Member-only story
This 5-Minute Routine Will Make Your Weak Ankles Incredibly Robust
This is by far the quickest way to prevent injuries!
Whether you’re looking to strengthen your ankles to prevent Achilles injuries or sprains, including exercises for the shins and calves is a must. This is especially important for novices participating in sports and activities involving a lot of jumping, cutting, and other sudden movements.
As a kinesiologist and trainer, I often see people solely focus on the calves without touching the dorsiflexors and other stability-based muscles near the ankle joint. This is a tragic mistake as these muscles help with multidirectional stabilization of the ankle and wield the power to speed up your recovery immensely.
To help you branch out in this area, I want to introduce a few exercises that most people don’t think to experiment with. I encourage you to have an open mind and give them a try! They may be just the solution you need to overcome chronic pain and tightness in this region and get back to restriction-free activity. Here’s to getting back to the sports and hobbies you love!
Five Unknown Ankle Exercises That Will Transform Your Rehab
Before diving too deep into things, it’s important to recognize that there is a time and place for these exercises. If you’re fresh off of a severe sprain or break, you will need to heal before entering the active rehab phase of your recovery. If you’re not sure whether you’re ready for this type of work, please reach out to a health provider before moving forward.
As soon as you’re ready, however, begin performing these movements at least 4–5 times per week. It’ll make a world of difference! Most of these are focused on building more active range of motion and stability in vulnerable positions. If you struggle with balance, ensure you have a support nearby in case you fall. Now without further ado, let’s dive right in.
1) Ankle Dorsiflexion Drill
