Ankle injuries account for 5% of visits to A&E departments across the UK, according to data from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
These incidents frequently happen because most people rarely think about their ankles until they suffer damage, performance physiotherapist Genevieve Tawiah told BBC News. Tawiah has worked on television productions including Strictly Come Dancing. She told BBC News that these painful injuries can be avoided “if you are strong and aware of your foot and ankle and the chain that affects it”.
The foundation for building strong ankles and lowering injury risks starts with being “brain to body aware,” according to Tawiah. This means sensing ankle movements without looking down at them.
“It’s about sending information from the brain down to our foot and ankle to ground us and build a good foundation for any exercise training that follows,” Tawiah told BBC News.
To build this awareness, Tawiah suggested starting with small toe movements. One exercise involves pressing the tip of the big toe into the floor and holding it to watch the arch engage. Another exercise requires placing a pen on the floor parallel to the big toe and moving the toe toward it, known as abduction.
Tawiah said that the primary functions of the ankle are to help humans balance, bear weight, and transmit force.
Strength and control exercises recommended by Tawiah include heel raises on a sturdy surface and walking with one foot directly in front of the other like a gymnast on a beam. Moving from a seated to a standing position on one or two legs also improves ankle control.
“If you go up the stairs and you find that you lead with one leg, practice leading with the other side,” Tawiah told BBC News.
People recovering from ankle sprains can practice balancing on one leg while throwing and catching a ball. Those dealing with tendinopathy, which is chronic pain in the tendon, benefit from slow and heavy loads such as weighted calf raises on a leg press.
Selecting the right shoes supports the ankle. Tawiah warned against flat ballet pumps, pointy shoes, and trainers that narrow at the front.
“A lot of people fall into the trap of wearing flat ballet pumps, pointy shoes or trainers that are narrower at the front,” Tawiah told BBC News.
Barefoot shoes provide benefits only for individuals who already possess a solid baseline of foot and ankle strength.
Different physical activities demand different footwear choices.
“If you’re doing squat exercises, you’re probably going to want a flatter shoe,” Tawiah told BBC News.
Hiking boots help prevent severe sprains during long all-terrain walks, but wearing them daily for long periods can cause increased ankle stiffness by limiting mobility.
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