Ankle circles take your ankle through its full range in one smooth movement. Sitting on a chair, you straighten one knee to lift the foot and draw large, slow circles with it, first one way and then the other. They are a common choice for a stiff ankle, say after a sprain or a spell in a cast or boot.

How to do the ankle circles

Sit up straight on a firm chair with your back supported and both feet flat on the floor. You can rest your hands on the edge of the seat.
Straighten one knee so that foot lifts off the floor. Your thigh stays resting on the seat.
Draw a large, slow circle with your foot, moving only at the ankle. Point your toes down, sweep them out to the side, pull them up toward you, then sweep them back in.
Do your set of circles in one direction, lower the foot, and repeat on the other leg.
Go back to the first leg and circle in the opposite direction, then finish with the other leg the same way.

What you should feel

Gentle movement, and a mild stretch around the ankle as it passes through each part of the circle. The front of your thigh works too, because it is holding the leg up. Stiffness at the start is common, especially after an injury.

Common mistakes

Circling the whole leg from the hip or knee. The shin should stay still.
Small, fast circles. Slow down and reach the edge of the range in every direction.
Slumping in the chair as the leg tires. If holding the leg up is hard, rest your calf on a footstool with the heel hanging over the edge.

How often

Many programs use 10 to 15 slow circles each way on each ankle, 1 to 3 times a day. Your physio may change that to suit you.

Stop and check with your physio if

Pain in the ankle or foot that is sharp, or that gets worse with every circle.
Your calf or thigh is getting more swollen, or becomes warm, tender, red or darker than usual, or has a new throbbing or cramping pain. This can be a blood clot, especially after an operation, an injury, time in a cast, boot or brace, or a spell of being much less mobile than usual, and after an operation it can also be an infection. Stop and contact your medical team or get medical advice the same day. If you are also short of breath or have chest pain, call emergency services.
You suddenly become short of breath, get chest pain or pain in your upper back that may be worse when you breathe in, cough up blood, your heart beats very fast, or you faint. Call emergency services straight away, even if your leg looks normal, as this can be a blood clot in the lungs (pulmonary embolism).
Emergency: while you are in a cast or boot, your toes turn blue, white or pale, or feel cold. Do not wait to see if raising your leg helps. Go to an emergency department straight away, and do not drive yourself. The cast or boot may be cutting off the blood supply, or pressure may be building up inside the leg (compartment syndrome), and both need checking quickly.
In a cast or boot, the pain gets worse, your toes feel numb, tingle or burn or look more swollen, or the cast or boot feels too tight. Stop, raise your foot above your hip, keep moving your toes and contact your fracture clinic or get medical advice straight away. If you wear a boot, loosen the straps but keep it on. If you cannot move your toes, the pain is severe even after painkillers, or the numbness, tingling, burning or swelling has not settled within 30 minutes of raising your foot, go to your fracture clinic or an emergency department straight away, and do not drive yourself.
Since the fracture or cast, the foot or ankle is getting more painful rather than less, the skin becomes very sensitive to light touch, or the foot changes color, temperature, swelling or sweating compared with the other one, or looks shiny. See your doctor or physio as soon as you can, within a few days at most, as this can be complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and early treatment may help.

From the clinic

A circle combines every ankle movement: up, down, in and out. If it feels lumpy, or the foot gets stuck at one point, slow down there rather than forcing it. Many programs start with ankle pumps, which only move the foot up and down, and add circles or the ankle alphabet once pumps feel easy.

After an ankle fracture, surgery or a bad sprain, ask your physio or surgical team which movements you are allowed yet. Some rehab plans limit how far the foot may turn in or out during the first weeks, for example after an ankle ligament repair, and a full circle includes both. Until then, your physio may keep you to up and down movements only.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-26.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.

Ankle circles