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15 Best Ankle Strengthening Exercises for Athletes (Prevent Sprains for Good)
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Time to read 9 min
Ankle sprains are the single most common injury in sports. They account for 40% of basketball injuries, 20% of soccer injuries, and are the leading cause of missed playing time across nearly every field and court sport. The worst part isn't the initial sprain — it's the cascade that follows. A single ankle sprain increases the risk of re-injury by 40-70%, creates chronic instability, and can alter movement patterns in ways that lead to knee and hip problems down the line.
The good news: ankle strength is trainable, and the research on prevention is clear. Athletes who perform regular ankle strengthening and proprioception exercises have significantly lower sprain rates than those who don't. One study found that a neuromuscular warm-up program reduced ankle and knee injuries by 36% in basketball players. Another showed that balance board training reduced ankle sprain recurrence by nearly 50% in athletes with a history of sprains.
These 15 exercises are organized into three categories: bodyweight exercises you can do anywhere, resistance exercises for targeted strengthening, and balance board exercises for proprioceptive training. For complete ankle protection, include exercises from all three categories in your weekly routine.
Bodyweight Exercises (No Equipment Needed)
1. Single-Leg Balance Hold
Stand on one foot with your knee slightly bent. Hold for 30-60 seconds. That's it. This deceptively simple exercise is the foundation of ankle stability training because it activates the peroneal muscles, tibialis posterior, and intrinsic foot muscles that stabilize the ankle joint.
Make it harder: Close your eyes (removes visual balance input, forcing proprioceptors to work harder). Stand on a soft surface like a folded towel or pillow. Perform with your hands on your hips or overhead.
Sets/reps: 3 x 45 seconds per leg. Daily.
2. Heel Raises (Bilateral and Single-Leg)
Stand with feet hip-width apart. Rise onto your toes as high as possible, hold for 2 seconds at the top, then lower slowly (3-second descent). The eccentric (lowering) phase is where the real strengthening happens — it loads the Achilles tendon and calf complex in the lengthened position, which is exactly where they need to be strongest to prevent sprains.
Progress from two-leg raises to single-leg raises once you can complete 15 reps with controlled form.
Sets/reps: 3 x 15 reps (two-leg) or 3 x 10 reps (single-leg). Slow tempo.
3. Heel Walks and Toe Walks
Walk forward on your heels (toes lifted off the ground) for 20 steps, then turn around and walk back on your toes (heels lifted). Heel walks strengthen the tibialis anterior (the muscle on the front of your shin that controls dorsiflexion), while toe walks strengthen the gastrocnemius and soleus. Together, they build balanced strength around the entire ankle joint.
Sets/reps: 3 x 20 steps in each direction.
4. Lateral Walks
Stand in a quarter-squat position. Step sideways, leading with one foot, then following with the other. Keep tension in the legs throughout — don't let your feet come together. This strengthens the hip abductors and peroneal muscles that control lateral ankle stability, which is the exact plane of motion where most sprains occur (inversion sprains happen when the ankle rolls inward during lateral movement).
Sets/reps: 3 x 20 steps in each direction.
5. Alphabet Ankles
Sit with one leg extended and foot off the ground. Using your big toe as a pen, trace every letter of the alphabet in the air. This moves the ankle through its full range of motion in every direction — dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, inversion, eversion, and circumduction. It's a complete mobility exercise disguised as something simple.
Sets/reps: Complete alphabet, both feet. Once daily.
Resistance Exercises (Bands Required)
6. Banded Ankle Inversion
Sit with legs extended. Loop a resistance band around the forefoot of one foot, anchoring the other end to a stable object on the outside. Pull your foot inward (inversion) against the band's resistance, then slowly return to neutral. This directly strengthens the tibialis posterior and the muscles that resist the inversion force that causes the most common type of ankle sprain.
Sets/reps: 3 x 15 reps per foot. Controlled tempo.
7. Banded Ankle Eversion
Same setup, but anchor the band on the inside so you're pushing your foot outward (eversion) against resistance. This strengthens the peroneal muscles — the primary dynamic stabilizers of the lateral ankle. Weak peroneals are the number one muscular risk factor for inversion ankle sprains.
Sets/reps: 3 x 15 reps per foot.
8. Banded Dorsiflexion
Sit with legs extended. Anchor the band in front of you and loop it around the top of your foot. Pull your toes toward your shin against the band's resistance. Dorsiflexion strength and range of motion are critical for proper landing mechanics — limited dorsiflexion forces the knee and ankle into compensatory positions during landing, increasing sprain risk.
Sets/reps: 3 x 15 reps per foot.
9. Banded Plantarflexion
Sit with legs extended. Loop the band around the ball of your foot and hold both ends in your hands. Push your foot away from you (pointing your toe) against the band's resistance. This strengthens the gastrocnemius and soleus — the power muscles of the ankle that generate push-off force during running, jumping, and cutting.
Sets/reps: 3 x 15 reps per foot.
10. Banded Lateral Steps
Place a resistance band around your ankles (or just above, around the lower shins). Stand in a quarter-squat position and step sideways, maintaining band tension throughout. This combines ankle strengthening with hip stability training — both are essential for lateral movement control.
Sets/reps: 3 x 15 steps each direction.
Balance Board Exercises (Proprioceptive Training)
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“My physio prescribed balance work and this is what I use daily.” — post-op patient, Ontario
These exercises require a balance board. They train the proprioceptive system — your body's internal awareness of joint position — which is the fastest-responding defense against ankle sprains. When your foot lands in a dangerous position, it's your proprioceptive system that detects the problem and fires corrective muscles before conscious thought can react. Training proprioception makes this response faster and more accurate.
