Most dancer’s will understand the importance of being protected from ankle rolling or ankle sprains, but usually, it’s not until an injury occurs that dancer’s have their ankle strength and their individual risk of an injury tested or assessed! This article will discuss the importance of the lateral ankle for dancers, and some gems to ensure they’re as strong as they should be!
What structures support a dancer’s lateral ankle?
The main structures supporting the lateral ankle include 3 main ligaments (anterior talofibular ligament, calcaneofibular ligament and posterior talofibular ligament) and 2 tendons from the muscles peroneus longus and peroneus brevis.
Ligaments connect bones to bones and vary in the amount of movement they allow. They can vary from hypermobile where they allow more than the normal amount of movement, to rigid where they allow a lesser amount of movement than normal. It might sound great to have a hypermobile ankle to allow more range of motion, but in fact, this means that the muscles and tendons have to work harder to provide extra support to the ankle to protect against injuries including lateral ankle sprains.
The tendons of the lateral lower leg muscles actively support the entire range of motion. If they’re overused they may perform less effectively, if they have not been trained properly or have been rested from a period of time with less activity or less dance they may be weakened, and if they are sore or injured, they may be very lacking in activity.
To dance en pointe as a ballet dancer, to dance in a high-heeled shoe or to dance where change of direction or single-leg motion is performed, lateral ankle strength and stability is a MUST – notice how this includes all dancers.
How does lateral ankle strength help dancers?
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Helps to support a higher demi-pointe, pointe range and even jump height. It does this by providing security in the outside of the ankle and allowing more energy and focus to be placed in the ball of the foot or toes that apply pressure into the ground.
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Helps to minimise the occurrence of ankle ‘rolls’ or ‘sprains’. Training lateral ankle strength improves coordination and proprioception. Proprioception is the bodies ability to know where it is in space, so training prorioception through lateral ankle strength improves the speed that your muscles and tendons can switch on when the ankle starts to move into a more risky position, and then lock it into a secure one.
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Supports change in direction coordination and speed. A strong lateral ankle provides confidence and security when changing direction on the outside foot. The lateral ankle requires a strong and fast response to increase change of direction speeds, a slower or weaker response means that more steps need to be taken to slow down and stabilise before shifting the bodyweight into a new direction.
Why are dancers at a high risk?
Dancers have a high amount of exposure to movements and positions that challenge lateral ankle stability, but that isn’t the only reason they have a higher chance of lateral ankle sprains. Dancer’s are also likely to be on the hypermobile side of the spectrum, and will require more strength and coordination in the muscles acting on the lateral ankle. Footwear for dancers do not have the same stability and support features that footwear for other sports and physical activities include. Pointe shoes and higher-heeled shoes particularly, are less stable than being barefoot!
What dancers do if they frequently roll or sprain their ankles?
If you’re a dancer who frequently struggles with ankle sprains and pain, or even if rolling your ankles rarely results in pain, it is definitely recommended to be assessed by a podiatrist to minimise the risk of large injury and to identify which individual anatomical and functional factors are contributing. If you’ve experienced either of these occurrences, you stand to benefit from practicing the following:
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Wear stable and supportive footwear between classes and rehearsals
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Complete your ankle strengthening and conditioning regularly, and especially when on holidays, just a few minutes can make a world of difference. One of my favourites is seated ankle eversion:
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Sit with your legs straight out in front and loop a small resistance band around your feet at the level of the ball of the feet. Point your ankles (you can keep the toes relaxed) and wing one foot out to the side away from the midline of the body. Hold there for 2 seconds and slowly return to the starting position. The motion should be slow and smooth and the ankle . I would usually complete 5-8 repetitions before taking a few minutes break, and then repeat that two more times before trying the other side.
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If you have never tried the exercise before, start without the resistance band and squeezing out to the side for a few seconds longer with each rep
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Try to build a mini-routine of ankle strengthening and safe balancing exercises to do as a warm-up before each class or performance!
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Let your dance teachers know! They can help give you some advice on strengthening, and keep a close eye on your dance technique to ensure you’re best protected during class..
Your experienced podiatrist can help to manage and treat ankle sprains and injuries as well as provide advice around footwear, strength and conditioning, and preventative routines based on your specific risk factors with regard to lateral ankle sprains, rolling and injury.
If you are concerned about lateral ankle stability or injury, call Performance Podiatry or book online today. Our podiatrists are experts of all conditions of the foot and lower leg, and would be happy to help you participate in ballet and dance supported, strong and and pain-free.
Some of our other blog posts you may be interested in:
Preparation for Pointe Assessments: Building Strength, Confidence and Safety Before Going En Pointe
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The human foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art.