The ankle is one of the most frequently injured joints in the body. Injury often occurs by rolling or over stretching the tissue around the joint. This result in a chronically unstable ankle that remains weak unless control and strength improves. 

The single leg balance is prescribed to improve the stability in the injured athlete to return to normal function. However, the SLB can be used by all athletes even when there is no history of injury.

If an athlete has better control over the ankle then the sensory system will send and return messages from the ankle to the brain quicker with greater control. Injury can never be predicted but by improving the stability and strength of the ankle then the chances of injury can be reduced.

1. EYES OPEN
Keep the hands on hips with the eyes open. Hold this position for the prescribed time period (Picture A). Start with 2/3 sets of 30 seconds per leg. The athlete should be able to perform this without loosing balance before progressing to more difficult exercises.

3. HEAD TILTED BACK
Stand in the same stance except tilt the head backwards looking up. Begin with the eyes open and eventually move to closing the eyes (Picture B). This is the hardest of the exercises and athletes should become efficient at the previous two exercises before progressing.

4. SINGLE LEG BALL CATCH
To increase the difficultly get a partner to throw a ball to the athlete. This also challenges hand eye coordination and reaction speed of the athlete. Start with 2 sets of 20 throws per leg.