Moving your ankle in the right way is usually safe and helpful, even if it is stiff or sore. Gentle exercise helps blood flow, supports healing of ligaments and tendons, and keeps the joint from becoming too stiff. Clinical guidelines for ankle sprains and instability recommend early, guided movement and strengthening rather than long rest or casting1 3.
For people with ongoing ankle problems, including instability, tendinopathy, or arthritis, exercise can:
Improve strength in the calf and ankle muscles that protect your ligaments
Restore balance and coordination so the ankle feels more stable and less “wobbly” 1 3
Reduce pain and improve walking and daily function over time 1 2 4
Staying completely still for too long can actually slow recovery. Most guidelines suggest short-term protection, then gradual loading, because this leads to better long term strength, balance, and return to activity1 3.
Effective exercises for ankle pain
Not every exercise is right for every person. If a movement causes sharp pain or new symptoms, stop and consult a medical provider.
These exercises are general options that many people with ankle pain can start with. Your plan should always be tailored to your specific diagnosis and stage of healing.
1. Ankle pumps and circles
Why it helps: Keeping the ankle moving supports circulation and reduces stiffness around the foot and lower leg.
How to do it: Sit or lie with your leg supported. Gently pull your toes toward your nose, then point them away. Repeat 15 to 20 times. Then draw slow circles with your foot in each direction 10 times.
2. Heel raises at the counter
Why it helps: Strengthens the calf and ankle muscles that help support your ankle when you walk, go up and down stairs, or return to sport. Strong calf muscles are a key part of rehab for sprains, instability, and Achilles tendon problems1 2 3.
How to do it: Stand facing a counter or sturdy chair, holding on lightly for balance. With your feet about hip width apart, slowly rise up onto the balls of your feet, lifting your heels as high as is comfortable. Pause for 1 to 2 seconds, then slowly lower back down. Aim for 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions, once per day. Start with both legs together. If tolerated later, you can progress to more repetitions or single-leg raises as guided by your clinician.
3. Single leg balance
Why it helps: Trains your balance and the small stabilizing muscles around your ankle. Balance and movement control training are strongly recommended to lower the risk of future ankle sprains and chronic instability1 3.
How to do it: Stand near a counter or wall for safety. Lift one foot slightly off the ground and balance on the other leg. Try to hold for 20 to 30 seconds without grabbing the support, then rest. Repeat 2 to 3 times per leg. To make it harder as you improve, you can: turn your head, fold your arms, stand on a folded towel, or gently catch and throw a ball. Stop if you feel unsteady or your pain increases sharply.
4. Ankle eversion and inversion
Why it helps: Strengthens the peroneal muscles on the outside and on the inside of the lower leg, which help protect against “rolling” the ankle and support stability.
How to do it: While sitting on a chair, move your feet inwards and upwards. Then, move your feet outwards and upwards.
Helpful stretches for ankle pain
These stretches are usually gentle enough for many ankle conditions. They aim to improve flexibility in the calf and ankle, which can reduce strain on the joint and tendons and support normal walking1 2.
1. Calf stretch
How it helps: Tight calf muscles increase pulling on the heel and plantar fascia. Stretching them can improve comfort with walking and standing.
How to do it: Stand tall. Place your foot forward with your knee slightly bent while keeping the other leg straight. Move your weight towards the front foot, until you feel your backwards leg muscles stretching. Hold 20 to 30 seconds, repeat 3 times. You can then repeat with the back knee slightly bent to stretch deeper into the Achilles tendon.
2. Ankle dorsiflexion lunge stretch
How it helps: Improves forward ankle bend, which can help with squatting, going down stairs, and walking on inclines. Limited dorsiflexion is linked with higher ankle sprain risk1 3.
How to do it: Stand tall and keep your heel on the floor, gently bend your knee until you feel a stretch at the front of the ankle or lower calf. Your knee can move over your toes as long as the motion is comfortable. Switch sides. Hold for 15 to 20 seconds and repeat 3 to 5 times.
3. Seated ankle pumps and circles
How it helps: Keeping the ankle moving supports circulation and reduces stiffness around the foot and lower leg.
How to do it: Sit or lie with your leg supported. Gently pull your toes toward your nose, then point them away. Repeat 15 to 20 times. Then draw slow circles with your foot in each direction 10 times.
Did you know?
Good rehab helps prevent long term ankle problems. After a typical lateral ankle sprain, people who follow a structured program of strength, balance, and progressive loading have less pain, better function, and a lower chance of ongoing instability or repeat sprains than those who only rest1 3.
Digital physical therapy can match in person results for other chronic pain conditions. Randomized controlled trials in people with chronic shoulder and low back pain found that fully remote, exercise based digital programs achieved similar improvements in pain and function when compared with conventional in person physical therapy, with high adherence and satisfaction5 6.
This growing evidence supports digital care as a safe option for many people, especially when travel, time, or access to in person care are barriers.
Exercises to avoid with ankle pain
Some movements commonly flare ankle symptoms, especially early after an injury or during a painful flare. These are general guidelines rather than strict rules. Exercise should feel challenging but tolerable, not sharp, stabbing, or “giving way.”
Movements that may be best to limit or delay include:
High impact jumping and cutting drills very early after a sprain. Guidelines suggest focusing first on pain-controlled walking, strength, and balance, then adding running and jumping later as the ankle tolerates more load1 3.
Heavy single leg hopping or deep landings on unstable surfaces. These can overload healing ligaments and increase the risk of another sprain if introduced too soon1 3.
Fast hill sprints or heavy calf loading in severe Achilles tendon pain. People with Achilles tendon problems usually benefit from slow, progressive loading instead of sudden, fast, or explosive efforts at the start2.
Long runs on uneven ground when the ankle feels unstable. It is safer to build confidence and control on flat, predictable surfaces first, while you continue balance and strength exercises1 3.
Over time, many of these activities can be reintroduced. A health professional can help you find the right time and progression so that challenging movements become safe goals instead of triggers.
Clinical insight
High quality ankle sprain guidelines highlight a simple but powerful principle: short term protection, then progressive movement. Most people do better with early weight bearing as tolerated, exercise, and balance training, rather than long casting or strict rest1 3. This approach helps ligaments heal while also training the muscles and nervous system that keep your ankle steady. It also supports a faster and safer return to walking, work, and sport compared with prolonged immobilization for most typical sprains1 3.
Martin RL, Davenport TE, Fraser JJ, et al. Ankle stability and movement coordination impairments: lateral ankle ligament sprains (revision 2021). J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2021;51(4):CPG1-CPG80.
2
Chimenti RL, et al. Achilles pain, stiffness, and muscle power deficits: midportion Achilles tendinopathy (revision 2024). J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2024;54(12):CPG1-CPG45.
3
Gaddi D, et al. Acute ankle sprain management: umbrella review of systematic reviews. Front Med. 2022;9:868474.
4
Goldberg AJ, et al. Assessment and management of ankle osteoarthritis in primary care. BMJ. 2023;380:e070573.
5
Pak SS, Janela D, Freitas N, et al. Comparing digital to conventional physical therapy for chronic shoulder pain: randomized controlled trial. J Med Internet Res. 2023;25:e49236.
6
Cui D, Janela D, Costa F, et al. Randomized controlled trial assessing a digital care program versus conventional physiotherapy for chronic low back pain. NPJ Digit Med. 2023;6:121.
