Why does my ankle keep rolling after a sprain?
Your sprain healed, but your ankle still gives way on flat ground. Here's why it happens, the 30-second balance drill that helps, and the step almost everyone skips: training the ankle while it moves.
By Abdallah Kassem, physiotherapist · Updated November 6, 2026 · 7 min read
You rolled your ankle once. It healed. And now it rolls stepping off a curb… on a perfectly flat pavement.
It's not because you're clumsy. In one study that followed 70 people after their first sprain, about 4 in 10 still had an ankle that kept giving way a year later (Doherty et al., 2016). Clinicians call this chronic ankle instability.
So why does a "healed" ankle keep doing this?
It's not just the ligament. It's your ankle's GPS.
The most common sprain is an inversion sprain: your foot rolls inward and points down, and the ligaments on the outside of your ankle overstretch. There are three of them, and the front one (the ATFL) is injured most often.
But ligaments aren't just ropes. They're packed with tiny sensors that constantly tell your brain where your foot is and how it's moving. It's your ankle's GPS.
Researchers think a sprain can disturb those sensors too, along with the way your brain controls the ankle. The signal gets slower and fuzzier. So when you land on a stone or the edge of a curb, your brain may find out a fraction of a second late, and your muscles react too late to catch the roll. The exact mix of reasons is still being studied, but balance training targets this control.
Tap between a healthy ankle and one after a sprain:
Fast signal → muscles catch the tip in time
The fix: retrain the GPS
The good news: balance training retrains that signal, and it's simple enough to do while you brush your teeth.
Single-leg balance
30 seconds3× a week8 weeks- Stand on your injured leg, barefoot, near a wall or counter in case you need it.
- Keep your knee soft (slightly bent), not locked.
- Lift your other foot and hold for 30 seconds.
- Too easy? Close your eyes.
- Swap legs and repeat. Do a few rounds.
Wobbling like a newborn giraffe? Good. That wobble is what you're training. Every time your ankle tips and your muscles catch it, the signal between your ankle and your brain gets faster. The muscles on both sides of your ankle (the peroneals on the outside, tibialis posterior on the inside) learn to react in time.
The peroneals (outside) catch it
Making it harder, week by week
Only move on when the current level feels steady:
- Eyes open, firm floor
- Eyes closed, firm floor
- Eyes open on a folded towel or cushion
- Turn your head slowly side to side, or throw and catch a ball while balancing
- Small hops on the spot, landing softly
Does it actually work?
In a trial of people who had recently sprained an ankle, those who followed an 8-week home balance program (3 times a week) had about a third fewer repeat sprains over the next year: about 22% re-sprained, compared with 33% of those who didn't train (Hupperets et al., 2009).
That trial was in 522 athletes (aged 12 to 70) who had sprained an ankle in the previous 2 months, and the numbers are averages: some people still re-sprained, and others did fine without training. But balance training is cheap, low-risk and backed by more than one study, which is why it's a standard part of ankle sprain rehab.
Rolled the same ankle again within a year
Part 2: the step almost everyone skips
Rolled your ankle once? In a study of recreational basketball players, the ones who had hurt an ankle before were almost 5 times more likely to injure an ankle again during the study (McKay et al., 2001).
Chance of an ankle injury in a season
That's one study, in one sport, and it shows a link, not a cause. It doesn't mean you will roll it again. But it fits what physiotherapists see every day: one sprain is one of the biggest risk factors for the next one.
Training the ankle helps lower that risk, and it takes 2 steps. Step 1 is the balance drill above. Step 2 is the one most people skip.
Ankles don't roll when you're standing still. They roll when you land, step on something or cut (change direction quickly). So step 2 trains the ankle while it moves, in 4 levels. Start at level 1 and only move up when the level you're on feels boring.
Level 1: one leg on a pillow
30 secondseach lega few rounds- Stand on your injured leg on a pillow or folded cushion.
- Keep your knee soft (slightly bent).
- Let it wobble, and catch each wobble.
Level 2: reach forward, side and behind
a few taps each wayeach leg- Stand on your injured leg, knee soft, arms out to the sides for balance.
- Lightly tap the other foot forward, then come back to the middle.
- Tap it out to the side, come back. Then tap it behind you, bending your standing knee and hip and leaning your chest forward a little.
- Reach only as far as you can control. Your standing knee stays over your toes.
Level 2, seen from above
Level 3: band, push out then push in
slow repseach way- Sit with your leg out in front. Loop a resistance band around the front of your foot and hold the ends.
- Turn your foot out against the band, slowly, then back.
- Change the band's angle and turn your foot in against it, slowly, then back.
Level 4: side-to-side hops
a few hopsland and hold 2 seconds- Hop side to side on two legs first. When that's easy, on one leg.
