Among athletes and performance trainees, injured ankles may be the most common injury of the body to develop problems. Any sport that involves jumping, quick changes in direction or uneven surfaces leaves the ankles at a higher risk for harm. Ankle injuries can come in various forms—as minor as a mild strain or inverted sprain to those more serious like stress fractures—and though they may not be as common in the weight room as they are on the court or field, it’s important we’re all aware of ways to prevent them from occurring in the first place, before it’s too late.
Functions of the Ankle
Knowing how the ankle works is the first step to knowing what to strengthen, and better understanding the nature of your injured ankle, should you get one. Unlike other joints, the ankle is comprised of a couple of articulations, making its range of abilities fairly extensive than a typical hinge joint.
Plantar flexion: the ability to step on your tiptoes
Dorsiflexion: the ability to raise the toes up towards your face
Inversion: “rolling” your ankles so that the soles of the feet face each other
Eversion: “rolling” your ankles so that the soles of the feet face away from one another
Typically, the weakest of these four functions is that of inversion—and probably the most commonly seen injury among the four. Strengthening the muscles that surround the ankle and have attachment points on or near the foot is the smartest way to go to ensure the joint itself is resilient when accidents happen.
But why do so many people get ankle injuries to begin with? The answer is simple: Because people neglect to train to prevent them. The exercises you’re about to see here aren’t popular, and there’s a chance you’ve never even heard of them. Compare that to the bench press or squat, and you understand the problem.
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What To Do If You Have an Injured Ankle
Truthfully, because of the nature of the ankle joint, it’s best to approach a plan of action by looking at both the stability and mobility of the joint. The ankle needs a good balance of each to function well.
It’s important to know that preventive treatment of a previously injured ankle muscle may require a different approach than treatment of a freshly injured one. In the presence of inflammation and swelling, use ice as a go-to. Keeping the area compressed to avoid further swelling is also a smart move, and icing for periods of 20 minutes, five times per day can help your cause. If you’ve got an injury-prone, unstable joint, it may be a wise choice to tape your ankle before engaging in physical activity to provide added stability.
Always start with a strip of tape that starts above one ankle, travels directly under the heel and up to the other side of the shin above the injured ankle, and then begin taping in circular patterns from there. If at all possible, use an athletic therapist or clinician to get a thorough taping job that does the trick. If mobility is your general issue, there’s no harm in heating the muscles to increase their temperature and allow for more available range of motion. Doing so just before your warm up can be worth gold for a lifter who needs it.
People often overlook the fact that this is just as much an ankle mobilizing exercise as it is one for knee health. Stand with the feet together, and place the hands in the knees. Simply guide the knees in a large circular pattern for full revolutions, making sure to keep the heel on the ground. Move clockwise for 10
to 15 reps, and then counter clockwise for the same amount. Attempt to gradually increase the size of the circles as your knees feel able. Use this as a warmup protocol before lower body workouts, and perform two to three sets in each direction.
2. Wall Touches
To improve dorsiflexion, find any wall, and simply place your toe against the wall. Without lifting your heel, lean the knee forward until it contacts the wall, and return to your starting position. It’s OK if you leave your non-working leg behind for balance. If you can do the above easily, there are two ways to make this exercise more challenging to your flexibility and mobility.
Elevate your toe by placing a plate underneath it (5- or 10-pound plates work perfectly fine).
Move the working foot back a few inches. Even a three-inch shift can be a game changer.
3. Heel Walks
Walking exclusively on the heels may feel silly, but they’re one of very few ways to target dorsiflexors like the tibialis anterior muscle. In the gym, strength of this muscle is important for a good quality squat. On the field or court, strong tibialis muscles are essential for good running and sprinting mechanics. Taking 15-20 meter stretches to walk on the heels for a total of 3-5 minutes before workouts can be a great way to activate dormant muscle and create necessary stability for the ankle joint before bearing load or bracing for impact. Take short strides, and try not to bend the knees. Also, focus on three foot positions while you walk: toes straight, toes in, and toes out. This could also have a massive benefit to your squat quality.
4. Kettlebell Passes
This one is a simple way to force a lifter with unstable ankles and feet to properly drive them firmly into the ground. Stand with a light kettlebell (20 to 25 pounds should be a good place to start) held in one arm by your side, while balancing on one leg only. Maintain an erect posture and transfer the bell from one hand to the other, until it’s travelled across the body. The change in weight distribution will prove to be a huge challenge for maintaining balance in a more functional way than standing on an unstable surface provides. Doing three to four sets of 20 passes is a suitable addition to insert anywhere in your workout.
5. Toe Raises
Some gyms come equipped with an actual toe raise machine, but this is rare. To makeshift a version, simply set a cable pulley and foot strap to the lowest position. Lie on your back with the feet closest to the machine. With your toe strapped in the harness, pull the toe as far toward the face as you can. Don’t bend the knee to make this happen. Hold the top position for 1-2 seconds, and repeat for three sets of 15-20 reps.
