Key Takeaways
- Ankle sprains are common injuries that can result in lifelong problems - repeated or severe sprains can develop long-term joint pain and weakness.
- Don’t hesitate to use a brace or have your ankle taped to help prevent injury - as braces and taping add support.
- Learn why improving balance is more important than strengthening the ankle with these 9 ankle exercises!
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Did an athlete trip and fall? Jump for the ball and land awkwardly? Accidentally had another person step on their foot? All these activities can lead to a painful sprained ankle. While athletic trainers and physical therapists work to strengthen joints and muscles and improve balance in the clinic, preventing further injuries happens when those exercises continue at home. Share this guide with your athletes so they can rebuild ankle strength, prevent further injuries, and get back to the activities they love!
The Athletes Guide to Ankle Sprains
Get the Facts
How to Prevent Ankle Sprains in the Future
The Top 5 Exercises for Ankle Sprains from Dr. Phil Page, PhD, PT, ATC, CSCS, FACSM
4 Additional Ankle Exercises from the [P]REHAB Guys
Should Athletes Wear Ankle Braces After an Ankle Sprain?
Get the Facts
On average, 23,000 ankle sprains occur every day in the United States. That’s over 8 million ankle sprains a year! One study in The Journal of Family Practice states that “In many sports, ankle sprain is the most common injury, partly because an athlete who incurs a first ankle sprain is at increased risk of another. The risk of reinjury is highest in the year immediately following the initial sprain.”2
What is an ankle sprain?
An ankle sprain is an injury that occurs when you roll, twist, or turn your ankle and it stretches or tears the ligaments (the bands of tissue that hold your ankle bones together).
How to Prevent Ankle Sprains in the Future
Exercise is one of the most important rehab steps to help avoid a painful re-sprain in the future. Whether injured walking between classes, during practice, or at a game, recovering from a sprain can interrupt an athlete's life.
Tips for preventing ankle sprains
- Always warm up before playing sports or exercising
- Be careful when walking or running on uneven or cracked surfaces
- Wear proper shoes and replace old shoes
- Build strength and improve flexibility with the exercises below!
How can athletes keep their ankles safe?
- Football Players
- For football players with an increased risk of ankle sprain, one study found a 77% reduction after single-leg balance training with the TheraBand Stability Trainer.3
- Soccer Players
- One study found that exercise programs that include unstable surfaces (like balance boards and foam pads) reduce the risk on ankle injury in soccer players by 40%.4
- Basketball Players
- In an 18-week training program using elastic resistance bands, balance boards, and foam mats the exercise group had a 35% reduced risk of injury compared to the control group and had significant improvements in balance.5
Reduce athletes' risk of another ankle sprain and learn why improving balance is more important than strengthening the ankle in this video!
The Top 5 Exercises for Ankle Sprains from Dr. Phil Page, PhD, PT, ATC, CSCS, FACSM
For these exercises you’ll need:
- CLX Quick Kicks
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- Single Leg Stance on Unstable Surface
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Balance Progression
It’s easier to maintain balance on firm surfaces than on unstable ones and with eyes open, not closed. Another way to challenge single leg balance is by following the progression on this list. Once your athlete has mastered the first exercise, move on to the next step on the list. Have them stand on one leg for thirty seconds on the surface listed, with eyes either open or closed.6
- Firm surface (floor) - eyes open
- Firm surface (floor) - eyes closed
- Foam surface (TheraBand Stability Trainer Green) - eyes open
- Foam surface (TheraBand Stability Trainer Blue) - eyes open
- Air-filled textured surface (TheraBand Stability Trainer Black - side 1) - eyes open
- Air-filled smooth surface (TheraBand Stability Trainer Black - side 2) - eyes open
- Wobble board surface (TheraBand Wobble Board) - eyes open
- Foam surface (TheraBand Stability Trainer Green) - eyes closed
- Foam surface (TheraBand Stability Trainer Blue) - eyes closed
- Air-filled textured surface (TheraBand Stability Trainer Black - side 1) - eyes closed
- Air-filled smooth surface (TheraBand Stability Trainer Black - side 2) - eyes closed
- Wobble board surface (TheraBand Wobble Board) - eyes closed
- Monster Walk with CLX
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- CLX Hip Abduction with Foot Loop
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- CLX Eversion and Dorsiflexion Combined
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4 Additional Ankle Exercises from the [P]REHAB Guys
For these exercises you’ll need:
- Stability Disc & Rebounder Balance Exercise
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- Evertor/Peroneal Strengthening Exercise 1
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- Evertor/Peroneal Strengthening Exercise 2
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- Bosu Balance Exercises
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Should Athletes Wear Ankle Braces After an Ankle Sprain?
Several studies have confirmed that ankle braces can prevent recurrent ankle sprains.8 Prolonged immobilization can cause muscle weakness, but if your athlete is only wearing braces during their sport, there is no evidence that ankle muscles get weaker during the season.
Through weight training and agility training, the muscles surrounding the ankle continually get stronger without having to brace. However, athletes should consider temporarily wearing an ankle brace if the answer is “yes” to at least two of these questions:
- Is there a history of ankle sprains?
- Is there any residual ankle instability?
- Does the athlete participate in a high-risk sport or position?
Choose a rigid or semi-rigid brace for the most support or a lace-up or sleeve for more mobility.
Explore your ankle brace options!
References
- Mayo Clinic Staff. (2020). Sprained Ankle. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from https://mayocl.in/3aaOhZN
- Hayman, J., Prasad, S., & Stulberg, D. (2010). Help patients prevent repeat ankle injury. The Journal of Family Practice, 59(1), 32–34. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/394OZIy
- Moore, R. (2016). One Simple Exercise Reduces Ankle Sprains in Football Players. Performance Health Academy. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3oasiHh
- Moore, R. (2016). Build an Ankle Injury Prevention Program for Off-Season Soccer Players. Performance Health Academy. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3sLQgMl
- Page, P. (2012). Simple balance training program reduces ankle injuries in basketball players. Performance Health Academy. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3sLZ58Z
- Moore, R. (2018). Are You Prescribing the Wrong Ankle Sprain Rehabilitation Exercises? Performance Health Academy. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/39Vne4n
- Maghsoodi, A. R. (n.d.). The Best Ankle Sprain Prevention Exercises. P[REHAB]. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2Y4QaBn
- Page, P. (2018). To Brace or Not to Brace: That is the Question! Cramer Sports Medicine. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3iAdJvs
Medical Disclaimer: The information provided on this site, including text, graphics, images, and other material are for informational purposes only and are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other healthcare professional with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.
