5 minutes
Strengthening the ankles is very important to avoid injuries and gain balance and mobility. We propose 6 preventive exercises to take care of this joint.
In general, when we begin to work the body we do not usually take the ankles into account. However, it is one of the most important and key joints to maintain balance. Here we propose 6 preventive exercises for the ankle that you can apply in your routine.
This joint is the part of the body that joins the foot with the leg. It is made up of the talus, tibia, and fibula. In turn, these bones are joined by ligaments.
What are the most common ankle injuries?
Ankle injuries are very common in athletes. Sprains and fractures are the most common and of varying severity.
Some can take weeks to heal, while the most serious can take months to recover. Let’s see what are the injuries that usually affect this joint, before knowing the preventive exercises for the ankle.
Sprains
Sprains occur when a tearing or stretching of the ligaments, which function as bands that hold the bones of the joint together. According to a study, the acute ankle sprain is the most common lower extremity injury in athletes and accounts for 16% to 40% of all sports-related injuries.
Fractures
The fracture is an injury to the bone. It can be more or less serious and, in some cases, we must undergo surgery to recover.
Some recommendations to avoid fractures are the following:
- Wear comfortable and appropriate footwear for the terrain you frequent or the sporting activity you do.
- A good diet is essential to strengthen bones. Milk, yogurts and cheeses are products that provide calcium and vitamin D.
- Strengthen your ankle muscles.
Dislocations
Dislocation is the dislocation or displacement of a joint, that is, occurs when the bone slips out of its anatomical place. In general, when a dislocation occurs, it usually causes damage to the ligaments.
They are very painful occur because of trauma. It should be noted that it is a less common injury than fractures or sprains.
Learn about preventive ankle exercises
Having strong ankles reduces the risk of injury, but it can also increase our athletic performance. In addition to achieving greater stability, we can achieve more speed and resistance in a race or a sprint.
We present you 6 easy exercises to perform to strengthen your ankles and obtain benefits in your performance.
1. Of balance
This exercise is very simple. Consists in lift one foot and hold only with the other. It serves to gain strength in the joint and achieve greater Balance. We can perform series of 20 or 30 seconds with one foot and repeat with the other.
2. Of resistance
This is a preventative ankle exercise that makes us gain strength and elasticity. We must support our hands against a wall with our arms outstretched. Then we put one leg a little further back than the other and keep our feet flat on the ground to feel tension. The body position is as if we were pushing or holding the wall.
3. With twists
Here we have two options:
- Sitting: we stretch one leg and rest the foot on a firm surface. The exercise itself consists of rotating the ankle to one side until it touches the surface and then to the other.
- Unemployed: We put the big toe on the ground and make a movement of the joint in the form of circles for a few seconds to one side and then to the other. Then we change feet and repeat the exercise.
Four. Skipping
It is also called knees to chest. Is about alternately raise the knees above the waist. It can be done in place or with advance, accompanying with movement of the arms.
Usually it is an exercise that is done in the warm-up. It requires balance and helps to strengthen the ankles, given the movement of the joint at the moment of the support of each foot when the leg is lowered. In addition, it works calves and soleus, which are extensor muscles of the ankle.
5. Toe and heel walk
They can be counted as two different exercises, but they are similar and complementary. It involves walking for a few meters with the toes on the ground and the heels elevated. Then the exercise is reversed.
6. With elastic band
With an elastic band around the ankle we can perform different movements. We can use a furniture leg to apply pressure and stress that area.
Each exercise is repeated until the series is completed. These are some variants that we can do with the band:
- Keep your leg straight and move your ankle inward.
- Perform the movement of the joint to stretch the band out.
- Push up with the instep.
Exercise your ankles and forget about pain
Preventive exercises to strengthen the ankle are very easy to perform, but it is important to take the time to carry them out. If we keep a record and increase the series, we will obtain good results in a short time.
Keep in mind that what you feel in the ankle when performing each activity is tension. In no case should we suffer pain.
If discomfort occurs, you should stop exercising and consult a specialist. With strong ankles, the likelihood of injury is greatly reduced. Therefore, it is time to exercise and achieve athlete’s ankles!
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