தமிழ்हिन्दीతెలుగుಕನ್ನಡമലയാളംEnglish

🦶 Ankle · கணுக்கால்

Ankle exercises: 6 home rehab exercises with Tamil names, doses and steps

Ankle sprains from a kerb, a cricket pitch or a kick-start are the most under-treated injury in India: most people rest a week, limp back to work and sprain again within a year because the balance sense never recovered. The same early exercises apply after a cast comes off or a foot fracture heals, and the calf and foot-arch work here is the core of treating Achilles pain and plantar fasciitis. Six exercises, from the first day to standing on one leg.

In short: The best ankle exercises after a sprain or cast removal are ankle pumps, the ankle alphabet, towel scrunches, calf raises, band eversion and single-leg balance. Start moving the ankle from day one, add strengthening in the first or second week, and keep balance training going for at least six weeks to prevent the next sprain.

Used for

  • Lateral ankle sprain
  • After cast removal or ankle fracture
  • Achilles tendinopathy
  • Plantar fasciitis and heel pain
  • Chronic ankle instability
  • Fall prevention in older adults

The 6 exercises on this page

  1. Ankle pumps · கணுக்கால் பம்ப் · 3×20
  2. Ankle alphabet · கணுக்கால் எழுத்து பயிற்சி · 1 round A–Z
  3. Towel scrunch · துண்டு சுருட்டல் · 3×15
  4. Calf raise · கெண்டைக்கால் உயர்த்துதல் · 3×12
  5. Band eversion · பேண்ட் வெளிப்புற திருப்பம் · 3×12
  6. Single-leg balance · ஒற்றைக்கால் சமநிலை · 3×30 s

How to perform each exercise

Dose shown is a common starting point; your physiotherapist sets yours. Inside Physio Clinic Software these exercises go to patients on WhatsApp with a daily check-in in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, English. Recorded videos are planned; clinics can link their own video to any exercise today.

Exercise 1 · Lying

Ankle pumps · கணுக்கால் பம்ப்

3×206 languages

Pumping the foot up and down keeps the calf muscles working, pushes swelling out of a sprained or fractured ankle and reduces clot risk after surgery or bed rest.

How to perform it

  1. Lie or sit with the leg supported and the heel free.
  2. Pull the toes up towards the shin as far as possible.
  3. Point the toes down away from you.
  4. Keep a steady rhythm, about one second each way.
Take care

Do these every hour in the first days after a sprain, cast removal or surgery.

Exercise 2 · Sitting

Ankle alphabet · கணுக்கால் எழுத்து பயிற்சி

1 round A–Z6 languages

Moves the ankle through every direction by tracing letters with the big toe. A playful way to restore full mobility after a sprain or a cast, and easy to remember.

How to perform it

  1. Sit with the leg raised on a stool or the edge of the bed.
  2. Imagine the big toe is a pen.
  3. Write the letters A to Z in the air, moving only the ankle.
  4. Keep the knee still throughout.
Take care

Go slowly in the painful directions; range usually returns over 1–2 weeks.

Exercise 3 · Sitting

Towel scrunch · துண்டு சுருட்டல்

3×156 languages

Strengthens the small muscles of the foot arch, important for plantar fasciitis, flat feet and balance after ankle injury.

How to perform it

  1. Sit with a towel flat on the floor and the heel on its near edge.
  2. Scrunch the towel towards you using only the toes.
  3. Release and spread the toes.
  4. Repeat until the towel is bunched; straighten it and go again.
Take care

Place a small weight on the far end of the towel to progress.

Exercise 4 · Standing

Calf raise · கெண்டைக்கால் உயர்த்துதல்

3×126 languages

Builds calf strength for walking, stairs and running, and is the core exercise for Achilles tendinopathy. Starts on two legs and progresses to one.

How to perform it

  1. Stand holding a wall or chair, feet hip-width apart.
  2. Rise onto the balls of the feet as high as possible.
  3. Hold 2 seconds at the top.
  4. Lower slowly over 3 seconds.
Take care

For Achilles problems, do the slow lowering off a step as your physio shows you.

Exercise 5 · Sitting

Band eversion · பேண்ட் வெளிப்புற திருப்பம்

3×126 languages

Strengthens the peroneal muscles on the outside of the lower leg, which stop the ankle rolling inwards. The most important strengthening exercise after a lateral ankle sprain.

