Ankle Inversion Exercise

Ankle inversion refers to the movement necessary to turn the bottom of your foot inward. If you were standing and you were to invert your left foot, the outside edge of your left foot would touch the floor and inside edge would lift up. You can do exercises to increase your flexibility in this direction and to strengthen the muscles that invert your ankle.

Seated Ankle Inversion

• To isolate the ankle for inversion, sit in a chair and hold your left leg straight out in front of you. Rotate your ankle inwards and hold for six seconds. Do six repetitions. Put your left foot down and raise your right leg out. Turn your right foot inwards. Hold this for six seconds and do 6 reps, bringing your foot back flat between each rep. You can also practice eversion by turning your feet outwards in between the inversion reps.

Ankle Inversion with a Cable

• You can add some resistance to the ankle inversion exercise by using a resistance cable or tubing. This exercise will be more challenging. Sit on a bench or chair with a cable fixed to a stationary object at ankle height on the outside of your ankle. The other end of the cable should be wrapped around your ankle. Invert your ankle and pull against the cable. Hold for two to five seconds. Do five to 10 reps. Wrap the cable around your other foot and do the same.

Ankle Rotation

• Another way to increase the range of motion of your ankle and stretch it out is to do ankle rotations. You can sit in a chair or stand on one leg if you have good balance. Lift your left foot off the floor and rotate your ankle in a circle. Do this six times and then rotate six times in the opposite direction. Be sure to rotate your foot as far inwards as you can to emphasize the inversion of the ankle. Do the same with the right foot.