We'll show you five exercises you can do at home in just five minutes a day after a torn ligament. All you need is a towel, a stick (broom, mop, etc.), and a floor marker (tape, joint, etc.). It's important that you only exercise until you feel pain throughout your entire workout. Especially at the beginning, you shouldn't overtax your ligaments and joints. These five exercises are designed solely to improve your ankle's mobility and accelerate the healing process by increasing blood flow to the affected tissue.
- Exercise:
Sit on the sofa or a chair. Lift your leg off the floor for the stabilization exercise. Now move your foot from top to bottom (plantar flexion) until it is fully extended or flexed (see image). If you experience pain during the exercise, perform the exercise until you feel pain and then move your foot back in the opposite direction. Do this for 30 seconds per foot.
(For more intense exercises, e.g. not immediately after an injury, you can work against the resistance of a towel or exercise band.)
- Exercise:
Remain seated on the chair and rotate your foot (see image). The circular movements strengthen the ligaments around the ankle. Do this for 30 seconds per foot.
- Exercise:
Roll up a large towel and place it on the floor (see image). There are different levels of difficulty here:
- Alternate stepping onto the towel with one leg and then stepping back down again. 60 seconds total.
- Alternate between one leg and stepping onto the towel, squatting, and stepping off the towel. Now switch feet. 60 seconds total.
- Step onto the towel with your right foot and perform squats. After 30 seconds, switch legs and repeat the exercise for 30 seconds.
- Exercise:
Use a mop to help you (see image). Stand on one leg and place the mop in front of you. Now move the stick like a joystick in all directions while maintaining balance. After 30 seconds, switch feet.
- Exercise:
Mark a cross on the floor (see image). Stand on one leg in the center of the cross. Then, move the other foot in the air along the taped lines in all directions (see image series). After 30 seconds, switch feet and perform the exercise with the other foot.
