Ankles play a vital role in maintaining balance, supporting body weight and enabling everyday movements such as standing, walking and running. Yet they are often overlooked until an injury occurs.
Ankle injuries are common, accounting for around 5% of visits to emergency departments in the UK, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
Performance physiotherapist Genevieve Tawiah, who has worked on programmes such as Strictly Come Dancing, says many ankle injuries can be prevented by building strength and improving awareness of the feet, ankles and the surrounding muscle chain.
Speaking to BBC’s What’s Up Docs?, Tawiah outlined three ways to strengthen the ankles and reduce the risk of injury.
1. Improve Your Mind-Body Connection
Tawiah says developing awareness of how the feet and ankles move is an important foundation for injury prevention.
This means being able to recognise the movements and positions of your ankles without constantly looking down at them.
She recommends starting with simple toe movements to understand how weight is distributed through the feet and ankles.
Two exercises include:
Big Toe Press: Press the tip of your big toe into the floor, hold the position and observe how the arch of your foot engages.
Toe Abduction: Place a pen on the floor parallel to your big toe and try moving the toe towards it.
These exercises help improve awareness of foot movement and engagement.
2. Build Strength, Control and Balance
According to Tawiah, the ankles help the body maintain balance, support weight and transfer force during movement.
She recommends exercises that develop strength and control, including:
Heel Raises: Stand beside a sturdy surface, lift your heels off the floor and rise onto your toes. Keep your ankles stable without allowing them to wobble or turn outwards.
Balance Walking: Walk with one foot directly in front of the other, similar to walking along a narrow beam, while maintaining control.
Sit-to-Stand and Stair Exercises: Practise moving between sitting and standing, as well as walking up and down stairs. If you usually lead with one leg, try using the other.
People recovering from ankle sprains can also practise balancing on one leg while throwing and catching a ball. Stepping sideways and controlling the landing on one leg can help improve stability.
For people with tendinopathy, a condition involving persistent tendon pain, Tawiah recommends slow exercises involving heavier resistance, such as weighted calf raises using a leg press.
3. Choose the Right Footwear
The type of footwear can also influence ankle support and stability.
Tawiah advises avoiding shoes that are too narrow at the front, including some pointed shoes, flat ballet pumps and trainers that restrict toe movement.
She recommends choosing footwear that gives the toes enough room and provides an appropriate level of arch support.
Barefoot shoes have also become increasingly popular, but Tawiah says people should first establish a good level of foot and ankle strength and gradually increase their use.
Different activities require different types of footwear:
Squat exercises: Flatter shoes can provide a more stable base for lifting and balancing.
Running: Cushioned trainers can help absorb impact.
Long walks on uneven terrain: Hiking boots can help reduce the risk of serious ankle sprains.
However, wearing hiking boots for extended periods during everyday activities may increase ankle stiffness because they can restrict natural ankle movement.
Building ankle strength, improving balance and choosing suitable footwear can help support everyday movement and reduce the risk of injuries.