7 Ways to Strengthen Your Ankles to Avoid Twists and Sprains
Do your ankles often get strained when playing your favorite sport? It can be annoying and painful. Ankle sprains are common for athletes, and can be common for the rest of the world. One thing we can do is prevent injuries by strengthening our ankles, prevention is better than cure, many of us forget about the ankles when planning exercise. Here are some ways to strengthen your ankles to avoid sprain and strain:
Towel Wrap
If you feel your ankles are unstable while performing daily tasks due to weak muscles this one is for you, weaker muscles increase your chances of injury. You can easily strengthen your ankles by using a towel, wrap it around your foot for resistance while moving your foot in, out, up, and down.
Calf-Raising (Basic)
In this exercise you will raise your heels, which will destabilize the ankle joints to strengthen your calves and stimulate the muscles around your ankles responsible for supporting your ankle joint.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart then slowly raise your heels until you are on tiptoe, slowly come down to the starting position to the slow count of three. Repeat 20 times.
Balancing is a great way to prepare yourself for all positions. The easiest way to improve your balance is to stand on one foot with the other in the air and balance. Try this while brushing your teeth in the morning with one foot and at night with the other. You can try standing with one foot one a pillow and hop back and forth.
External Calf Rotation
This is an extension of the calf-raising technique, rotate your legs outward by changing the angle. This challenges different muscles of the lower leg and will strengthen the arch of your foot which keeps the ankle from rolling inward.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and rotate by turning your toes outward 45 degree. Repeat calf raising procedure 20 times.
Heel Walks
This weight-bearing exercise is rather easy, it works on the muscles that support the front of your ankle and makes your feet strong. You can wear shoes or be barefoot.
Lift your toes and put weight on heels as you walk, toes pointed up and out. Walk 20 steps then return in the same position.
Internal Rotation calf-raising
This works on different parts of your lower legs and feet. Turn your toes inward so that they are almost touching each other while you stand with your feet hip-width apart. Raise your heels slowly then come back to a slow count of 3. Repeat 20 times.
Lateral Hops
This is best for athletes, it strengthens the lower body by hopping side to side thereby conditioning the muscles around your ankles, which improves stability when making fast movements in badminton, soccer, and hockey.
Balance on your left foot with the right foot slightly off the ground, hop back and forth for 30 seconds. Repeat with right foot. Repeat the whole process 3 times resting for 30 after each rep.
