Stretches & Strengthening for Sore Ankles From Running

Sore ankles can be a common injury from increasing your running mileage too quickly, starting a workout without warming up or turning an ankle on uneven ground. Common ankle injuries from running include sprains, strains and Achilles tendinitis, an inflammation of the tendon that runs from your calf to your heel. Stretches and strengthening exercises can help heal and prevent sore ankles during and after a run. Consult a doctor to determine which exercises are safe for you to start after a fresh ankle injury.

  1. Range-of-Motion Stretching

    • Range-of-motion (ROM) stretching is a good warm-up and cool-down exercise to perform on all of your joints, not just your ankles, before running. ROM stretching consists of gently putting your joints through their normal range of motion and it increases flexibility. For the ankles, this means rotating, flexing and extending. Sit on a chair, extend your leg out in front of you and point your toes. Make small circles in the air first clockwise and then counterclockwise, each for 15 seconds. Flex your foot so your toes point upward, followed by extending as far as you can until your toes point forward. Complete 10 or more flexion and extensions with each foot.

    Resistance Band Exercises

    • Resistance band exercises for the ankle are similar to the flexing and extending of ROM stretches. The resistance band adds more challenge to the stretch, which strengthens the muscles surrounding your ankle joint. Sit in a chair and loop the middle of the band around the sole of your foot. Holding firmly to the ends of the band, one in each hand, push your ankle down until your toes point forward. Hold the position for a second or two before relaxing. Then tie the band to a table leg or other sturdy object and loop the band around the top side of your foot. Slowly flex your foot as far as your ankle will go, pointing your toes toward the sky. A third exercise incorporates the lateral movement of your ankle. Position yourself so the looped band is on the outer side of your ankle instead of in front of you. Move your foot sideways in an effort to point your toes inward to strengthen the ankle laterally. Perform 10 repetitions of each resistance exercise.

    Balance

    • Strengthen your sore ankles through balance exercises as well as through daily stretching. Stand on your injured foot and lift up your other leg, bending slightly at the knee. Balance for 10 seconds at a time before resting. Increase the time as you become stronger. Challenge yourself more by swinging the other leg slowly as you balance -- use a chair for support if needed.

    Calf Exercises

    • Calf exercises are effective in strengthening the Achilles tendon, the band of soft tissue that runs from the back of your knee down to your heel. Achilles tendinitis is a common jogger's injury due to overuse and can cause pain in the lower leg, heel and ankle. Toe raises can strengthen the Achilles tendon and ankle. Stand facing a wall or in front of a chair for support. Keeping your back and legs straight, raise up onto your toes and hold the position for two seconds before lowering yourself back down. Complete 10 repetitions. The gastroc stretch is another calf exercise that can strengthen ankles predisposed to pain after running. Place the palms of your hands on a wall and straighten your elbows so you are about 2 feet away from the wall while facing it. Take a step forward with one leg and bend the knee while keeping your back leg straight. Push against the wall while putting most of your weight on your front leg. You will feel the stretch in your back calf. Hold for 15 seconds. Repeat the sequence with the other leg.