Fix Your Ankles for Good: Advanced Rehab for True Performance
Still dealing with “glass ankles” no matter how many times you’ve done PT? You’re not alone—and you’re not broken. But you do need a smarter, more advanced approach.
If you’re an athlete, runner, or active New Yorker, chances are you’ve had your share of ankle sprains. And if you’ve done physical therapy, it probably looked like this:
Resistance bands in every direction
Picking up marbles with your toes
Balancing on foam pads or wobble boards
These might help build a foundation. But they’re not enough to get you back to confident movement, let alone high-level sport.
At Moment Physical Therapy & Performance in Downtown Manhattan, we take ankle rehab way beyond the basics. Because we know your body—and your goals—demand more.
Why Traditional Ankle Rehab Falls Short
You’ve likely been told your ankles are “weak” or “unstable.” But most standard rehab approaches don’t actually train them to handle real-life or sport-level demands.
Here’s the truth:
✔ Picking up marbles doesn’t prep you for sprinting on pavement.
✔ Therabands don’t restore explosive strength or power.
✔ Static balance doesn’t cut it when you’re making cuts, pivots, or bounding off a curb.
If you want to return to sport—or even just trust your ankles again—you need a rehab plan that trains strength, stability, and elasticity. That’s what we deliver with performance physical therapy in Downtown Manhattan.
Here’s How We Screen and Train Real Ankle Resilience
Our first step is always a one-on-one evaluation. We don’t assume your problem is “just the ankle.” Often, instability is tied to strength deficits in the hips, glutes, or core. Once we identify your root cause, we tailor the plan.
Screen #1: Single-Leg Calf Raise
Most people are shocked at how weak this area actually is. But it’s critical.
A 2015 study found healthy adults should hit:
Men: 37 reps
Women: ~28 reps
At MomentPT, we shoot for 30 full, controlled reps for everyone.
Why it matters: The calf controls your push-off. Weakness here means every step, jump, or cut is compromised.
How to do it right:
Stand on one foot with a hand on the wall for balance
Keep the knee straight, rise up, and slowly lower down past neutra
Maintain control and tempo—no bouncing or leaning forward
Can’t hit 30? You’ve found a gap worth fixing.
Screen #2: Tibialis Anterior Raise
This undertrained muscle on the front of your shin is a shock absorber—critical for impact protection and avoiding things like shin splints.
How to test it:
Sit and hang a kettlebell over your foot (pad it with a towel if needed)
Let your foot relax downward, then lift it up (dorsiflex)
Try 6–10 reps on each side and compare
Weakness here shows up after immobilization or surgery—but also in anyone who’s rolled their ankle multiple times.
Progression: Dynamic Single-Leg Balance
Balance is more than standing still. You need dynamic stability—the kind that kicks in when you land, twist, or shift direction.
Try these advanced balance drills:
Overhead Reach:
Stay on one leg, soften your knee, hold a ball overhead, and reach side to side.
→ Simulates sport-specific overhead movement (think basketball, CrossFit, yoga, etc.)Rotational Reach:
Same position, but rotate your torso left to right.
→ Trains rotational control and fires up your glutes, feet, and calves.
Advanced Progression: Directional Hops
This is where rehab starts to look and feel like training.
Plyometrics restore elasticity—your ability to absorb and redirect force fast. That’s a non-negotiable for runners, skaters, lifters, or weekend warriors.
Lateral Sprains (outside of ankle):
Start with side-to-side bounds, then progress to lateral hops to retrain your reaction to inversion stress.Medial Sprains (inside of ankle):
Use crossover bounds and hops to strengthen the medial ankle and build multi-directional control.Multi-Directional Combo:
Think skier hops: two hops out, one hop back. Try moving diagonally, laterally, and forward/back.
These movements rebuild trust in your ankle—so you don’t overthink every step.
The MomentPT Approach: Where Rehab Meets Performance
We don’t stop at “pain-free.” That’s the starting point.
At Moment Physical Therapy & Performance, we’re known for bridging the gap between rehab and high-level function. Here’s how we do it:
One-on-One Assessments: Every ankle is different. We spend real time identifying the true source of your instability.
Tailored Programming: Forget cookie-cutter. We create a full-body plan around your goals, whether you’re returning to running, lifting, or competing again.
Performance-Based Progressions: Our rehab incorporates kettlebells, barbells, plyometrics, and mobility work—because real life demands real strength.
You Don’t Have to Live with “Glass Ankles”
Rehabbing your ankle shouldn’t feel like a lifetime sentence of resistance bands and balance pads. Your recovery should feel like training. Your body should feel strong, agile, and ready again.
If you’ve been stuck in a cycle of sprains or if your last PT plan left you unprepared for sport, let us help you break the pattern.
[Schedule your one-on-one session for ankle sprain physical therapy in Downtown Manhattan.]
Let’s rebuild your ankles—with performance in mind.
Moment Physical Therapy & Performance
One-on-One Care | Movement-Focused | Performance-Driven
Serving active New Yorkers, athletes, and anyone ready to move pain-free and powerfully.
