The Most Common Exercises for Ankle Pain

If you suffer from ankle pain, it can be frustrating to have your workouts curtailed. But you don’t have to give up activity completely if you have ankle pain. Here are some of the most common exercises for ankle pain, along with a few activities you might be able to try if your pain isn’t too severe. We also offer some expert tips for exercising with ankle pain, and we want to tell you about options for treatment if exercise isn’t enough. Skip those risky medications and try a new branch of medicine that’s safer and yields more long-lasting results.

Gentle stretching can be helpful if you’ve had an ankle injury and the area has tightened up during the time off. If you have less flexibility than you’d like in your ankles, stretching will also make the joints looser. Having appropriately flexible ankle joints can help prevent future injury if you step off a curb wrong or twist your ankle while exercising.

Do you wear high heels frequently? You may also be a candidate for ankle stretches, especially in the Achilles tendon area.

Here are some popular ankle stretches:

• Ankle flexes while sitting with both legs extended in front of you (if you can’t reach your toes to enhance the stretch, try using a towel or exercise band to pull your toes toward your body)
• While sitting with both legs extended forward, point the toes downward (you can do sets of repetitions or alternate with ankle flexes)
• Rotating the ankle clockwise and counterclockwise
• Slowly lowering the heels while standing with the toes on a step
• Turning the ankle inward and outward while lying on your back with one leg raised

You can even do your ankle flexes and points while soaking in the tub, letting the warm water enhance the stretch.

Have you had an ankle injury or pain because of weak ankles? A strengthening program may be what’s needed to prevent a repeat.

Try these exercises to make your ankles more resilient:

• Perform the ankle pointing exercise described above using a resistance band to make it more challenging.
• Sit in a chair with one foot slightly raised off the floor. Write the letters of the alphabet in the air using your foot. Repeat on the other side.
• Stand balancing on one leg. Add a balance board or Bosu ball to make it even more difficult.
• Alternate walking on your heels (4 steps) and tiptoes (4 steps).
• After doing the heel lowers described in the section above, rise up on your toes as far as you can go and hold for a count of 10. (You can also do this exercise using a porch rail, counter, or ballet barre for support.)

Most sports are off-limits when you have ankle pain because they involve too much impact or twisting. However, there are a few sports you can enjoy, as long as your ankle pain doesn’t get worse and there is no swelling present:

• Swimming (no flippers or aggressive kicking)
• Walking in the pool
• Aqua jogging (jogging in a pool wearing a flotation vest or belt)
• Stationary cycling
• Elliptical or cross-country ski machines
• Easy yoga or Pilates
• Tai chi (a “soft” Chinese martial art that’s more like slow-motion dancing)

Whether you’re doing some floor exercises or easing back into exercise, you want to make sure you don’t aggravate your ankle. Here are some of our top tips for steady progress:

• Always stop if what you’re doing hurts or makes your ankle pain worse soon after.
• Ice will help with any swelling, while heat is good for relieving stiffness and improving mobility.
• Use the best gear you can afford, especially supportive footwear. Consider giving up high heels or pointy-toed street shoes for more comfort. Add orthotics if you need arch support.
• Ask your doctor or physical therapist to show you how to wrap your ankle or apply kinesiology tape for extra support.
• Lose weight if you’re lugging around extra pounds that only put more stress on your ankle joints.
• Working on your core will help your ankles. How? It will improve your balance and help you carry your weight more efficiently.
• Don’t limit ankle caution to exercise only. Be mindful of day-to-day activities that require extra care, such as yardwork, parenting, lifting groceries, driving, and climbing stairs.