They are the body's primary shock absorber, vital for balance, standing, walking and running, but most of us rarely think about our ankles - until we hurt them.

These painful incidents are very common, says Genevieve Tawiah, a performance physiotherapist who has worked on shows like Strictly Come Dancing.

Ankle injuries account for 5% of visits to A&E in the UK, according to NICE, external.

But Tawiah tells What's Up Docs? they can be avoided "if you are strong and aware of your foot and ankle and the chain that affects it". Here are three ways to strengthen your ankles:

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The foundation to building strong ankles and reducing the risk of injuries is being "brain to body aware", says Tawiah - meaning you can sense what movements your ankles are making without relying on looking down at them.

"It's about sending information from the brain down to our foot and ankle to ground us and build a good foundation for any exercise training that follows," she says.

To build brain body awareness Tawiah has some examples of exercises that require you to watch your foot while you do them.

She suggests starting with smaller movements of the toes as this can affect how we "load [weight] through the ankles". Two examples are:

Pressing the tip of your big toe into the floor, holding it and watching how the arch of your foot engages. "This will feel like something pulling through the arch of your foot," she says.

Putting a pen on the floor next to, and parallel with, your big toe. Then try to move the big toe towards the pen, which is called toe "abduction".

How can you better look after your ankles? Listen now.

Tawiah says the function of the ankle is to help us balance, weight bear and transmit force.

Heel raises - Stand next to a sturdy surface and lift your heels off the floor and roll onto your toes, making sure your ankles don't wobble or stick outwards.

Balance - Walk with one foot in front of the other, like a gymnast along a beam, and maintain your foot control.

Control - Moving from a sitting to a standing position on one or two legs and going up or down stairs are also examples of exercises used to improve ankle balance and control.

"If you go up the stairs and you find that you lead with one leg, practice leading with the other side."

Genevieve Tawiah, a performance physiotherapist, says the foundation to building strong ankles is being "brain to body aware"

Those recovering from ankle sprains might want try to balancing on one leg while throwing and catching a ball. Or work on their landing control by stepping to either side and balancing on the landing leg.

And for those with tendinopathy, chronic pain in the tendon, a slow and heavy load is important. Try calf raises with weight - for instance on a leg press.

Tawiah says picking the right type of shoes is important in supporting your ankles.

"A lot of people fall into the trap of wearing flat ballet pumps, pointy shoes or trainers that are narrower at the front.

"It's just worth imagining if the top of the shoe was off, would your toes have space or would your big toe be pushing over?

"Barefoot shoes are becoming increasingly popular - and can be useful - but it is important to have a good baseline of foot/ankle strength first and pace yourself with using them."

She also recommends looking for "a degree of arch support" as it affects how you take weight through your foot during a task.

She says different activities require different shoes.

"If you're doing squat exercises, you're probably going to want a flatter shoe. If you've got a spongy-soled shoe, it's going to be harder to balance and take the weight in the right place.

"Whereas if you are running, a trainer that provides more cushioning for impact or shock absortion might be more appropriate."

For longer all-terrain walks "hiking boots are often useful in reducing the risk of big sprains. However, wearing them for long periods day to day can cause increased ankle stiffness as it limits ankle mobility to a degree."

Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken are on a mission to help us take better care of ourselves. Listen to What's Up Docs? on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your BBC podcasts."

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