Are you dealing with a painful sprained ankle? Do you tend to sprain your ankle often? Here are 6 exercises that you can do at home to help strengthen your ankle and prevent future ankle rolls, twists, and strains.
One of the most common ailments that happen to all of us is painful ankle sprains and rolls. When we are young, these are typically only mild inconveniences where the pain subsides after a few days. As we age, the aftermath of a painful sprained ankle can lead to some serious repercussions such as:
- Broken bones
- Torn ligaments
- Development of chronic foot issues
- Chronic instability
To avoid developing any of these secondary foot and ankle issues, it is important to have strong muscles and ligaments that keep our feet stable. Continue reading to learn about 6 exercises that you can do at home to improve your ankle strength and stability.
At To Healthy Feet, We Have Award-Winning Podiatrists To Help You Rehabilitate Your Ankle Sprain
Our NYC foot doctors offer comprehensive diagnosis and tailored treatment plans for an array of foot and ankle problems such as ankle sprains, Achilles tendonitis, bunions, and more. Whatever you are dealing with, we can create a customized treatment plan for you that will reduce your discomfort and stabilize your foot and ankle to prevent future problems.
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Stop Spraining your Ankles with these 6 Easy Exercises
Here in NYC, we live incredibly busy, mobile lifestyles. We are at constant risk of stepping on a curb incorrectly, rolling our ankles at the gym, or stumbling in high heels. While most ankle sprains are easily treated with rest, ice, physical therapy, and custom orthotics, some more severe sprains may need surgery or they can lead to serious secondary issues such as plantar fasciitis. To avoid developing chronic ankle sprains, it is best to follow the advice of an old adage: "Prevention is the best cure."
LEARN ABOUT HOW ANKLE SPRAINS ARE TREATED
1. Ankle Alphabet
This simple exercise is exactly what it sounds like. While sitting or lying on a flat surface such as the ground or bed, flex your foot and toes, and write out the alphabet. Do this once a day and make sure to complete A-Z once per leg.
2. Calf Raises
Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, using only your ankle and calf muscles, lift your body as high as you can on your tippy-toes, and then lower yourself down. Your entire leg should remain in a locked position, with only your ankle area moving to raise your body. Complete 20 reps of this exercise per day.
3. Shin Raises
Similar to calf raises, while in the same, feet shoulder-width apart position, raise your toes up off the ground as high as you can, and lower them back down. During this exercise, you should only be standing on your heels while your toes are raised in the air. Do your best to maintain balance and control during the duration of each rep. You should perform 20 reps per day.
4. Ankle Circles
While sitting on the ground, with your legs bent in front of you, raise one leg at a time and draw a slow, methodical circle with the foot that is raised in the air. Make sure that you draw both clockwise and counterclockwise circles for all ranges of motion. When performing this, complete 10 circles in each direction per foot, and make sure to do 20 reps per foot per day.
5. Lunges
While standing in a comfortable, feet shoulder-width apart position, begin to take a step forward, lowering your front knee to a point where it is at an approximately 90-degree angle between your thigh and shin, while also keeping your front knee behind your toes. Your back knee should be close to, but not quite, touching the floor. Finish your step by pushing up to your original position, and repeat with the other leg in the front. Make sure to complete 40 lunges (20 per foot) per day.
6. Hops
Hops are exactly what they sound like: using your foot, ankle, and calf muscles to perform small jumps while standing on one leg. This exercise will do wonders for strengthening your lower leg and ankle ligaments, but should only be performed if you are comfortable with the movement. Make sure to perform 40 hops (20 per foot) per day.
Should I Perform These Exercises if I am Nursing an Existing Injury?
If you are feeling pain from a current ailment, talk to your downtown NYC podiatrist to be sure that these exercises are okay for you. At To Healthy Feet Podiatry, our team of experienced podiatrists can develop a customized rehabilitation plan to get you moving comfortably again.
3 REASONS WHY YOU NEED TO SEE YOUR FOOT DOCTOR FOR AN ANKLE SPRAIN
Concerned About Your Foot Health? Talk to Our NYC Podiatrists Today!
Whether you are suffering from a foot condition such as hammertoe, turf toe, and flat feet, or you need to rehabilitate an ankle sprain or broken bone, we have a professional team of foot doctors to help.
To find out more about how our downtown and midtown NYC foot doctors can help you manage your foot or ankle problem, contact us at 917-398-3668 or book your consultation online.
