Pilates Exercises for Ankle Stability and Ankle Mobility

Ankles that are flexible and strong are key to preventing injuries, falls, and compensations up the kinetic chain.

Our ankles should be able to move into plantarflexion, dorsiflexion, eversion, and inversion, as well as circumduction.

Occasionally, we practice ankle circles in a mat class, but that's often where the love for our ankles stops. 

On Pilates apparatus, we often practice ankle pumps (the point and flex movement on the footbar, for example), which move the ankle on the sagittal plane. Rarely do we emphasize ankle dorsiflexion, which all of us who don't walk barefoot or wear zero-drop shoes,  need to keep our Achilles, gastrocnemius, and soleus muscles long and limber. Did you know that low back pain can often be caused by short calf muscles?

For those of us who like to run, hike, or walk (maybe on slippery surfaces), stable ankles are crucial for injury prevention. The Pilates apparatus can provide the perfect workout environment for ankle stability by loading the ankle joint from all different directions.

Here are lists of Pilates exercises for ankle mobility and stability.

Ankle Mobility Exercises

Ankle Mobility Exercises On The Mat

• Side Kicks: Front+Back with point/flex ankle movement
• Leg Pull Front with point/flex ankle movement
• Plantar flexion + dorsiflexion with thera band
• Heel Raises > Plie-Releve
• Inversion/Eversion with thera band
• Ankle circles
• Ankle Circles with thera band

Ankle Mobility Exercises On The Reformer

• Footwork: point+flex > single leg
• Elephant: improves dorsiflexion
  • Elephant: single leg variation
  • Elephant: walking variation
• Monkey
• Side Splits: by keeping the outer edges of the feet pressed down, the lateral ankle stretches and the inner arches lift
• Jumping: improves dorsiflexion by emphasizing the heels down; improves plantar flexion by pressing away from the board

Ankle Mobility Exercises On The Cadillac / Trapeze Table / Tower

• Footwork: point+flex > single leg
• Punching+Lunges: improves dorsiflexion
• Squats > single leg: improve dorsiflexion

Ankle Mobility Exercises On The Chair

• Footwork: Heel raises (closed chain ankle pumps with pedal down on stopper, not moving)
• Standing Ankle Pump

Ankle Mobility Exercises On The Spine Corrector

• Standing Calf Stretch in the wall

Ankle Stability Exercises

Ankle Stability Exercises On The Mat

• Balance on a half roller: foot lengthwise on the roller (fast forward to 11:45 in the video)
• Side Plank: by keeping the outer ankle of the bottom foot hovering off the ground, you strengthen the lateral ankle which helps correct supination and inversion
• Stand on block
• Standing Balance: on one foot
• Wobble Board: balance on one foot or two feet

Ankle Stability Exercises On The Reformer

• Footwork: point+flex with pinky ball between heels to prevent inversion
• Feet in Straps: Single Leg Stretch with opposite strap

Ankle Stability Exercises On The Cadillac / Trapeze Table / Tower

• Standing Leg Springs
• Footwork: Bend+Stretch with the feet in plantarflexion the whole time or with the feet in dorsiflexion the whole time
• Footwork: point+flex with pinky ball between heels to prevent inversion

Ankle Stability Exercises On The Chair

• Hip Hike

 

You'll find video tutorials and detailed descriptions for all of these exercises, inside the Pilates Encyclopedia membership. Learn more...