[drgenie]

Other than the wobble board that Meri recommended, which I am definitely going to look at getting, what can I do to strengthen my pathetically weak ankles? I am just starting to explore the smaller slightly "off the beaten" paths in our park (and I KNOW I am gonna need trail shoes soon) and I am rolling ankles all over the place. I'm getting pretty good at stumbling without falling, though! My ankles have always been weak, what can I do to build them up besides just continuing to run the more technical trails?

 

[merigayle]

I jump rope at home 2x week. That has seemed to help with my agility at least. Besides the wobble board, just time on your feet. Start off slow and short on the trails and work up the distance and you should get stronger with just that. Also, if you point your toes out, like coming down a technical<br>
hilly trail, you cannot turn your ankles.

 

[drgenie]

Oh, believe me, I'm starting out slow! I don't know if you consider the little teeny trails that branch off the Pawlings Road trail technical, but I've begun exploring them a little lately. Most of them appear to connect uphill to the Oaks trail, I think, and I found another one today that was pretty flat but lots of rocks and branches to trip on.<br>
I'm dying to try Mount Misery but I think I want to get trail shoes first.

 

[altoids]

Just doing trails will gradually strengthen your ankles.<br><br>
I also like to do the tree pose for this:<br><br><img alt="" src="http://www.ehow.com/images/ehows/hero/treepose_hero.jpg" style="border:0px solid;"><br><br>
You don't have to start up with your foot as high as the picture, adjust lower as necessary.<br><br>
Here are some instructions:<br><br><a href="http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/496_1.cfm" target="_blank">http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/496_1.cfm</a>