How To: Strengthen and Protect Ankles For Dance
The ankles are an area of the body that many people, including dancers, commonly experience injury.
If you are coming off an ankle injury or simply wanting to strengthen your ankles, in our blog post, we will be sharing tips to strengthen and protect your ankles.
Additionally, if you are looking to improve ankle strength to go ‘en pointe’ these exercises will be beneficial to you as well.
- Balance drills. This will improve stability in the foot and ankle. Try standing on one leg at a time and challenge yourself further by closing your eyes.
- Calf-raises. This is a strengthening exercise to strengthen the calf muscles which help to support the ankle.
- Toe pick-ups/curls. Try placing a small object like a pen or marbles and use your toes to pick it up and then place it gently back again. This will strengthen the small muscles in the foot.
- Warm up. Prior to dancing, make sure to warm up the ankles.
- Calcium. Make sure to get calcium to protect the bones. Some sources of calcium include dairy products, nuts and seeds, fish and dark green vegetables.
Dance Factor is a Wollongong-based dance studio. We offer classes in all dance styles and we cater to all ages and abilities.
If you are interested in enrolling or trialling a class obligation-free, contact info@dancefactor.com.au.