Military Muscle: Ankle aid – simple strengthening exercises to help avoid wrong ‘turns’ - Military Health, military health and wellness, military physical fitness - Military Times

Military Muscle: Ankle aid – simple strengthening exercises to help avoid wrong ‘turns’

What’s the common denominator when playing basketball or volleyball, trail running or taking on any other dynamic activity — or simply stepping off a curb?

They all carry the risk of ankle injuries.

Most of us have “turned” an ankle at one time or another. We remember the pain, the swelling, the long period of inactivity. You can never eliminate the potential for ankle injuries, but you can make any potential injury less traumatic with some simple strengthening exercises.

Resistance band exercises

Use a resistance band or tube to complete the following. Do 10 reps on each foot.

1. Dorsiflexion: This movement involves flexing the foot toward the knee. Sit on a bench or mat and wrap a resistance band or tube around the left foot. Run the band under the right foot, grab the end of the band in your right hand and push down with the right foot. Flex the left foot toward the left knee.

2. Plantar flexion: This involves flexing the foot toward the floor. Sit on a bench or mat. Wrap a band or tube around your left foot and grab the end, pulling it to exert the amount of tension that you want. Extend your left foot toward the floor.

3. Inversion: This movement involves flexing the foot to the inside. Sit on the floor with your right foot across your left shin. Loop the band or tube around your left foot and under your right foot, and hold the ends of the band or tube in your left hand. Flex the left foot inward toward the right.

4. Eversion: This involves flexing the foot to the outside. Sit on the floor with both feet extended. Wrap a band or tube around your left foot and run it under the right foot. Hold the ends of the band or tube in your right hand, but do not push down with your right foot. Flex your left foot to the left.

Unstable surfaces

Exercises done on BOSU balls, foam pads, the SPRI Step 360 and wobble boards all result in ankle movement, therefore strengthening the ankle. I have clients perform body-weight exercises on these devices, often incorporating some other dynamic component, such as:

5. Static standing: Stand on one leg on a foam pad — you can get these in varying degrees of instability. This exercise also improves your balance.

6. Jumps: Try the BOSU ball or Step 360 for these. Start by performing jumps with both legs, then progress to single-leg jumps. Stand in front of the ball and simply jump up and land on its surface. Maintain an athletic position when you land, knees slightly bent and body controlled.

7. Body squats and throws: The wobble boards are best here. Stand with a foot on each board and execute controlled body squats. Progress to single-leg squats. Or, stand on the board or Bosu ball and have a partner throw a medicine ball at your head. Again, you can progress to a single-leg version.

Bob Thomas is director of the Navy Wellness Center in Pensacola, Fla. Click here to email him.