After a sprained ankle, you may benefit from physical therapy to help improve your overall ankle mobility. The goals of PT after a sprained ankle are to restore normal ankle range of motion, strength, and stability and to help you get back to full functional mobility.
Early active stretching is an important first step in the rehabilitation process after sustaining an ankle sprain. With the prolonged period of rest that is required after suffering an ankle sprain, the muscles around the ankle often become shortened and tight. This results in decreased range of motion (ROM) around the ankle joint. To get moving again and to prevent repeated injury, it is important to begin gentle stretches of your injured ankle as soon as approved by your healthcare provider. These typically start as active stretches. There are four basic stretches of the ankle that should be performed after an ankle sprain.
Here is how you improve plantar flexion ROM in your ankle:
Push your foot forward away from you (while keeping knees straight) by moving your ankle. Continue until either discomfort is felt, or you can no longer bend your foot forward. Hold this position for 15 seconds. Return to neutral position. Repeat above steps 10 more times.
Be sure to monitor your symptoms and stop if you feel intense pain.
Here is how you improve your ROM into dorsiflexion after an ankle injury:
Pull your foot back toward you (while keeping knees straight) by moving your ankle. Continue until either discomfort is felt or you can no longer pull your foot back. Hold this position for 15 seconds. Return to neutral position. Repeat above steps 10 more times.
Here is a simple way to improve inversion ROM:
Turn your foot inward. Continue until either discomfort is felt or you can no longer turn your foot inward. Hold this position for 15 seconds. Return to neutral position. Repeat above steps 10 more times.
Turn your foot outward by moving your ankle. Continue until either discomfort is felt or you can no longer turn your foot inward. Hold this position for 15 seconds. Return to neutral position. Repeat above steps 10 more times.
Ankle ROM exercises are pretty simple to do, and after an injury like a sprain or fracture, they can be done two to three times per day to help regain normal ankle mobility.
Once your ankle ROM has improved, your PT will likely progress you rehab with ankle strengthening exercises, proprioception, balance exercise, and plyometrics to get you back to 100% mobility.
A Word From Verywell
An ankle sprain or injury may limit your ability to walk normally and participate in your everyday work or recreational activities. If you have an ankle injury, check with your healthcare provider and PT, and then start some ankle ROM exercises to help you get back to your normal activity level quickly and safely.
