What Are The Best Exercises For Ankle Mobilization?

As the joints responsible for bearing almost the entirety of your body weight, we find that the ankles rarely tend to get the credit they deserve. When people are faced with chronic problems in this area, it quickly begins to drag down their quality of life. Here at Free Body Physical Therapy, we don’t want to see this happen to you. That is why we’d like to provide insight into some of the top exercises that can be performed for increased ankle instability.

Please be sure to speak with a medical professional before completing the below or any other types of physical exercises.

Ankle Circles

1. Begin by sitting down on the floor and placing a foam roller or rolled towel underneath one ankle.
2. Slowly begin to turn the lifted ankle in a clockwise direction, completing ten circles.
3. Once completed, do the same in a counterclockwise direction.
4. After your 20 full rotations, place the foam roller or rolled tower underneath the other ankle and repeat the same process.
5. Be sure to focus on just moving your foot and ankles and not your leg.
6. For an added challenge, try spelling out the alphabet with your ankle movements instead of moving in circles.

Standing Heel Lifts

1. Stand up straight and place your feet shoulder-width apart. If you want extra balance, do it near a chair or wall.
2. Slowly begin to lift on your heels until you are standing on the balls of your feet. 
3. After holding this position for a few seconds, return your heels down to the floor.
4. Repeat this motion ten times for 2 to 3 sets.
5. If you’d like an added challenge, consider holding onto free weights while performing this exercise.

Toe-Heel Walks

1. This exercise can be performed with or without wearing shoes, so choose the most comfortable option for you.
2. While standing on your toes, walk forward for about 30 feet.
3. Once you’ve reached this distance, walk backward to the starting position while standing on your toes.
4. For the best results, walk this route at least 3 to 5 times each day.

Ankle Jumps

1. Stand up straight and keep your hands on your hips.
2. Without bending your knees, try to jump straight up to the best of your ability.
3. While you are in the air, be sure to pull back on your toes to help flex your ankle.
4. Make sure to place your ankles back in an un-flexed position right before your feet touch the floor.
5. To keep a steady pace of jumping, be sure to drive the balls of your feet down into the floor and push off of them in an explosive fashion. Aim to keep your feet on the ground for as little time as possible.  
6. Try to work up to completing 2 to 3 sets of 25 or more jumps.   

Toe Raises And Heel Drops On A Step

1. To complete this exercise, you will need to be standing on the edge of a step or other elevated surface.
2. Keep your weight in the balls of your feet and let your heels hang off the step.
3. Slowly begin to raise your heel until you are standing on your toes before dropping down to a point where the heel is now lower than the step.
4. Focus on keeping your legs and knees straight during this.
5. For the most results, perform ten repetitions for 2 to 3 sets every other day.  

Contact Our Team

The previously mentioned exercises are but a few of the most effective ones needed to improve your ankle mobilization. However, our team knows that plenty more can be done that offer the same amount of benefits. Please don’t hesitate to contact us here at Free Body Physical Therapy today for more information on this topic.