4 Exercises To Strengthen Weak Ankles & Best Orthotics
Our ankles take a lot of wear and tear over the years. Painful, stiff, or weak ankles can prevent you from living the active lifestyle you seek. Luckily, there are some simple ankle exercises and stretches you can do at home to help strengthen weak ankles so they remain flexible & strong. Proper exercises and stretches can help improve stability and avoid injuries.
4 ANKLE EXERCISES
Ankle Flexion: Sit upright in a chair and flex your foot as high as it will go. Hold for a few seconds, then point your toes as far as they will go and hold for a few seconds. Repeat 2 sets of twenty reps on each foot every day to keep ankles mobile. If your ankles are sore or swollen, you can do this gentle stretch with your ankles iced and elevated if necessary.
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Side To Side: Sit upright in a chair, flex your foot, and begin to rotate your ankle from side to side. Begin with rotating your foot so the sole first faces outward, then inward. Another option for this exercise is to move your ankles gently in a circular motion.
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Wall Stretch: Stand facing a wall with both feet together. Place your hands at shoulder height and width on the wall in front of you. Take a step forward with your right foot so that it is now only a few inches from the wall. Shift your weight onto your right leg and bend at the knee. Keeping both heels on the ground, lean your upper body slowly toward the wall until you feel a good stretch happening along the calf muscles of your left leg. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds. Return to your original position with both feet together. Repeat the stretch, this time putting your left leg forward. Do this exercise three times on each foot.
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Toe to Wall Stretch: Place your heels on the ground and your toes on the wall. Place the opposite foot behind you and keep the legs straight, moving the entire body forward. You should feel a very strong stretch in the back of the calf and some stretch in the arch. To increase the stretch, move your heel closer to the wall and increase the angle of your foot. To decrease the stretch, move your heel back and lower your toes. Hold for 60 seconds and repeat 3 times.
BEST ORTHOTICS TO SUPPORT YOUR FEET
Many shoes do not offer proper support for your feet and even though some shoes come with an insole, most of the time the insoles are made from thin & mediocre foams that offer little to no support. Some brands even use hard plastics that restrict natural foot movement which isn't a healthy long-term choice.
Aetrex Orthotics have built-in arch support and are designed with premium materials to keep the foot closer to the neutral position throughout the gait cycle and align the body. Proper alignment helps minimize over-pronation and reduces stress on the plantar fascia, knees hips, and back.
Aetrex Orthotic Features:
- Signature arch support helps align the body correctly to prevent stress on the knees, back, hip and foot
- Helps absorb shock to protect the foot and prevent injuries
- Helps provide stability & support to keep the feet in place
The right orthotics can also help to relieve common foot pains like plantar fasciitis, heel pain, and arch pain. To determine which orthotics are best for your specific foot-care needs, you can take the Orthotics Quiz.
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