Weak ankles are a sign of poor stability in the distal lower leg. On occasion, external support may be necessary for safety and pain management. Strengthening the muscles around the ankle can provide the internal support the ankle needs. This post will look at the importance of the ankle, what can cause ankle weakness, review taping and bracing, and provide foundational exercises for improving your ankle stability!
**This is not medical advice. Please consult your medical provider for more information.
Importance of the Ankle
The ankles are important as they quite literally are the base that you stand on. Poor foot posture can lead to pain, weakness, and increase injury at the ankle, knee, hip, and even your back!
The ankle helps with shock absorption, stabilizing the lower leg on uneven surfaces, and plays a role in balance.
Causes of Weak Ankles, Pain, and Instability
The ankles can become weak over time due to poor foot posture. An injury may occur that reduces the integrity of the ligaments that support the ankle. Common diagnoses that can lead to weak ankles are:
- Osteoarthritis: a very common form of arthritis that leads to a breakdown of cartilage in the joints. It can be painful which leads to non-use and subsequent weakness.
- Rheumatoid arthritis: an autoimmune disease that can affect multiple joints within the body. The foot and ankle can be a common place for RA to occur. Unlike OA, RA can affect multiple areas of the foot, including the ankle, forefoot, midfoot, and hindfoot.
- Fracture: a break in the bone, no matter what size, will weaken that bone as well as the area around it.
- Peripheral neuropathy: commonly seen in individuals with diabetes. Peripheral neuropathy is damage to the nerves in the lower leg. It can lead to numbness and altered sensation which can affect balance and one’s ability to stabilize their ankles on uneven surfaces.
- Ankle sprain: the ligament(s) involved in an ankle sprain become lengthened. Chronic ankle sprains can lead to poor stability, weakness, and increase further risk of injury.
- Flatfoot: this term relates to poor foot posture through a flat arch. The muscles involved in holding the arch up become weak and increase the risk of injuring the foot or ankle. It can also lead to pain higher up in the chain.
- Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS): this condition affects the connective tissue within the body, leading to hypermobility commonly seen in the joints.
Correct Footwear for the Ankles
Footwear can play an important role in helping mitigate injury. If you plan on going hiking on uneven terrain, wearing sturdy boots with support around the ankle is important.
If you have a collapsed arch (aka: a pronated foot), wearing shoes with arch support or finding a good shoe insert will be beneficial. Training muscles of the foot and ankle that support the arch will give you a solid foundation to start with.
Exercises for Weak Ankles
These exercises will set the foundation for proper foot posture and stabilization for your ankles. You have to master the basics before getting into more challenging exercises.
Short Foot
The goal of this exercise is to lift the arch of the foot. Sit with your feet firmly on the ground without shoes on. Place a theraband directly under the ball of your foot just below your big toe. You should feel the bone pushing firmly into the ground.
Think about bringing your big toe and your heel closer together, resulting in the arch of your foot raising. This should be a small movement. The goal is to not let the theraband pop up, curl or lift the toes, or roll the weight to the outside of your foot. Hold your arch for 5 seconds and relax. Complete 20 repetitions.
This exercise can be particularly challenging so stay consistent and keep practicing!
Seated heel raise with Theraband
Make sure to perform this without shoes on so you can feel the ground underneath you. Sit where your feet are flat on the floor. Place a theraband directly under the ball of your foot just below your big toe. Keep gentle but constant tension on this band.
Push up onto your toes making sure to keep your weight shifted over the 1st and 2nd toes. Don’t let the band pop up from under your foot. Perform 30 repetitions.
Sit to Stand
This exercise combines multiple movements together. We are combining the first two exercises and incorporating them into something functional. In this case, it is sitting and standing.
Start in a seated position with your feet firmly on the ground. Place a theraband directly under the ball of your foot just below your big toe. Keep gentle but constant tension on the band.
Lift the arch as you did in the short foot exercise above. Maintain your arch height and stand up. As you sit back down, try to maintain pressure into the theraband and also try not to have your arch collapse towards the ground.
Perform 2-3 sets of 10 reps.
When Taping/Bracing is Appropriate
Taping and bracing may be helpful if the muscles and ligaments cannot provide the inherent support that the ankle requires. If you suffer from chronic ankle sprains and you find yourself on uneven terrain where rolling an ankle could be a possibility, wearing an ankle brace to give yourself some extra support could be helpful.
Other Posts Related to Ankle Stability
- Ankle Pain When Walking? Why it Hurts and How to Fix It
- 5 Reasons Why Balance Exercises are Important for Runners
- Ankle Pain When Walking? Why it Hurts and How to Fix It
TL;DR
Weak ankles can come from acute or chronic injuries, as well as other diagnoses. Making sure to strengthen the muscles of the foot and ankle will help give the ankle the inherent stability it needs. Wearing supportive footwear and using an ankle brace or taping can provide the external support the ankle may need when walking on uneven terrain.
Tera Sandona is a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and the founder of PT Complete. She helps high-achieving women break out of cycles of chronic pain, stress, and burnout through her Regulate and Rebuild Method, a sequenced approach that addresses the nervous system first and builds strength second. Her work focuses on helping women finally understand their bodies, rebuild strength, and create lasting resilience that fits real life.
