Loose uncontrollable ankles

[Spartacus Maximus]

It is a well known fact in all martial arts and combative sports that failing to properly stabilize the wrist when punching can cause sprains and other more serious injuries to the puncher. It also means the loss of much of the strike's power.

Assuming the same is true for the ankle when kicking, I have been struggling with this problem recently. After only a few slow, step by step kicks it is as if the ankle of the kicking foot flops outwards and failing to keep the attempted striking angle as well as its alignment.

[bushido_man96]

Ballet dancers do pleaees (not sure on spelling here) that work the ankles. Perhaps something of that nature would help you out?

[Spartacus Maximus]

In the dojo as well as at the beginning of my home practise I do both static and dynamic stretching exercise. I also include rotations for the entire range of motion for the ankles. The issue I am struggling with is keeping my ankles stiff for impact for kicking.

[sensei8]

Ankle braces/supports!! They help me. About $10 or so at Wal-Mart!!

[DWx]

It can be a lot worse with ankles than with wrists. Wrists take the impact when we punch or strike but ankles have to hold and bear our weight all the time and this load is constantly moving and forcing our feet and ankles to adjust. So I would 100% agree that ankle strength should be something you focus on.

Ankle supports help to an extent, and there was a period when I was wearing them for months at a time after rolling my ankles, but they are only addressing the symptoms and not the cause of poor ankle strength.

Try some of these exercises to help: http://runnersworld.com/workouts/feet-ankle-workouts

https://www.aofas.org/footcaremd/how-to/foot-injury/Pages/How-to-Ankle-Sprain-Strengthening-Exercises.aspx

[Nidan Melbourne]

Ankle braces/supports!! They help me. About $10 or so at Wal-Mart!!

Ankle braces are a great tool for assistance in stabilization especially after an injury. But the concern is that it is masking the issue of ankle issues and these actually increase the risk of knee injuries.

So you would need to work on ankle stability as a weaker ankle joint leads to an increased risk of injury especially with kicks.

[Spartacus Maximus]

No doubt braces would help but as some here have suggested, they are probably intended for stabilizing after an injury. Thankfully, I have never had an ankle injury serious enough to need any bracing or support. I have sprained my wrist once or maybe twice and I dread hurting my ankle the same way from kicking with a loose ankle. The always seem to give at the last instant of a kick, very frustrating. The exercises seem like a good idea.

[wayneshin]

Ankle braces/supports!! They help me. About $10 or so at Wal-Mart!!

Ankle braces are a great tool for assistance in stabilization especially after an injury. But the concern is that it is masking the issue of ankle issues and these actually increase the risk of knee injuries.

So you would need to work on ankle stability as a weaker ankle joint leads to an increased risk of injury especially with kicks.

This is spot on. Ankle support can help while the ankle is injured but will on make the problem worse long term because the joint will lose its ability to stabilise itself. Further restricting an ankles mobility will lead to placing stress on other joints such as the knee.

You need to improve the proprioception in your ankle (This is the ability of the stretch receptors to respond to instability and return the joint to its correct position). It can certainly be trained.

Start with a wobble board (tape a tennis ball to the side of a hard cover book) and while watching TV just place your foot on the board and roll it gently from side to side.

Single leg stand. Just lift one foot off the ground. You can move your arms to increase difficult (eg do some blocks and punches) This should quickly become easy.

Single leg jumps. Jump on to one foot and land without any extra hopping. Start small and as you get more confident you can increase distance and angle. You can also increase difficult by adding a punch as you land. The last step is to start landing on an unstable surface (This is for advanced only) I have just brought some BOSU balls for my advanced students but prior to that we just used kick shields and focus pads.

[Nidan Melbourne]

Ankle braces/supports!! They help me. About $10 or so at Wal-Mart!!

Ankle braces are a great tool for assistance in stabilization especially after an injury. But the concern is that it is masking the issue of ankle issues and these actually increase the risk of knee injuries.

So you would need to work on ankle stability as a weaker ankle joint leads to an increased risk of injury especially with kicks.

This is spot on. Ankle support can help while the ankle is injured but will on make the problem worse long term because the joint will lose its ability to stabilise itself. Further restricting an ankles mobility will lead to placing stress on other joints such as the knee.

You need to improve the proprioception in your ankle (This is the ability of the stretch receptors to respond to instability and return the joint to its correct position). It can certainly be trained.

Start with a wobble board (tape a tennis ball to the side of a hard cover book) and while watching TV just place your foot on the board and roll it gently from side to side.

Single leg stand. Just lift one foot off the ground. You can move your arms to increase difficult (eg do some blocks and punches) This should quickly become easy.

Single leg jumps. Jump on to one foot and land without any extra hopping. Start small and as you get more confident you can increase distance and angle. You can also increase difficult by adding a punch as you land. The last step is to start landing on an unstable surface (This is for advanced only) I have just brought some BOSU balls for my advanced students but prior to that we just used kick shields and focus pads.

ahhh I love wobble boards. I use them when with clients all the time when they have issues with their ankles.

Obviously with the single leg stands stand near a wall or something that you can grab. And not be near anything you can fall and accidently hit.

Single Leg Jumps are good especially if you have enough strength and flexibility in your joint. For rehab though is not the greatest thing to do. But in stage 3 of recovery (returning strength to the joint) prior to returning to exercise it is ok as long as the person is being smart.

The Bosu balls I have absolutely no objections against. Because they are great for proprioceptive training and forces you to use it more when you move your arms with the bands.

[sensei8]

Ankle braces/supports!! They help me. About $10 or so at Wal-Mart!!

Ankle braces are a great tool for assistance in stabilization especially after an injury. But the concern is that it is masking the issue of ankle issues and these actually increase the risk of knee injuries.

So you would need to work on ankle stability as a weaker ankle joint leads to an increased risk of injury especially with kicks.

Point well made!! I use them for support so that I won't become injured! This was my idea, and not a doctors!!