Strengthen Ankles to Run Better and Hurt Less: Simple Tips That Work
If you’ve ever rolled your ankle while out running, you’ll know just how frustrating it is. A small wobble can put you out for weeks and if you rush back too soon (we’ve all done it!), that weakness can take even longer to heal. But here’s the thing: it’s not just bad luck. Our ankles and feet do a huge amount of work for us when we run, and they deserve just as much care as the rest of our bodies.
Let’s give them the TLC they need.
🦶 Why Your Feet Deserve More Love
Your feet are incredible. Each one contains 26 bones, 33 joints, and over 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments all working together to absorb impact, support your stride, and help you move with strength and balance. That’s a quarter of all the bones in your body just in your feet! No wonder they play such a vital role in keeping you injury-free.
Yet they’re often overlooked especially by runners. Taking just a little time to strengthen your ankles and feet can make a big difference to how you run and how you recover. This becomes even more important as we get older, when balance, coordination, and injury prevention matter more than ever.
🏃♀️ Why Runners Should Strengthen Ankles
When we run, the ankles and feet absorb a huge amount of impact. If they’re not strong and stable, that pressure gets passed up the chain to your knees, hips, and back.
In this blog, I’m sharing four simple exercises to help you strengthen ankles and support your whole running body. They’re quick, easy, and you don’t even need to get changed to do them!
🦶 Start by Taking Your Shoes Off
Yep really! I always train barefoot (when safe) because it helps with proprioception your body’s ability to sense where it is in space. Barefoot movement also challenges your muscles more. Modern running shoes can be so cushioned that they reduce the load through your ankles, which can mean they do less strengthening work overtime.
🏋️♀️ Top 4 Exercises to Strengthen Ankles
These focus on stability, mobility, and strength all key for injury-free running. (Do get yourself professional checked first if you are experiencing niggles or injury in this area.)
Single leg balance
Stand on one leg and build up to holding it for over a minute.
Your standing leg might wobble or shake that’s totally normal. It means the muscles around your ankle are working hard!
Tip: Do this while brushing your teeth. It becomes a daily habit without even thinking about it.
Calf Raises
If you’re a runner, you should be doing these daily!
Aim for up to 30 reps. Not only do they strengthen your calves, but they also support ankle stability especially important if you’re prone to rolling your ankles.
Progression: Try single leg calf raises to target weaker areas more directly.
Tip: Do them in short bursts throughout the day while waiting for the kettle, after a run, or during your warm-up.
Heel-Toe Walks
Brilliant for ankle mobility and great for reducing the risk of shin splints.
Lift your heels as high as possible, and as you step, draw your toes up towards your shins.
Tip: These also improve your balance and coordination two essential skills for runners of all levels.
Toe Spreads (Bonus!)
Sit or stand and practice spreading your toes apart and lifting them individually.
This strengthens the intrinsic muscles of your feet, which support your arches and help with push-off while running.
Tip: It’s harder than it sounds but worth it!
These four exercises are simple, low-effort, and don’t require any special kit. You don’t even need to get changed! But by doing them regularly, you’ll be building stronger ankles, supporting your whole body, and reducing your risk of injury now and in the long run.
💪 Ready to Keep Going?
Check out my Pilates for Runners Membership here
Inside you’ll find 10-minute pre-recorded sessions and live classes designed to help you strengthen, mobilise, and stabilise your body so you can keep running strong and injury-free.
It’s easy to fit in, and it’s one of the best things you can do to support your running at any age.