Ankle stability is “crucial to live a full functional life” says this certified trainer—here are her three strength moves to help

Maintaining ankle strength and stability is an important way to future-proof your body, improve balance and help to prevent injuries from falls.

It sounds obvious, but when your ankles are stable and strong, they help to keep you upright. But when they are weak, it impacts the way you walk, so you’re more likely to lose your balance, roll or twist your ankle, and you’ll have a higher chance of falling over and hurting yourself. It could even cause issues in your hips and knees.

That’s why it’s important to dedicate time in your fitness routine to ankle mobility exercises. These can be tagged onto the end of your workout or done as a daily standalone circuit.

We enlisted the help of certified fitness trainer and running coach Nicole Glor, from Nikki Fitness, to recommend three ankle-strengthening exercises.

She knows all about this because her leg went numb after the birth of her son, and she needed three months of physical therapy to rebuild the strength in her ankles and legs to get the feeling back.

“Ankle stability is crucial to live a full functional life,” Glor tells Fit&Well. “It’s the foundation for movement—it’s the first joint to hit the ground. Its stability dictates how forces travel up your body, affecting your knees, hips and lower back.

“Ankle strength boosts balance. Stable ankles contain special sensors that send fast, accurate signals to your brain about your body's position. This allows for instant adjustments to keep you upright.

“Plus, for seniors and people of all ages, better ankle stability means quicker reaction time. If you stumble, a stable ankle corrects the tilt immediately, which dramatically reduces the chance of a dangerous fall.

“Strong, stable muscles around the ankle act as the joint’s best defense. They are reactive enough to protect the ligaments from being overstretched or torn, preventing common injuries like ankle sprains.

“When it comes to sport, ankle stability means more efficient power transfer and a more solid base for jumping and rapid direction changes.”

That’s quite the laundry list, so it’s safe to assume you’re convinced it’s worth adding ankle exercises to your week. Here’s what Glor recommends.

Ankle-strengthening exercises

• Single-leg squat: 3x10
• Outer thigh lift: 3x10
• Warrior 3: 3x10

Glor recommends starting with sneakers on and, if needed, performing them next to a wall to assist with balance. Once you’re confident with the movements, try them barefoot. As you get stronger, you can add instability using a Bosu ball.

1. Single-leg squat

Sets: 3 Reps: 10 each side

• From standing, move your weight over your left foot, then lift your right foot—it can either be in front of or behind you.
• Bend your left knee to lower, keeping your core braced and chest up.
• Push through the heel of your left foot and extend your left knee to return to standing on one leg.
• Do all your reps on one side, then swap sides.

Form tip: Look straight ahead rather than at the floor, this will help you keep your balance.

2. Outer thigh lift

Sets: 3 Reps: 10 each side

• Stand with your feet together and your hands on your hips.
• Move your weight over your left foot, then lift your right leg out to the side, keeping your right toes pointing forward.
• Pause, then lower back to the start.
• Do all your reps on one side, then swap sides.

3. Warrior 3

Sets: 3 Time: 3sec each side

• Stand with your feet together and the palms of your hands together in front of your chest.
• Hinge forward from your hips and lift your left leg behind you, lowering your chest so it’s parallel to the floor.
• When you’ve got your balance, extend your arms forward so you form a straight line from your toes to your hands.
• Hold this position for three seconds, then reverse the move, bringing your hands back to your chest, then slowly lowering your foot and pushing your hips forward to return to standing.
• Repeat on the other side.