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After you break your ankle (ankle fracture), you may not be able to move your ankle well. You may also lose muscle strength and endurance. These exercises may help.

Make sure you know how to do the exercises safely. Follow the steps below. It's normal to feel mild discomfort. Stop if you feel pain or if your pain gets worse.

Do not start these exercises until told by your health care provider. Your provider will tell you how many times to do these exercises each day.

Stretching and range-of-motion exercises

These exercises warm up your muscles and joints and improve the movement and flexibility of your ankle. These exercises may also help to relieve pain and swelling.

Passive ankle eversion

For this exercise, use your hands to move your ankle away from you.

1. Sit with your left / right ankle crossed over your opposite knee.
2. Hold your foot with your opposite hand.
3. Gently push the top of your foot down so your big toe moves away from you and toward the floor (eversion). Keep your lower leg steady. You should feel a gentle stretch on the inside of your ankle.
4. Hold the stretch for as long as you've been told.

Passive ankle inversion

For this exercise, use your hands to move your ankle toward you.

1. Sit with your left / right ankle crossed over your opposite knee.
2. Hold your foot with your opposite hand.
3. Gently pull your foot up toward you (inversion). Your big toe will move toward you and toward the ceiling. Keep your lower leg steady. You should feel a gentle stretch on the outside of your ankle.
4. Hold the stretch for as long as you've been told.

Ankle alphabet

a.     Sit with your left / right lower leg supported at the lower leg.

1. Do not rest your foot on anything. Let your foot dangle.
2. Make sure your foot has room to move freely.

b.     Think of your foot as a paintbrush.

1. Move your foot to trace each letter of the alphabet in the air. Keep your hip and knee still while you trace.
2. Make the letters as large as you can without feeling discomfort.

c.     Trace every letter of the alphabet.

Gastrocnemius stretch

This exercise is also called a calf stretch. It stretches the muscle in the calf called the gastrocnemius muscle.

1. Sit on the floor with your left / right leg straight.
2. Loop a belt or towel around the ball of your foot.
3. Keep your foot relaxed and keep your knee straight while you use the belt or towel to pull your foot and ankle toward you. Keep your toes pointing up. You should feel a gentle stretch behind your ankle or in your calf.
4. Hold this position for as long as you've been told.

Strengthening exercises

These exercises build strength and endurance in your foot and ankle. Endurance is the ability to use your muscles for a long time, even after they get tired.

Towel curls

1. Sit in a chair on a non-carpeted surface, and put your feet on the floor.
2. Put a towel in front of your feet. If told by your provider, add something to the end of the towel to give it weight.
3. Keeping your heel on the floor, put your left / right foot on or just behind the towel.
4. Pull the towel toward you by grabbing the towel with your toes and curling them under. Keep your heel on the floor.
5. Let your toes relax.
6. Grab the towel with your toes again. Inch the towel toward your heel. Keep going until the towel is fully underneath your foot.

This information is not intended to replace advice given to you by your health care provider. Make sure you discuss any questions you have with your health care provider.