Advanced Ankle Stabilization Exercise With The Rocker or Wobble Board.

Objective: Increase stability of weak ankles, increase balance and coordination.

Description: You will want to use a corner of a room clear of any furnishings. Place the board so that it fits in the corner without hitting the base boards and allows enough room for you to stand on the board without feeling stuffed in the corner. You should now be ready to go. Remember...don't start this exercise if you haven't prepared by doing the Pre-Ankle Stabilization exercise on the floor only.

• Step One: Brace yourself by placing a hand on each wall and step up on the board with one foot first and then the other. Work your feet around on the board until you have one foot centered on the board. The other leg should be bent at the knee with the foot raised slightly behind you. It is best to start with a rocker board that only moves in one plane, but a wobble board may also be used. Some boards will provide guides to help this step.
• Step Two: once you feel you are balanced and with your eyes open, looking forward try and pull your hands away from the wall. Leave them up so you can catch yourself if you start to fall. You will find balancing on one foot to be much more difficult. If you are rehabilitating an injury, the involved side will also require more frequent, shorter sessions.
• Step Three: Continue to work on the board in this manner until you can balance on the board for 1 minute without losing your balance.
• Step Four: If using a rocker board, now reposition the board 90 degrees and start over. If using a wobble board it will have taken you longer to master this stage, but now you are ready to skip to Step Six.
• Step Five: Now rotate the rocker board 45 degrees and start over.
• Step Six: By now you are standing on the rocker or wobble board with your eyes open on one foot in multiple planes. Good Job! Now start over with the other foot if you haven't been working on both and master it with your eyes closed!
If you can get through Step Six your ankle will likely be more stable than before your injury even with some permanent ligament damage.

Need a rocker board, balance board, or wobble board? We've got 'em! Click on this link and get one or more: balance, wobble, and rocker boards

Warning: Therapeutic exercises should not significantly increase pain during the exercise. Increased pain or symptoms could be a sign of a more serious condition and you should consult your health care professional for guidance.