How to Strengthen Weak Ankles

Your ankle joints and muscles experience a lot of wear and tear every day, which can take a toll over time. Weak ankles can affect your balance and increase your risk of sprains, which can lead to chronic instability. 

Strengthening weak ankles with the following exercises may improve your stability, relieve pain, and help you avoid further injury.

Weak ankles symptoms

The most common symptom of weak ankles is your ankles turning or rolling to the outside. Other symptoms include:

• sore ankles and feet
• frequent ankle sprains or injuries
• ankle often twisting outward when walking
• balance problems
• trouble keeping your ankles straight in heels

Weak ankles exercises

Here are some exercises for weak ankles to help increase your strength and mobility.

Standing calf raises

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, ideally at the edge of a step while holding the railing for balance. You can also do this standing on the floor next to a table or counter to hold onto for balance.
2. Raise your heels up so that you’re standing on your toes, then lower your heels down.
3. Repeat 10 times.
4. Do this once a day.

Draw the alphabet

You can do this standing or lying on your back. Here’s how:

1. Start by lying on your back or standing next to a sturdy chair for support.
2. Lift one leg and draw, flex your foot, and draw every letter of the alphabet with your toes.
3. Repeat with the other foot.
4. Do this once a day.

Hand-foot war

1. Sit on a chair, and place your right foot flat on the floor.
2. Bend forward, and put your right hand against the outside of your foot and push.
3. Resist the pressure with your foot, holding for 10 seconds.
4. Next, place your hand on the inside of your foot, and repeat the push and resistance.
5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 on your left foot.
6. Do this 10 times on each foot, once a day.

Stand on one foot

1. Stand next to a sturdy chair with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Hold the chair for balance, and lift one foot off the floor.
3. Balance on one foot for 10 to 20 seconds.
4. Put your foot back down, then repeat with the other foot.

Flex and stretch

1. Lie on your back with your heels on the floor and your toes pointing toward the ceiling.
2. Slowly point your toes as far away from you as you can.
3. Hold for 3 seconds.
4. Repeat 10 times.
5. Do this once a day.

Heel walks

If you have balance issues or are prone to falling, you may want to stand next to a long wall that you can hang onto for balance:

1. While standing, lift the front of your feet off the floor by raising your toes so that you’re standing on your heels.
2. Walk across the room.
3. Do this once a day.

Resistance push

You’ll need a resistance band for this exercise:

1. Sitting in a chair, raise your foot off the floor, and place a resistance band under the ball of your foot, holding the ends of the band with your hands.
2. Slowly flex your ankle down as far as you can.
3. Then slowly return your foot back to the starting position.
4. Repeat 10 times on each foot.

When to see a doctor

You should make an appointment to see a doctor if you have foot or ankle pain or swelling that lasts more than a week, is a result of an injury, or if you have diabetes.

Seek emergency medical care for any weakness that comes on suddenly, affects your ability to walk, or is accompanied by numbness in the foot, leg, arm, or face, as these are signs of a stroke.

Source: healthline

RIVERA FOOT & ANKLE: At Orlando H.Rivera DPM, our priority is to deliver quality care to informed patients in a comfortable and convenient setting. When you have problems with your feet, you need to turn to a podiatrist who listens and responds… an experienced doctor who knows the field and can effectively diagnose and treat your needs… a friendly physician who counsels you on the best ways to maintain and improve your health. Our physician(s) meet all these criteria. Plus, you benefit from a dedicated team of trained professionals who give you the individualized attention you deserve.

Podiatrist Houston

Foot and Ankle, Dr. Orlando Rivera, Advanced Foot & Ankle Specialist, Foot and Ankle Podiatry, Houston Foot & Ankle Surgical, Treatment of Foot and Ankle, Foot & ankle specialists, Podiatrist in houston, podiatrist in houston, Orlando H.Rivera DPM, Houston Foot Doctor, Foot and Ankle Surgeon Houston, Ankle and Foot Specialist Houston, Podiatrist Houston, Foot Pain Houston.