Isometric ankle strengthening exercises work the ankle joint in all directions statically. This means without movement. They improve ankle stability. Make sure to include inversion, eversion, plantar flexion, and dorsiflexion.
What are Isometric ankle exercises?
Isometric exercises involve contracting a muscle without changing its length or moving the joint. You perform them statically, holding a muscle contraction for a period of time. They are particularly useful for rehabilitation and for strengthening muscles without putting stress on the joints.
Depending on your injury you work the ankle in all directions. For example:
- Dorsi flexion (pulling up)
- Plantar flexion (pushing down)
- Inversion (pulling inwards)
- Eversion (outwards)
If you have an ankle sprain for example, you should avoid eversion and inversion during the early stages. This is because you should avoid stressing any injured ligaments. However, you can still do plantar and dorsiflexion.
Related injuries
Isometric ankle exercises form part of rehabilitation for virtually all ankle and foot injuries. In particular:
- Plantar fasciitis
- Ankle sprain
- Peroneal tendon tear
