This variation of the traditional heel raise, using a soft ball between the ankles, is designed to enhance ankle stability and activate the muscles around the ankle joint. By squeezing the ball, you engage your inner calf muscles and foot stabilisers, promoting better alignment and control throughout the movement. This exercise is ideal for strengthening the calf muscles, improving ankle proprioception, and reducing the risk of ankle injuries.
Instructions
- Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, placing a soft ball between your inner ankles.
- Lightly press your ankles inward to hold the ball, engaging your inner thighs and calf muscles.
- Slowly lift your heels off the ground, rising onto the balls of your feet. Focus on maintaining the squeeze on the ball.
- Hold briefly at the top, feeling the contraction in your calves and ankle stabilisers.
- Slowly lower your heels back to the floor with control, keeping pressure on the ball throughout.
- Complete repetitions as prescribed by your physiotherapist.
Common Errors
- Allowing the ball to slip by not maintaining a consistent squeeze.
- Rising too quickly or not controlling the descent, which can reduce muscle engagement.
- Letting the ankles roll outwards or inwards, which can strain the ankle joint.
Progressions
To make the exercise more challenging, you can:
- Perform the movement on a single leg, maintaining the ball squeeze with the raised foot hovering off the ground.
- Stand on a soft or unstable surface (such as a foam pad or folded towel) to increase the stability challenge.
- Add a pause at the top for 2-3 seconds to further activate the calf muscles.
Regressions
To make the exercise easier, you can:
- Hold onto a stable surface (e.g., wall or back of a chair) for balance support.
- Use a smaller or softer ball to make it easier to maintain the squeeze.
- Perform smaller heel lifts if full range of motion is difficult.
All exercises are provided as an educational resource and should only be completed under the guidance of your physiotherapist.