Strengthen your ankles and reduce injury risk with this speedy workout regimen for runners.
Rolling your ankle while running can be a common aggravation, thanks to uneven ground, poor form, muscular imbalances, and those cushy shoes with towering stacks of foam. But don't let it discourage you! Kinesiologist Carling Rees offers a simple workout to help strengthen those weak ankles, as shared on Instagram.
So, what's this ankle-strengthening routine all about? Turns out, lack of stability in vital areas like the arch, tibialis anterior, and sometimes even calves can lead to ankle sprains. Genetics, uneven terrain, improper footwear, and insufficient foot and ankle strength can all contribute to the issue[1].
A strong lower leg is essential, just as you'd train your lungs for a marathon or your quads for a sprint. Ankle mobility exercises, strengthening the anterior tibialis, and adding explosive movements help build resilience. Balance training plays an equally important role, often overlooked in runners. Properproprioception—your body's ability to sense its position—is key, as it determines how quickly your muscles react to prevent that misstep[2].
Training balance—through single-leg exercises, unstable surface drills, and reaction-based movements—can help runners improve their gait in real-time, reducing the chances of future sprains, or even more severe injuries[3]. The stronger your ankles, the quicker you'll recover from an injury[4].
Rees recommends dedicating two to three sessions per week to ankle strength workouts. In addition to these exercises, warming up with ankle mobility and activation drills, as well as controlled movements, can help reduce injury risks. Strengthening other areas, like the glutes, quads, and core, also improves running form[5].
Ready to strengthen your ankles? Give these exercises a try:
- Single-Leg Heel Raises: Start with a two-legged version, then progress to a single leg, lifting your heel off the ground and toe up. Do 3-5 sets of 5-10 reps twice a week[1].
- Toe Heel Walks: Walk on your toes, switch to heels, then repeat. Focus on proper form and perform for several minutes[1].
- Standing Heel Lifts with Resistance: Stand on a platform with heels hanging off, lift up, hold briefly at the top, then lower past the edge. Do 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps[1].
- Ankle Alphabet: Lift your foot and draw the alphabet with your toes. Repeat for each leg[1].
- Weighted Ankle Circles: Draw circles with your toes—first clockwise, then counterclockwise. Do 5-10 reps in each direction[1].
Stay tuned for a weekly fitness newsletter filled with achievable workout ideas, health tips, and wellbeing advice[5]. Happy running, and stay tough on those ankles!
- To strengthen the ankles for better health-and-wellness and reduce the risk of future ankle sprains, kinesiologist Carling Rees recommends ankle strength training exercises like single-leg heel raises, toe heel walks, and standing heel lifts with resistance.
- Incorporating balance training, such as single-leg exercises, unstable surface drills, and reaction-based movements, can help runners improve their gait, prevent ankle sprains, and recover faster from injuries.
- Combining ankle strength workouts with warming up exercises, such as ankle mobility and activation drills, controlled movements, and strengthening other areas like glutes, quads, and core, can improve running form and overall fitness-and-exercise performance.
