Q&A for How to Strengthen Your Ankles

Yes, but be vigilant. Practice rising up onto your toes and slowly lowering down again. Balancing on your toes and squatting will also help build the strength your ankles need to be stable.

It may just be the way you are made or it may be a lack of challenge to the ankle muscles.

Start very gradually by putting weight on the injured leg. Once it is happy supporting your weight, you can begin doing small range of motion calf raises and balancing on one leg while leaning your back against a wall. Slowly work up to the exercises suggested here. Circling the ankle slowly while seated is another good exercise at this stage of recovery.

Weak ankles can be genetic or just caused by a lack of activity in those muscles.

First and foremost, pay attention to your footwear. The biggest problem is that many runners don't switch out their shoes as often as they need to. When the padding wears away, it puts a lot of stress on your foot and ankle.

It shouldn't, but you should carefully strengthen your ankle and try not to do much exercising until it's fully healthy. You should also stretch often to prevent injuries.

Yes! It is important to support the weak ankle until it becomes strong enough to work out without the support. This way, working little by little, you reduce the risk of injury!

You may be able to if you start strengthening your ankles now.

Each day, hold a weight of 5 - 10 pounds in each hand to your side, and go on your tiptoes while holding the weight. Hold 5 - 10 seconds. Do three sets of these, then take a break and repeat until you've done 12 sets.

Pretty much any of these techniques should be fine for you, though you might want to get adult supervision if you try the one with weights, just to make sure you don't hurt yourself.

Go to the pool; it is helpful for regaining strength and endurance after injuries.

You can do sports but you have to give time to your body to recover.

You should wait for your sprain to heal before attempting any exercises. Once it has healed, you can exercise to your heart's content. Always listen to your body though -- if it hurts, that's a sign you should stop.

Try using compression socks or stockings and keep your legs raised as much as possible. You can also try over-the-counter water regulation tablets.

Yes, but you have to give the ankle time to heal which could be days or months depending on the severity of the sprain. It may also be a good idea to look into wearing ankle braces while skating or preforming other activities that can strain the ankles.

I would talk with your surgeon or another doctor. It isn't unusual to have mild pain or even clicking after surgery, but you should still see a doctor.

It depends on how bad the sprain was. Usually your doctor will tell you how long. It can take months to heal.

Yes. Strengthening your ankles will help. You could also try different skates and roller blades.

Roll out your feet where they are cramping and counter-stretch your feet by flexing them. There is no way to fully prevent them from ever cramping but doing this should help.

Mild, low-grade ankle sprains will usually heal in one to three weeks with proper rest and non-surgical care (such as applying ice).

Yes. But try this stretches too: Walking, biking, swimming, tai chi, yoga, and water aerobics are all good aerobic exercises for people with osteoarthritis. Water exercise is especially ideal because of water's soothing warmth and buoyancy. It's a gentle way to exercise joints and muscles -- plus it acts as resistance to help build muscle strength.

If you are still experiencing pain of any type in your ankle, then it is best not to over exert and to instead rest to allow the area to heal. When you feel comfortable to start the exercises again, be sure to start doing them slowly.