weight when standing up or moving around. As a result, everyone will at some point experience some form of ankle pain. Given its function, the ankle can be prone to injury quite easily.
It does not matter whether it is a strain, sprain or some other form of injury, taking care of any ankle injury is vital. Ignoring an ankle injury is counter-productive since there is the risk of it taking longer to recover. It could also lead to reduced mobility if the ankle stiffens through lack of exercise. Exercising the ankle can speed up recovery and strengthen the muscles around the ankle reducing the risk of further injury.
What Are The Best Exercises for Ankle Pain?
The best type of exercise for ankle pain involves not just one exercise but a combination of exercises. They are exercises that will over time, help in recovery as well strengthen the ankle and reduce the risk of further injury. The important thing to remember is that any exercise should be at a pace that suits the individual’s comfort limit. Irrespective of any other factor, getting the ankle back into shape is not something that should be rushed or for that matter neglected.
When it comes to exercising the ankle, start with exercises that do not involve putting any weight on the ankle before moving on to resistance exercises and later weight bearing exercises. They should be done about 5 to 10 times in any workout or until the individual feels discomfort.
Non-Weight Bearing Ankle Exercises
At the start, any ankle injury will mean that a person is not going to be able to put any weight on it. The first set of exercises must, therefore, be ones where the individual does not have to put any weight on the ankle. These are non-isometric exercises that will help strengthen the ankle.
- Dorsiflexion (moving the foot upwards)
- Plantar flexion (moving the foot downwards)
- Inversion (rotating the foot inwards towards the other leg)
- Eversion (turning the foot away from the other leg)
Sitting on the floor or lying flat on another surface, these exercises all mean moving the foot (and, therefore, the ankle) in various directions.
Resistance (Isometric) Exercises
Resistance (Isometric) ExercisesIsometric exercises differ in that they involve exercise where there is no movement of the joint as a result of some form of resistance. These exercises can be the same as the non-weight bearing exercise but instead also applying resistance. The resistance can come from pressing against a wall or a table or chair leg. As the ankle improves, the individual will find that they can apply more strength to the foot.
Weight Bearing Ankle Exercises
All involve placing weight on the injured ankle. As well making it possible to put more weight it, it also strengthens it. In the beginning, a person can do exercises like ‘Calf Raises’ and ‘Leg Stands’ sitting down. As the injury improves then putting weight on the ankle can be done standing up. Typical exercises can include:
- Single Leg Stance
- Standing Calf Raises
- Lateral Stepping
- Lateral Jumping
And Finally
Anyone with ankle pain should, unless it is a simple strain, always seek guidance from a health professional to make sure it is nothing more serious. While it is important to exercise the ankle, any activity should be slow and careful and at the individual’s level of comfort.
If you have ankle pain get in touch The Foot and Leg Clinic today to book an appointment.
