Ankles are often neglected, but are an important part of everyday life –providing flexibility and allowing you to perform many everyday tasks. From walking to running, jumping and dancing, your ankles have a big role to play in almost every standing activity that you do.
Whether you have accident-prone ankles, ankles that are weak, or are just looking for ways to strengthen the muscles in your ankles, you can benefit from doing some common strengthening exercise. Strengthening your ankles can even help to alleviate some of the common sources of ankle pain, such as some of the pain that’s often caused by tendonitis and arthritis.
Here’s a look at a few strengthening exercises that you’ll want to consider doing.
Peroneal Stretching
The peroneal tendons run down the back of your calf into the side of your ankle where they branch off into your feet. They are important for strength and support, especially for dancers or long-distance runners. The peroneal stretch is a great exercise to help warm up this muscle and help to prevent ankle sprains. To do this exercise, simply roll onto the outside of your feet and walk for 60 seconds.
Ankle Circles
Ankle circles can help to strengthen and improve the muscles around your ankles. To perform ankle circles, sit in a chair and extend your leg. Keeping your knee straight rotate your foot one direction for 20 seconds. After a brief rest, repeat in the opposite direction before switching legs. Repeat 3 or 4 times.
Dorsiflexion Stretch
Don’t be intimidated by the big word, dorsiflexion simply means flexing your toes towards your shin. This stretch helps protect the muscles and tendons in your ankle. Begin by sitting on the floor with one leg straight and the other crossed in front. Place a towel or band around the ball of your outstretched foot and gently pull the toes back. You should feel the stretch in your thigh, calf, and Achilles tendon.
For foot treatment in Houston, Texas contact Dr. Lamarra of Shepherd Square Podiatry today.