Build Strong Ankles!

Stretching and strengthening help prevent sprains, tendonitis and arthritis

Ignore your ankles at your own risk, says George Arangio, M.D., orthopedic surgeon at Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. “Too often, people don’t include ankles in their exercise program, but these joints support the entire weight of your body and are particularly susceptible to injury,” he says.

Leading the list of ankle injuries are sprains. A sprain is a damaged ligament, usually one of the three on the outside of the ankle. Sprains range from mild (overstretched ligament) to severe (partially or completely torn ligament).

The first line of treatment is RICE—rest, ice, compression and elevation—to relieve the pain. But don’t stop there, Arangio says, especially if the sprain is more severe. “You need proper rehabilitation including stretching, strengthening and therapy to restore balance,” he says. “Without this, you’ll be susceptible to recurring sprains and chronic instability as you grow older.”

Conditioning is also important for the Achilles’ tendon, the body’s largest tendon and the connector between leg muscles and foot. Professional and weekend athletes alike often suffer from Achilles’ tendonitis— inflammation of the tendon—due to poor flexibility and overuse, says Mike Fleming, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network physical therapist.

“You can help prevent Achilles’ tendonitis with proper conditioning, and it’s especially important if you’re over 30,” Fleming says. “But stretching and aerobic exercise are not enough. You need resistance training to strengthen your ankles.”

Stretching and strengthening also can help prevent and ease the pain of arthritis in the ankle. Arthritis develops from wear and tear on the joint, sometimes as a result of previous injury. If treatments like therapy, medication and braces don’t work in the advanced stages of arthritis, surgeons consider fusing bones together or replacing the ankle with an artificial joint.

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