The ligaments that support our ankle joints are incredibly strong, and they need to be in order to stabilize the ankle area. However, due to years of repetitive stress or a moment of acute trauma, these ligaments can become injured and weak. Weak ankles are a recipe for injury, and they need to be treated proactively, even if your ankles aren’t currently in pain. In today’s blog, we share some tips for restoring strength in your weak ankles.
Restoring Ankle Strength
If you’re looking to restore strength to supportive ankle ligaments that have been damaged as a result of repetitive or acute trauma, you may notice progress by pursuing one or more of the following techniques:
Physical Therapy – Physical therapy is likely the best way to restore strength and function in a joint that has become weak. Targeted exercise challenges the muscles and soft tissues in and around an area so that they can become stronger and more stable. You can connect with a physical therapist for some specific exercises, or you can ask your foot and ankle specialist for a list of PT exercises based on your specific injuries and limitations.
Low Or No Impact Exercise – You may also benefit from some low or no impact exercises. These exercises are less targeted than PT, but they too help to strengthen soft tissues and improve overall joint function. Being overly protective of a weakened joint can cause it to weaken further, so you want to pursue exercise that won’t overload the area with stress. Walking, swimming or moving on an elliptical are all great options.
Footwear Improvements – You’ll also want to review your footwear and ensure that you are putting your feet in shoes that support your ankle joints. Look for shoes that are comfortable, supportive of your natural foot arch and appropriate for the types of activities you’ll be performing. Unsupportive shoes can put excessive stress on your already weak ankles, so make sure you invest in a quality shoe.
Weight Loss – Weight loss won’t directly strengthen your ankles, but it can help to limit the stress they are under day in and day out, which can reduce your risk of injury while you work to improve the strength of your ankles. Weight loss is easier to achieve if you regularly push yourself with low or no impact exercise.
Connect With A Specialist – Finally, you can also greatly improve the strength of your ankles by connecting with a foot and ankle specialist like Dr. Silverman. He can take a closer look at the underlying factors contributing to your ankle weakness, and if conservative treatments still fail to provide relief, he can administer hands-on care. A minimally invasive corrective procedure can greatly improve strength and stability in joints that have been weakened as a result of injury.