6 Must-Do Exercises to Fully Rehab a Sprained Ankle

TL;DR

Six progressive rehab exercises restore ankle strength, mobility, and balance after a sprain, from alphabet tracing to single-leg hopping.

Key Points

• 1.ABC alphabet tracing rebuilds range of motion. Imagining chalk on your toe and drawing capital letters forces movement in all ankle joint planes; use how far you get (A–Z) to track daily progress.
• 2.Heel raises (plantarflexion) are the primary strengthening move. Start with both feet, progress to the injured ankle alone, and compare reps side-to-side — match the good ankle's ~20 reps before advancing.
• 3.Zigzag side-steps target the peroneal muscles. 90% of sprains are inversion injuries, so lateral strength is critical; shuffle 5 steps each way on carpet with shoes on, pain-free.
• 4.Single-leg balance with reaching trains proprioception. Stand on the injured foot and reach in multiple directions — chronically sprained ankles lose neuromuscular control, causing dangerous wobbling.
• 5.Hippity-hop drills reintroduce impact loading. Hop over a line or tape for up to 30 seconds forward-back, then side-to-side, then single-leg — pain or instability means return to earlier exercises for a few days.
• 6.Band-assisted dorsiflexion mobilization restores hidden stiffness. Loop a resistance band below the lateral and medial malleoli, drive the knee over the toe while keeping the heel down; limited dorsiflexion impairs squatting and gait long-term.