Spring-based balance boards (like the Bellenae Balancer) are ideal for these exercises because they create continuous, multi-directional instability that forces the proprioceptive system to work constantly. Unlike wobble boards that have a predictable tilt pattern your body adapts to quickly, spring boards never stabilize — maintaining the training stimulus over months of use.
11. Two-Foot Board Hold
Stand on the board with both feet, knees slightly bent. Hold the position without letting the edges touch the ground. Focus on keeping the board as still as possible. Every micro-correction you make is your proprioceptive system training.
Sets/reps: 3 x 60 seconds. Build to 90 seconds.
12. Single-Leg Board Hold
Stand on one foot in the center of the board. Hold for 20-30 seconds. This is significantly more demanding than a single-leg hold on flat ground because the board amplifies every balance correction. Your ankle stabilizers have to work continuously, and the proprioceptive system receives a much richer training signal.
Sets/reps: 3 x 30 seconds per leg. Eyes open initially, progress to eyes closed.
13. Board Weight Shifts (4 Directions)
Stand on the board and deliberately shift weight forward, back, left, and right — controlling the board's tilt in each direction. This trains controlled ankle mobility under load, which is exactly what happens during sport-specific movements like cutting, pivoting, and landing.
Sets/reps: 3 x 10 shifts in each direction (40 total per set).
14. Board Squats
Perform squats on the board. The instability forces your ankles to stabilize dynamically through the full range of motion — from standing through the descent, at the bottom position, and through the drive back up. This trains the ankle in the context of a functional movement pattern rather than in isolation.
Sets/reps: 3 x 10 reps. Slow, controlled tempo.
15. Board Single-Leg Hops (Advanced)
Stand on the ground next to the board. Hop onto the board on one foot and stick the landing for 3 seconds. Step off and repeat. This is the most advanced ankle exercise in this list — it trains landing mechanics, proprioceptive recovery, and reactive ankle stability in a single movement. Only attempt this once you can hold a single-leg board stand for 30+ seconds consistently.
Sets/reps: 3 x 5 hops per leg. Full reset between each hop.
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Weekly Programming: How to Structure Ankle Training
For injury prevention (healthy athletes):
2-3 sessions per week, 15 minutes each. Include 2 bodyweight exercises, 1-2 band exercises, and 1-2 board exercises per session. Rotate exercises weekly to maintain variety. Best performed as part of a pre-training warm-up.
For sprain recovery (cleared by a medical professional):
Start with bodyweight exercises only (weeks 1-2). Add band exercises (weeks 3-4). Add balance board exercises (weeks 5+). Progress from two-leg to single-leg variations as stability improves. Work with a physiotherapist to ensure appropriate progression.
For chronic ankle instability:
Daily proprioceptive training (5-10 minutes) on a balance board, plus 2-3 targeted strengthening sessions per week with bands. Research shows consistent proprioceptive training is the most effective intervention for chronic ankle instability — more effective than bracing alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to strengthen weak ankles?
Most athletes notice improved stability within 2-3 weeks of consistent training. Measurable strength gains typically appear within 4-6 weeks. Full proprioceptive adaptation — where the improvements feel automatic rather than requiring concentration — takes 8-12 weeks of regular training.
Should I use an ankle brace or strengthen my ankles?
Both have value, but they serve different purposes. Bracing provides external support during competition. Strengthening builds internal support that works whether you're braced or not. The ideal approach is to strengthen consistently and brace selectively during high-risk competition. Relying solely on bracing without strengthening can actually weaken the ankle's natural stability systems over time.
Can I do ankle exercises every day?
Yes. Ankle strengthening and proprioceptive training can be performed daily. The exercises in this guide are low-impact and don't create the kind of muscle damage that requires rest days. Consistency is the most important factor — 10 minutes daily produces better results than 60 minutes once a week.
What's the best exercise to prevent ankle sprains?
Single-leg balance board holds are the single most evidence-backed exercise for ankle sprain prevention. They train both the muscular and neurological components of ankle stability simultaneously. For athletes with a history of sprains, regular balance board training has been shown to reduce recurrence rates by nearly 50%.
Do balance boards actually help ankles?
Yes. Balance boards are one of the most commonly prescribed tools in ankle rehabilitation and prevention. They train proprioception — the body's ability to sense and correct joint position — which is the primary defense mechanism against sprains. Spring-based boards provide the most comprehensive training stimulus because they create continuous, unpredictable instability.
Ankle strength starts with the right training tools. The Bellenae Balancer delivers the continuous, multi-directional instability that builds the proprioception and ankle stability athletes need to prevent sprains and perform at their best.
For Serious Athletes
Build the proprioception, core stability, and ankle strength that every serious athlete needs. The Bellenae spring balance board creates training stimulus that flat-ground exercises can't match.
See the Bellenae Board →For Serious Athletes
Build the proprioception, core stability, and ankle strength that every serious athlete needs. The Bellenae spring balance board creates training stimulus that flat-ground exercises can't match.
See the Bellenae Board →The Bellenae Collection
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The Bellenae Mini
Single-foot version. Same spring system, lower price point — ideal for first-time balance board users or focused ankle/arch work.
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“Perfect entry point before committing to the double. I now train with both.” — ballet student, Toronto