Your ankle bones help to support your feet and legs and allow you to stand up and move from here to there. Your ankles have a very big job to do, so if they aren't as strong as they should be, they could get injured and leave you with the inability to walk or move around as freely as you once did. To help strengthen your ankles, there are things you can do to help prevent injury. Read on for a few strengthening tips.

Stretch Daily

Stretch your ankles daily by doing exercises such as rolling your ankles in a circle clockwise, then counter-clockwise. You can do this while sitting at work, or on the couch in front of the television. You can also stretch your ankles by pointing your toes towards the ground and up towards the ceiling. This is something you can do while laying in bed, or again, laying on the couch. These are very easy stretches anyone can do, and they can offer you strength for your ankles.

Work On Balance

Your balance may be off, which can throw your entire body off. If you don't have very good balance, you could stumble and fall easily, and end up with a sprained ankle. To work on your balance, you should try to walk a straight line. If you have a problem doing so without either falling off of the line or stumbling, you may need some extra focus in this area. Your balance comes from a strong core. Abdominal workouts will strengthen your core muscles, including crunches, planks and even twist exercises for your side abdominal muscles.

Wear Supportive Shoes

To strengthen your ankles, you should wear supportive shoes. Your shoes may be causing you problems if they aren't supportive or if they don't offer the right type of coverage for your feet. If your shoes aren't supportive, such as if you are wearing high heels or wearing flip-flops, you could fall and twist your ankle. Wear shoes that have plenty of arch support, ankle support, and are comfortable as well, that you can easily walk in.

If your ankles aren't very strong, you may end up with an injury that could cause you to be unable to walk around freely. If you have an ankle or foot injury, be sure to see a podiatrist for your injury to be treated properly. For more information, contact a foot and ankle clinic near you.