6 Best Exercises to Strengthen Weak Ankles

If you have weak ankles, you might question if you'll ever be able to participate in your favorite sport or enjoy the great outdoors without any fear of getting hurt.

Every day, your ankle muscles and joints go through a lot of wear and tear, which can be detrimental over time. Balance issues and an increased risk of sprains from weak ankles might result in long-term instability.

By strengthening your weak ankles, you can increase your stability, get pain relief, and prevent further injury. It is also recommended that sportspeople do ankle warm-up exercises to prevent injuries on a regular basis.

The biggest advantage of strengthening your weak ankles is that you'll put less stress on the ankle joint when you bear weight. Exercises that safeguard the joint and reduce the likelihood of osteoarthritis and ankle arthritis development will help you enhance your ankle joint.

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What Are the Best Exercises for Weak Ankles?

Here are some of the best exercises for weak ankles to strengthen those joints:

1) Single-Leg Balance

Your ability to maintain balance while standing might be impacted by ailments such as a sprained ankle or injuries. This easy single-leg workout can significantly improve your balance by strengthening your weak ankles. All you require for additional stability during this exercise is a chair or something to hold on to.

Here’s how to do it:

• Stand up straight.
• Put all of your weight on one foot rather than both (If you feel unsteady, lean against a chair until you gain strength.).
• Pause for at least a few seconds; as you get better, lengthen the hold.
• Repeat while switching your legs.

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2) Toe-Heel Walking

You may strengthen the muscles in your feet as well as your weak ankles by shifting weight from your heels to the front of your feet.

Here’s how to do it:

• Stand up straight on the floor.
• Put more of your weight on the rear of your feet.
• Ensure your foot is elevated off the ground at the front.
• Then, while keeping your balance, walk.
• Maintain this for at least a few seconds in between breaks.
• With 20 seconds of a break in between, try to complete 8 sets of 15 to 20 seconds.
• Put all of your weight on your toes.
• Step out on your toes.
• Maintain this for at least a few seconds in between breaks.

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3) Calf Raise

This exercise concentrates on the calf muscles, which are important for ankle support. Hold a set of dumbbells at your side if you're looking for a more challenging exercise.

Here’s how to do it:

• Your feet should be hip-width apart when you stand on a flat surface with your toes facing forward.
• Hands should be placed on the hips.
• After feeling your calf muscles tense up, stand up on your toes and lower your heels to the ground.
• Complete 3 sets of 10-15 reps.

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4) Towel Stretch

With a towel wrapped around the ankle, you may stretch the calf muscles and make your weak ankles more flexible.

Instructions to follow:

• Keep your knees straight while sitting on the floor or a bed, and wrap your foot in a towel.
• Hold the stretch in place for 30 seconds while pulling the towel back towards you until you can feel it in your calf.
• Complete two sets of ten steps for each foot.

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5) Negative Calf Raise

You can use this exercise to strengthen your weak ankles, along with calf muscles and toes. This exercise, when performed properly, has been demonstrated to aid in reducing Achilles discomfort and preventing Achilles tendonitis.

Here’s how to do it:

• Use the bottom step when standing on a step, putting your toes and heels over the edge.
• Get off the step with one leg and carefully lower the heel of the other leg to the ground.
• To fully lower it, try to take at least 10 seconds.
• Do this twice, using each foot.

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6) Ankle Circles

Your ankle joint's range of motion and mobility is enhanced by ankle circles. It is one of the best ankle mobility exercises for beginners.

Here’s how to do it:

• To complete the exercise, either sit on the floor with your knees bent or take a seat in a chair.
• Perform 20 to 30 clockwise ankle circles while lifting one leg.
• Slowly move, being sure to use your whole range of motion.
• For an equal number of reps, pause before changing directions.
• Do the same with the other leg.

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Conclusion

The ankle is vulnerable to developing pain over time because it cannot handle unexpected stresses. Your ankle pain can be brought on by weak muscles that tire easily. They may cause daily activity-related ankle pain, fractures, or injuries.