- Land soft: on the ball of the foot, knee bending, knee over your toes.
- Hold the landing for 2 seconds before the next hop.
- Do: land soft, knee bending
- Do: knee over your toes
- Do: hold 2 seconds
- Don't: land stiff with a locked knee
- Don't: let the knee cave in
- Don't: rush into the next hop
How many reps and how often are a common starting point from clinical practice, not numbers tested in a trial. The idea of doing balance work around 3 times a week comes from training programs like the one in the Hupperets trial above. If anything hurts sharply or your ankle gives way, drop back a level.
Fresh sprain? Start here instead
If you've just rolled your ankle, balance training comes a little later. In the first days, protect it, keep it elevated when you can, and start moving it gently as pain allows. Guidelines favour support (a brace or tape) and gentle walking and exercise over keeping the ankle still in a cast (Vuurberg et al., 2018). Gentle loading as soon as it's comfortable usually helps more than complete rest (Dubois & Esculier, 2020).
The bone checks above come from the Ottawa ankle rules, which doctors use to decide whether you need an X-ray (Stiell et al., 1993).
Quick recap
- In one study, about 4 in 10 people still had an ankle that kept giving way a year after a first sprain.
- The ligament heals, but your ankle's control (its GPS) may not.
- Retrain it: 1 leg, 30 seconds, knee soft. Too easy? Eyes closed.
- 3 times a week for 8 weeks cut repeat sprains by about a third in a trial.
- Rolled it once? In one study, almost 5× more likely to injure it again. Step 2: train it while it moves, 4 levels.
- Can't stand on it, or bone pain? Get it checked first.
The ankle comeback guide
A 7-section guide for an ankle that keeps rolling: why it happens, the first days after a sprain, when you need an X-ray, an 8-week plan with every exercise step by step, and a tracker.
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Common questions
+Why does my ankle keep giving way after a sprain?
A sprain injures the ligament, and researchers think it can also disturb the tiny sensors inside it that tell your brain where your foot is, and how your brain controls the ankle. If balance isn't retrained, your muscles may react too late when your foot lands awkwardly, so the ankle rolls again. The exact reasons are still being studied.
+How common is it for an ankle to stay unstable after a sprain?
Fairly common. In a study that followed 70 people seen in an emergency department after their first ankle sprain, about 4 in 10 (28 of 70) still had an unstable ankle that kept giving way a year later (Doherty et al., 2016). It was one small study, so the exact number in other groups may differ.
+How long should I do balance training after an ankle sprain?
In the best-known trial, people trained 3 times a week for 8 weeks and had about a third fewer repeat sprains over the following year (Hupperets et al., 2009).
+Am I more likely to sprain my ankle again after one sprain?
Often, yes. In a study of recreational basketball players, those who had injured an ankle before were almost 5 times more likely to injure an ankle during the study (McKay et al., 2001). It's one study and a link, not a guarantee, but training the ankle helps lower the risk.
+What exercises help after balance training gets easy?
Train the ankle while it moves, in steps: balance on a pillow, one-leg reaches forward, to the side and behind, band pushes out and in, then side-to-side hops landing softly and holding 2 seconds.
+Should I wear an ankle brace?
A brace or tape can help while you get back to sport, especially in the first months. It works alongside balance training, not instead of it. A physiotherapist can advise what suits your sport.
References
- Doherty C, Bleakley C, Hertel J, et al. Recovery from a first-time lateral ankle sprain and the predictors of chronic ankle instability: a prospective cohort analysis. Am J Sports Med. 2016;44(4):995-1003.
- Gribble PA, Bleakley CM, Caulfield BM, et al. 2016 consensus statement of the International Ankle Consortium: prevalence, impact and long-term consequences of lateral ankle sprains. Br J Sports Med. 2016;50(24):1493-1495.
- Hupperets MD, Verhagen EA, van Mechelen W. Effect of unsupervised home based proprioceptive training on recurrences of ankle sprain: randomised controlled trial. BMJ. 2009;339:b2684.
- Stiell IG, Greenberg GH, McKnight RD, et al. Decision rules for the use of radiography in acute ankle injuries. JAMA. 1993;269(9):1127-1132.
- Dubois B, Esculier JF. Soft-tissue injuries simply need PEACE and LOVE. Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(2):72-73.
- Vuurberg G, Hoorntje A, Wink LM, et al. Diagnosis, treatment and prevention of ankle sprains: update of an evidence-based clinical guideline. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(15):956.
- McKay GD, Goldie PA, Payne WR, Oakes BW. Ankle injuries in basketball: injury rate and risk factors. Br J Sports Med. 2001;35(2):103-108.
Educational content only. This article explains common patterns. It can't assess your situation and isn't a substitute for seeing a physiotherapist or doctor in person. Medical disclaimer