How to perform it

  1. Sit with the leg straight; loop a band round the forefoot, anchored to the other foot or a table leg on the inside.
  2. Turn the sole outward against the band, keeping the knee still.
  3. Hold 2 seconds.
  4. Return slowly.
Take care

Keep the movement at the ankle, not the hip.

Exercise 6 · Standing

Single-leg balance · ஒற்றைக்கால் சமநிலை

3×30 s6 languages

Retrains the balance sense (proprioception) that an ankle sprain damages. Without it, re-sprains are common. Also used in fall prevention for older adults.

How to perform it

  1. Stand near a wall or counter for safety.
  2. Lift one foot and balance on the other for 30 seconds.
  3. Keep the knee slightly bent and the hips level.
  4. Progress by closing the eyes or standing on a folded towel.
Take care

Always have something to hold within reach.

How to progress ankle exercises, phase by phase

A ankle programme is not one fixed list. The same 6 exercises are introduced in stages, and the dose rises only when the current stage is easy and pain settles within 24 hours. This is the usual order a physiotherapist follows:

PhaseGoalTypical exercises
Days 1–7 · protectLimit swelling and keep the joint movingAnkle pumps every hour, ankle alphabet, ice, compression and elevation
Weeks 1–3 · strengthenWalk normally and rebuild the calf and peroneal musclesCalf raise, band eversion, towel scrunch
Weeks 3–6+ · balanceRestore balance sense and prevent re-sprainSingle-leg balance with eyes closed or on a folded towel; hopping and sport drills once cleared

After a fracture or a cast, your surgeon's weight-bearing instructions decide when each phase starts.

How often, and how hard?

As a rule of thumb, mobility and range-of-motion exercises are done little and often (2–4 short sessions a day), while strengthening is done once a day or on alternate days with full sets. Mild discomfort up to 3–4 out of 10 that settles by the next morning is acceptable; sharper pain, new swelling or pain that spreads means drop back a phase and tell your physiotherapist.

What this looks like on the patient's WhatsApp

With Physio Clinic Software, the physio picks these exercises, sets the dose and the language once. Each morning the patient gets the plan with a link to the steps (and the clinic's own video, if added); they tap Done and reply with a pain score. The therapist sees adherence and pain trend on the chart, and the referring doctor gets a one-page progress letter at week 6.

  • No app to install; works on any phone with WhatsApp
  • English and Tamil exercise names; greeting and check-in line in the patient's language
  • Printable A4 sheet with a QR code for patients who prefer paper
  • Daily pain score shown beside adherence on the chart (automatic high-pain alerts are planned)
Try free for 30 daysPhysio Clinic Software for clinics

Sample data: illustrative WhatsApp conversation.

Ankle exercise questions

How long does an ankle sprain take to heal?

A mild sprain settles in 1–2 weeks; a moderate one takes 4–6 weeks; a severe sprain with ligament rupture can take 3 months. Balance and strength work for at least six weeks is what prevents the next one.

Do I need an X-ray?

Usually not. An X-ray is needed if you cannot take four steps straight after the injury and again in the clinic, or if there is bone tenderness at the back of either ankle bone or on the outer foot. Your physio or doctor checks these points.

Ice or heat?

Ice for 10–15 minutes several times a day in the first 48–72 hours, with compression and elevation, to limit swelling. After that, heat before exercise can help stiffness. Keep moving the ankle gently from day one.

Which exercises help plantar fasciitis?

Calf raises with slow lowering, towel scrunches, calf and plantar fascia stretches, and supportive footwear. Morning pain usually improves over 6–12 weeks of daily exercise; a night splint helps some people.

When can I walk after the cast comes off?

Usually straight away with the surgeon's clearance, often with a boot or a stick for a week or two. Start ankle pumps and the alphabet the same day, and progress to calf raises and balance as pain allows.

Other body regions

🦵 Knee · முழங்கால்

ACL, knee replacement, meniscus, patellofemoral pain, osteoarthritis

💪 Shoulder · தோள்பட்டை

Frozen shoulder, rotator cuff, impingement, post-fracture, cricket shoulder

🧘 Back · முதுகு

Low back pain, disc prolapse, sciatica, postpartum, spinal stenosis

🙆 Neck · கழுத்து

Mechanical neck pain, cervical spondylosis, tech neck, headaches

🏃 Hip · இடுப்பு

Hip replacement, gluteal weakness, bursitis, piriformis, older adults

← Back to the full exercise library · Why patients stop doing home exercises, and what fixes it · Home exercise program app for physiotherapists

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