Ankle stability is important when playing basketball. Not only does an athlete want to avoid the annoyance of a sprained ligament, but also he or she must have stability in this joint to reduce the risk of injury to the hip and knee joints and to improve balance.

If we break down the anatomy of the ankle, we will see that it is not just muscle and bone involved. There are many bones in an ankle joint, which are held together by tissue called ligaments. Muscles are innervated by nerves, which sense the stretch placed on these contractile soft tissues and send a message to the brain. The brain then sends a message back through the nerves to the muscles letting them know when to contract and take pressure off of the ligaments (passive soft tissue). This helps us to keep our balance. When these messages are not relayed quickly enough, injuries such as a sprained ankle are more likely to occur.

Good balance is necessary in a sport such as basketball where quick direction changes, jumping, and control when landing are part of the game. Exercises that improve balance involve closed-chain activities, such as single leg stance with ball toss, single leg stance while reaching with arms or opposite leg, heel raises, walking on heels, jumping activities (called plyometrics), and sports-specific drills. Stretching the calf musculature is a good idea as well. Hold stretches for 30-40 seconds and repeat twice on each leg.

While braces are a good idea if instability is present, wearing a brace on an ankle that is not injured is not a wise idea. This allows the nerve-muscle interaction to “take it easy” and, in a sense, makes the reaction time more sluggish. Ask your athletic trainer, physician, or an Excel physical therapist if you have questions regarding ankle exercises, injuries, or use of braces. Good luck with the rest of the season!