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WHY DO I KEEP ROLLING MY ANKLE?
Do your ankles “roll” constantly on landings?
There’s a reason for that. Your ankles are stabilized by ligaments (which connect bone to bone) and tendons (which connect muscle to bone). These structures work together to keep the joint steady when you jump, twist, and land.
When you roll your ankle, the ligaments on the outside of the joint get stretched. And unlike muscles, ligaments don’t fully “snap back” to their original tightness after they’ve been overstretched. Think of it like a rubber band—once it’s stretched out, it never returns exactly to the way it was before.
If this happens repeatedly, those ligaments become less effective at providing support. Over time, the ankle can start to feel unstable, especially during skills that involve quick direction changes or hard landings. This is why gymnasts and cheerleaders who have had one ankle sprain are much more likely to have another if strength and stability aren’t rebuilt.
So what can you do?
Muscles provide active support for the ankle, meaning the stronger and more responsive they are, the more stable the joint becomes. Targeted strengthening helps your ankle handle movement in every direction and creates a more solid foundation for landings and tumbling. The following video demonstrates some basic exercises to help improve strength in every direction for your ankle:
Strength is only part of the equation. Flexibility also plays a major role in ankle health and injury prevention. Normal range of motion when flexing the foot upward (dorsiflexion) is about 10–20 degrees. When a gymnast or cheerleader is back tumbling and blocking correctly for a flight skill, that full range is needed. If the ankle is stiff and can’t move enough, extra stress is placed on the joint and surrounding structures, increasing the risk of injury.
These stretches can help improve ankle flexibility and make it easier to achieve proper takeoff and landing positions:
Now that we’ve started building strength and flexibility, the next focus is balance.
After an ankle sprain, it’s not just the ligaments that are affected—the brain’s awareness of the ankle’s position becomes less accurate, too. This is called proprioception, and it plays a huge role in keeping the joint stable during landings and quick movements.
The goal isn’t just to “stand on one foot.” It’s to teach your ankle to adjust, stabilize, and respond automatically during movement.
Here’s a video demonstrating balance activities that help your body relearn how to detect and correct ankle motion:
A few minutes of mobility, balance, and strength work each day can help you train more consistently, perform with confidence, and avoid small aches turning into bigger injuries.
But if you’re already dealing with an ankle sprain, swelling or stiffness that won’t go away, or you’re losing confidence in your landings during tumbling, or stunting, it’s worth getting it checked out sooner rather than later. Pain is your body’s way of asking for help — and addressing it early can keep you from missing practice or competitions.
If you have questions, want guidance on more exercises, or need individualized support, I’m always happy to help. Reach out to Renew Physical Therapy to schedule an evaluation, and we can create a plan together to keep you strong, healthy, and doing the sport you love!
Train smart. Stay strong. See you in the gym!
Ashlynn Bryson, PT
Former US National Team Member for Trampoline and Tumbling
World Championship silver medalist