1. Health

Ankle Exercises - A Complete Guide

From , former About.com Guide

Updated November 23, 2010

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Full Weight-Bearing Exercises

These exercises will help put more weight on the injured foot as well as strengthen it. Perform each one 10 times in a row.

Single Leg Stance

  1. Stand on the injured foot while lifting the uninjured foot off the ground.
  2. Hold the position for 15 seconds.
  3. Relax and put your weight back onto your uninjured foot.

Standing Calf Raise

  1. Stand on the injured foot while lifting the uninjured foot off the ground.
  2. Raise up, standing only on the ball of the injured foot and lifting your heel off the ground.
  3. Hold the position for 15 seconds.
  4. Relax and put your weight back onto your uninjured foot.

Lateral Stepping

(Increase the speed of this exercise as your healing progresses.)
  1. Place a rolled towel or short object on the ground to the side of your injured foot.
  2. Step over the towel with the injured foot and remain on that foot.
  3. Then bring the uninjured foot over the object and stand on both feet.
  4. Step back over the towel with the uninjured foot and remain on that foot.
  5. Then bring the injured foot back over the towel and stand on both feet.

Lateral Jump

(Increase the speed of this exercise as your healing progresses.)
  1. Place a rolled towel or short object on the ground to the side of your injured foot.
  2. Hop over the towel and land on the injured foot.
  3. Then hop back over the towel and land on the uninjured foot.

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