Over the last few months I’ve seen a lot of ankle problems in clinic. Some people have sprained an ankle, some have niggly tendons, and some just feel their ankles aren’t as strong or steady as they used to be. Different starting points, but many of them benefit from one simple exercise: the four-point star excursion.
It needs no kit, takes a few minutes, and you can do it in your kitchen. Here’s what it is, why it helps, and how to do it.
Ewan, Sports Therapist, Southampton Physio
First, some reassurance
If your ankle feels weak or wobbly after an injury, that’s very common, and it doesn’t mean something is badly damaged. Ankles are strong and adaptable. With the right kind of practice, most people get their strength and confidence back.
Why ankles feel unsteady after an injury
Your ankle is full of tiny sensors that keep telling your brain where your foot is and how it’s moving. After a sprain, or a spell of doing less than usual, that system can get a bit out of practice.
Think of it like the map on your phone after you come out of a tunnel. It still works, but it takes a moment to work out where you are. Your ankle is the same: the information is still coming through, just a little slower and less sharp. The four-point star excursion helps sharpen it up again.
It builds strength too
The leg you’re standing on does all the work. Holding your balance on one bent leg works your calf, the muscles around your ankle, and your thigh and hip, building the single-leg strength you need for walking, stairs, and sport.
How it can help your ankle
After an ankle sprain. Research suggests balance training can improve stability after a sprain and may reduce the chance of spraining the same ankle again. The four-point star excursion trains your ankle to control movement forwards, backwards, and side to side, which is how sprains usually happen in real life.
Alongside tendon rehab. For tendon problems (such as Achilles or peroneal tendon pain), gradually strengthening the tendon is still the main treatment. The star excursion fits well alongside that, building the control and confidence you need to get back to walking, running, and sport.
When your ankles have lost some conditioning. If you’ve been less active, perhaps after illness, a busy patch at work, or time off sport, your balance and ankle strength can drop. Many people find this exercise a simple way to start rebuilding both.
How to do the four-point star excursion
- Set up. Stand on the leg you want to train, next to a kitchen worktop or chair you can hold for support. Keep a soft bend in your standing knee.
- Picture a cross. Imagine four lines on the floor coming out from your standing foot: one forwards, one backwards, one out to the side, and one across your body.
- Reach forwards. Bend your standing knee and reach your other foot forwards as far as you comfortably can. Lightly tap the floor with your toes, without putting weight through that foot, then bring it back to the middle.
- Repeat in the other three directions. Reach backwards, then out to the side, then across behind your standing leg, returning to the middle each time.
- Sets and reps. One reach in each direction is one round. Do five rounds on each leg, two or three times through, three or four times a week.
Tips and progressions
- Quality over distance. A controlled shorter reach is better than a long, wobbly one. Keep your standing knee in line with your toes rather than letting it fall inwards.
- Progress gradually. Hold on less, then not at all. After that, try standing on a cushion or folded towel, or bend your standing knee a little more to reach further.
- Some discomfort is OK. Mild discomfort that settles by the next day is generally fine. If your pain is noticeably worse the next morning, ease off a little.
- Recent sprain? Wait until you can stand on the injured leg comfortably before starting.
When to get it checked
Speak to a healthcare professional rather than starting this exercise if:
- you can’t take four steps on the injured ankle
- there’s a specific spot on the bone that’s very tender to touch
- the swelling is severe or getting worse
- you have numbness, tingling, or a cold or pale foot
- your ankle is hot and red and you feel unwell or feverish
- you have swelling, heat, or tenderness in your calf, or you feel short of breath (seek urgent medical help, through your GP, NHS 111, or A&E)
Give it a go
Next time you’re waiting for the kettle, try a couple of rounds on each leg. It’s a small habit, but done regularly it can make a real difference to how strong and steady your ankles feel.
This is general guidance: follow your clinician’s specific advice.