Ankle Sprain Exercises

There are exercises that you can perform to help make ankle rehabilitation faster. These exercises strengthen your ankle and supporting muscles. The exercises in this article can also help you be better equipped to avoid re-injury.

There are some important points to remember before starting rehabilitation exercises for a sprained ankle. Do not exercise if you are still experiencing significant pain in the affected area. Do the exercises 3 times a week for about 20 minutes. This article is no substitute for professional medical help. Consult your physician about the best rehabilitation exercises for you.

Stretching Exercises

Towel Stretch

Sit on the floor with your with the affected limb stretched out. Loop a towel around the ball of your foot and your toes. Pull the towel towards you. You will feel some pressure. Hold the position for about 20 seconds and release. Do 3 repetitions.

Standing Calf Stretch

Face the wall and extend your hands to the wall about the level of your head. Put one leg back keeping the heel planted on the floor. The other leg should be put forward. Move your back foot towards the front while you lean into the wall. Hold the position for about 20 seconds. Do the exercise 3 times. Repeat as often as you can during the course of the day.

Standing Soleus Stretch

Face the wall and stretch your hand to the wall about the level of your chest. Lean into the wall while both knees are bent and one foot is placed at the back. You should feel your lower calf stretch. Turn the back foot inward making sure the heel is firmly planted on the floor. Hold the position for about 20 seconds. Do 3 repetitions.

The following 5 exercises should be done when you notice that swelling has stopped or at least stop to worsen.

 Range of Motion Exercise

You can do this exercise sitting down or lying on your back. Move your foot toward you and then away from you. Then move your foot to the left and then to the right. Dry to make circles with your foot. All throughout the exercise, make sure that you move only your foot and your ankle and not the leg. Try to stretch the foot and the ankle as far as you can. Repeat ten times for each direction.

Resisted Ankle Dorsiflexion

For this exercise, you will need an elastic tubing and the help of a door. Tie one end of the tubing to a door knob outside the door and shut the door close. Loop the other end on the arc of your foot. Sit down with your leg straight and your foot facing the direction of the door. While tyring to keep your knee straight, pull the affected foot toward your body. Do this 3 sets and repeat 10 times.

Resisted Ankle Plantar Flexion

In this exercise, you will need an elastic tubing. Sit down on the floor and stretch your legs out. Loop the middle of the elastic tubing around the ball of the affected foot. Hold the ends of the elastic tubing in you hands. Press your foot down to stretch the tubing. Do this gently. Do ten sets, 3 repetitions per set.

Ankle Inversion With Resistance

Sitting on the floor, cross one leg over the other. Using an elastic tubing, wrap the bottom foot with it and then loop the tubing around the top foot. If you do this correctly, the tubing should be anchored on the top foot. Hold the other end of the tube to provide resistance. Then, turn the bottom foot inward (inversion, the same way most sprains occur). If done correctly, the elastic tubing should stretch. Repeat 10 times in sets of 3.

Ankle Eversion With Resistance

This is the opposite fo inversion. Sit on the floor and place both legs stretched in front of you. Your feet should be about one foot away from each other. Make a loop on one end of an elastic tubing. One foot should go inside the loop while the other foot should be wrapped on the outside by the elastic tubing. Hold the other end of the tubing to provide resistance. Turn the foot in the tubing outward. Do 10 sets, 3 repetitions per set.

You can do the exercises above until you can stand on the injured ankle without experiencing any pain. There are advanced strengthening exercises that you can do to lessen the chances of re-injury significantly.