Sprained ankle exercises

A sprained ankle can lead to further complications with regard to ankle injury. Sprained ankles should be cured or treated as soon as possible, as not to do so can lead to an inability to maintain proper posture. Sprains occur as a result of partial of complete tears of the ankle ligament. This type of injury is one of the most common injuries experienced, particularly with regard to those involved in sport. However, sprained ankles do not occur exclusively in those in the sporting world.

Exercises

The first exercise requires one to sit on the floor. Keep your legs straight and extended in front of you. Then, move the legs towards the chest with the knees slightly bent. Loop a towel around the feet and pull the towel towards the body until you feel a stretch in the lower calf. Perform this exercise about three or four times per day.

The next exercise requires the use of a wall. Keep the injured foot behind the other whilst standing next to the wall. Bend the back leg until you feel a stretch. If required, support yourself by putting a hand on the wall. Hold the bent position for about four or five seconds.

Chair exercise

Another exercise requires you to sit on a chair. Raise the uninjured foot and put it on top of the injured foot. Slightly pressurize the injured foot while attempting to push it upwards. Hold the position for around five seconds. Relax and repeat. Doing this about five or six times per day is advised.

Balancing exercises

The next exercise requires only a floor and your own body. Stand up straight and stretch out your hands. Raise the uninjured leg and try to balance your body on the injured leg. Maintain this balancing position for around ten seconds. Should you experience severe pain as a result of undertaking this exercise, cease performing it for a few days until the ankle heals further. Make sure that when you do begin to perform it, you are able to comfortably do so without suffering extreme pain. If you wish, you can add a certain amount of difficulty to the exercise. To do so, bend the hands inwards towards the chest and attempt to stay in this position for about twenty seconds. In the recovery period, perform this exercise twice or thrice per day for about a fortnight. Balancing can be of great benefit with regard to the healing of injuries and the strengthening of muscles and joints.

Consult your doctor or therapist

Remember that before you embark on an exercise program you should first of all consult a doctor or physical therapist in order to ascertain the safety of the exercise. If these exercises are suitable to your type of injury, try to perform them as regularly as possible in order to shorten the recovery period and hasten the recovery of the injured area.