How To Stretch a Sprained Ankle

The following stretches were put together by the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society, and were developed to help restore ankle range of motion and strengthen the ankle after an injury or an ankle sprain.

All of these ankle stretches can be done twice per day.

Ankle Exercises:

1. Ankle Pull: Sit down and bring your ankle and foot up toward your shin as much as possible, by only using the muscles in your ankle. Feel the stretch in your calf and hold this stretch for 10 seconds. Repeat this 10 times.
2. Ankle Inversion: Sit down and rotate your ankle down and toward the inside of your body. Hold this position for 10 seconds and repeat this 10 times.
3. Ankle eversion: Sit down and rotate your ankle up and toward the outside of your body. Hold this position for 10 seconds and repeat this 10 times.
4. Ankle Push: Sit down and point your toes straight down and extend your ankle. Hold this position for 10 seconds and repeat this 10 times.

The following two exercises should only be done when you are no longer feeling pain in your ankles.

1. Stand on the edge of a stair, with your heels hanging off. Drop your ankles down and hold this stretch for 10 seconds and repeat 10 times.
2. Stand approximately 1 foot from a wall, with your toes pointing toward it. Squat down and hold this position for 10 seconds, and repeat 10 times. You can use the wall to stabilize yourself if necessary.

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