Here’s a simple ankle mobility drill to improve your proprioception. (Proprioception is your sense of your body in space.) If needed, use a wall or chair to help with balance.

Test

Range of motion (ROM) baseline:
* Forward fold with straight legs (touch your toes or the floor)
* Hip rotation to each side with feet under hips and palms together in front of you

Drill

Foot tilts – try 3 to 5 reps of each per ankle. Retest between each version.
* Outside – stand on one foot, other foot slightly in front. Open ankle to outside.
* Inside – stand on one foot, other foot slightly to side. Open ankle to inside.
* Outside toe pull – stand on one foot, other foot slightly in back resting on top of foot. Open ankle forward and to outside

Retest

Determine whether your ROM changed:
* Forward fold with straight legs (touch your toes or the floor)
* Hip rotation to each side with feet under hips and palms together in front of you

Improved ROM = drill works well for you. Do it every day.
Decreased ROM = drill is very challenging at this time.

How to use this drill

Try each version and see which ones relax you (performance drills) and which tighten you up (rehab drills). Do rehab drills when being a bit stressed is OK for you or do rehab drills followed by a performance drill.

Which foot tilts are best for you?