How and Why to Strengthen Your Ankles

For runners, winter is hard on our ankles. Icy running surfaces and snow can force us to use our ankles to stabilize in new and challenging ways. High-ankle and tightly laced winter boots add to problems by immobilizing our ankle joint for months at a time and creating stiffness and limited range of motion. Cold temperatures on exposed ankles are just downright unpleasant.

Why does ankle strength matter? Hospital for Special Surgery’s Physical Therapist James Gallegro shares, “If we think of our core and our legs as the engine that drives us, our feet are our tires. We really need our tires to be able to propel us on the road with good, strong push-off, not to leak power, and to give us the best chance to perform at our best.”

Join NYRR Coach Ben Delaney and James as they show you four at-home exercises that will keep your ankles strong and you running healthy all winter long!