Ankle sprain exercises at home

Why exercise matters after a sprain

Rest helps for the first day or two, but an ankle that is kept still for too long gets stiff, the calf weakens and your balance on that leg drops off. That last part is the one people miss. The ligaments carry sensors that tell your brain where the joint is, and after a sprain that feedback is dulled. A lot of repeat sprains happen months later, on a kerb or a ski hill, because balance never came all the way back.

So the goal of home exercise isn't only to make it stop hurting. It's to get full range back, rebuild the calf and the muscles on the outside of the shin, and retrain balance so the ankle reacts fast when you land badly.

Stage 1: the first few days (gentle movement)

Once you can move the foot without sharp pain, start these seated or lying down with the leg raised. Little and often works better than one long session: a few minutes, several times a day. Keep everything in a range that feels like a stretch or mild ache, never sharp.

1. Ankle pumps. Point your toes away, then pull them back towards you. Slow and smooth. 10 to 20 reps.
2. Ankle alphabet. Keep the heel still and trace the capital letters A to Z with your big toe. Make the letters as big as is comfortable. Once or twice through.
3. Gentle circles. Circle the foot slowly, 10 one way and 10 the other.
4. Towel calf stretch. Sit with the leg straight, loop a towel around the ball of the foot and pull gently until you feel the calf. Hold 20 to 30 seconds, 3 times.

Stage 2: walking and strength (usually from the first week or two)

When you can walk with only mild discomfort and the swelling is settling, add strength work. A light resistance band is all you need.

1. Band push down. Sitting with the leg straight, loop a band around the ball of the foot and hold the ends. Press the foot down like a gas pedal, then return slowly. 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15.
2. Band pull up. Tie the band to a table leg, loop it over the top of the foot and pull the toes back towards you. 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15.
3. Band out (eversion). Anchor the band around the other foot and turn the injured foot outwards against it, slowly. This works the muscles that protect the outside of the ankle. 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15.
4. Band in (inversion). Cross your legs so the band pulls the foot outwards, then turn it inwards. Gentle, since this is the direction most sprains happen. 2 sets of 10.
5. Double calf raises. Stand holding a counter, rise onto your toes for a second, lower slowly over 3 seconds. 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15.

Stage 3: balance and single-leg strength

Balance work is what makes the ankle trustworthy again. Do it near a counter or in a doorway so you can grab on.

1. Single-leg stand. Stand on the injured leg for 30 seconds. When that's easy, try it with your eyes closed, then on a folded towel or cushion.
2. Single-leg calf raises. Same as double raises but on one leg, with a fingertip on the counter. Build up to 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15.
3. Reach and balance. Stand on the injured leg and tap the other foot forward, out to the side and behind you, coming back to centre each time. 5 taps each way.
4. Side steps and small hops. Only once everything above is easy and painless: small side-to-side hops, then hops forward and back. These are the last step before running or sport.

How often and how hard

Range-of-motion work can be done several times a day. Strength work every day or every other day is a common starting point, with 2 or 3 sets of each exercise. Balance work can be done daily, even in short bursts while you brush your teeth.

A useful rule: mild discomfort during an exercise that settles within an hour or so is usually fine. Pain that gets sharper while you work, or a joint that is more swollen or sore the next morning, means you did too much. Drop back a stage for a couple of days.

Common mistakes

• Stopping as soon as it stops hurting, before balance and strength are back.
• Skipping the band work on the outside of the ankle, which is the side that protects you from rolling it again.
• Jumping straight to running or sport without testing hops and single-leg balance first.
• Doing everything fast. Slow, controlled reps build more control than quick ones.

Stop and get checked if

• You couldn't put any weight on the foot right after the injury, or still can't walk four steps
• There's pain or tenderness right on the bone, on the back edge of either ankle knob or at the base of the little toe
• The foot is numb, cold or a strange colour
• Swelling or pain is getting worse instead of better after the first few days
• The ankle keeps giving way weeks later

A sample week once you're walking

Here's one way the stages fit together once walking is comfortable. Morning: ankle alphabet and calf stretch while the kettle boils, about five minutes. Midday: single-leg stand for 30 seconds on each side, a few times, while you wait for something. Evening, every other day: the band exercises and calf raises, 2 to 3 sets each, about fifteen minutes.

On the days in between, keep the range and balance work and go for an easy walk. Each week, if nothing is flaring, make one thing harder: more calf raise reps, eyes closed for the balance work, or a softer surface. Changing one thing at a time makes it easy to see what your ankle didn't like.

Getting back to sport

A simple self-check before running, court sports or skiing: can you do 20 or more single-leg calf raises on the injured side, close to what the other side can do? Can you balance for 30 seconds on that leg with your eyes closed? Can you hop on it 10 times without pain? If any of those are a struggle, keep training them first.

When you do go back, start with shorter, easier sessions and build up over a couple of weeks. Some people use a brace or tape at first, which is worth asking your physio about, especially if you've sprained the same ankle before.

Questions worth asking your physio

• Which stage am I at, and what should I be able to do before moving on?
• Is there anything I should avoid for now, like twisting or uneven ground?
• Should I use a brace or tape when I go back to sport?
• What would make you want to see me sooner?

Keeping it going with Apex One

Apex One has a guided ankle sprain program you can follow between physio sessions. In Apex One+, the program talks you through each exercise out loud, times your holds, and asks you to rate pain before and after each session, so you have something concrete to show your physio. The voice counts reps at a steady pace; the camera isn't used for these exercises.

Count every rep with your phone

Questions

Keep exploring

• Ankle sprain exercisesApex One
• Calf strain exercisesApex One
• Achilles tendinopathy exercisesApex One
• Plantar fasciitis exercises at homeGuide
• High ankle sprain exercises at homeGuide