A sprained ankle is one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries, affecting people of all ages and activity levels. A simple misstep on uneven ground or an awkward landing can cause pain, swelling, and difficulty walking. Fortunately, physical therapy plays a critical role in helping individuals recover fully and prevent future sprains.
In this blog, we’ll cover essential stretches and exercises that relieve ankle pain, restore strength, and rebuild balance. We’ll walk through key movements used at different stages of recovery, from early stretching to advanced balance and plyometric drills.
Range of Motion and Ankle Stretching Exercises
Regaining movement is the first priority after an ankle sprain. Gentle exercises help promote blood flow, reduce stiffness, and prevent long-term loss of flexibility.
Ankle Pumps
Ankle pumps are one of the best early exercises to improve circulation without stressing the injured tissues.
How to do it:
Sit or lie down with your leg elevated. Gently move your foot up (toward you) and down (away from you), like pressing a gas pedal. Perform slow, controlled repetitions for 2–3 minutes, several times per day.
How to progress it:
Increase speed slightly as tolerated or perform the pumps while seated with light resistance like a therapy band.
Ankle ABCs
Ankle ABCs promote gentle, multi-directional movement that helps reintroduce motion to the injured portions of the ankle.
How to do it:
Sit with your foot off the ground. Slowly draw the alphabet in the air with your toes, leading the motion with your ankle. Perform 2-3 sets of the alphabet 2-3 times per day.
How to progress it:
Trace larger letters or move through the alphabet multiple times in one session as pain allows.
Calf Stretch
Ankle dorsiflexion is often restricted after a sprain. Stretching the calf muscles early helps restore this motion which is important for walking, stairs, and squatting.
How to do it:
Stand facing a wall. Step the injured foot back, keeping your heel flat. Lean forward slightly until you feel a stretch in the calf. Hold for 30-60 seconds. Repeat 2–3 times per day.
How to progress it:
Advance to a bent-knee calf stretch (soleus stretch) or add a towel or slant board under the foot for a deeper stretch.
Ankle Strengthening Exercises
After restoring basic movement, strengthening exercises are essential for rebuilding support around the joint and preventing future sprains.
Banded Ankle Eversion and Inversion
Targeted strengthening with a resistance band allows safe, controlled loading of healing tissues.
How to do it:
- Eversion: Tie a resistance band around a fixed object and loop it around the inside of your foot. Slowly push your foot outward against the band’s resistance.
- Inversion: Loop the band around the outside of your foot. Slowly pull your foot inward.
Perform 2–3 sets of 10–15 reps for each direction.
How to progress it:
Use a stronger resistance band or increase the number of sets as strength improves.
Calf Raises
Strengthening the calves improves ankle power and stability during walking, running, and jumping.
How to do it:
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly rise onto the balls of your feet, then lower back down. Focus on controlled movement.
How to progress it:
Move to single-leg calf raises or perform them on an elevated surface (like a step) to increase the range of motion.
Reverse Lunges
Lunges help reintroduce dynamic strength and controlled motion through the ankle, hip, and knee.
How to do it:
Stand tall. Step one leg backward and lower into a lunge position, keeping the front foot flat on the ground. Push back up to standing.
How to progress it:
Advance from reverse lunges to forward lunges, then lateral lunges to increase balance and stability demands.
Ankle Balance and Control Exercises
Restoring balance and proprioception is vital for long-term ankle health and injury prevention.
Single-Leg Balance
The ability to statically stand on one leg with minimized ankle movement is the first step in regaining balance.
How to do it:
Stand on one foot with your hips level and your knee slightly bent. Hold for 30–60 seconds, performing 2-3 sets.
How to progress it:
Move onto an unstable surface like a foam pad, BOSU ball, or pillow to further challenge stability.
Dynamic Y Balance
This exercise develops dynamic control and total-body coordination, both essential for ankle stability.
How to do it:
Stand on one leg. Reach the other leg forward, diagonally forward, and diagonally backward, creating a “Y” pattern. Return to center after each reach.
How to progress it:
Reach farther distances or hold a light weight while performing the reaches.
Plyometrics
Plyometric exercises restore explosive control and prepare the ankle for rapid changes in direction.
How to do it:
Start with two-footed jumps forward and sideways, focusing on soft, controlled landings.
How to progress it:
Advance to single-leg jumps: hop forward landing on the same foot, then hop sideways. Start with small distances and build up as strength and confidence grow.
Wrap Up
Recovering from a sprained ankle requires a structured program starting with early mobility, strength training, and a return to restoring balance and power. Incorporating these exercises into your routine can speed up recovery, relieve pain, and reduce the risk of future injuries.
Ready to relieve ankle pain and regain your strength? Incorporate these stretches and exercises into your recovery routine to speed up healing and prevent future sprains. Start taking control of your recovery today— find a physical therapy location near you, schedule your first appointment and get personalized guidance from our movement experts.