3 Simple Exercises to Improve Ankle Strength and Stability During Pregnancy & Postpartum

If there's any sort of exercise that tends to get overlooked during pregnancy and postpartum, it's certainly ankle strength & stability exercises.

During pregnancy, body mass and its distribution change, your center of mass shifts, and hormonal and musculoskeletal changes can affect joint mechanics. Research also shows changes in foot structure, plantar pressure, gait, and balance during pregnancy, with some changes persisting postpartum.

And this is why ankle strength isn't just calf raises. At Freya, I'd think about it as capacity + control: calf strength, dorsiflexion, inversion/eversion control, intrinsic foot strength, proprioception, and eventually single-leg stability. Here are 3 simple exercises to improve ankle strength and stability during pregnancy & postpartum:

3 Great Exercises for Ankle Strength and Stability ⤵

Calf Raises

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and slowly lift your heels off the ground. Lower back down slowly. Aim for 3 sets of 15 reps. Bonus: Stand on an elevated surface (such as a stair) and lower your heels further than the edge of the step. Stretch the calf more and spend more time in the descending part of the exercise, which has added benefits.

Point/Flex

Sit on a chair and extend one leg out in front of you. Flex and point your toes in a controlled manner. Perform 2 sets of 20 taps per foot. Bonus: Spell the alphabet in the air with your toes moving from your ankle for even more strengthening in a broader range of motion.

Single Leg Balance

Stand on one leg and balance. Aim for 30 seconds on each side. Bonus: Lift your heel off the ground, or leave it down and close your eyes. Bonus bonus?: Lift your heel off the ground AND close your eyes (hold on to a wall or countertop gently to avoid falling if you're doing the bonus bonus move!)

Incorporating these exercises into your routine can help build ankle strength and stability, reducing the risk of sprains and improving your overall balance during pregnancy. Additionally, in postpartum, building up this ankle strength and stability will help you get back into running stronger, if that's part of your movement routine.

Incorporating these exercises into your routine can help build ankle strength and stability, reducing the risk of sprains and improving your overall balance during pregnancy. Additionally, in postpartum, building up this ankle strength and stability will help you get back into running stronger, if that's part of your movement routine.