Pain guide · Ankle pain

Ankle pain when doing lunges: a pinch at the front, the back leg, the outer ankle and your stride

Ankle pain when you lunge usually depends on which foot hurts and where. A pinch or block at the front of the front ankle at the bottom of the lunge is usually the front of the joint closing (anterior impingement), often after old sprains; pain in the cord above the back heel as you push off is usually the Achilles; an outer ankle that wobbles after old sprains is usually an ankle that keeps giving way; and the back foot's toes bend back under load, which a stiff big toe joint won't like. No study counts how often each is the cause, and the back foot has never been studied in a lunge. Your stride is the main dial: in a lab study of split squats, a step of about one leg's length cut the front ankle's bend to a few degrees. A longer stride, a shallower lunge, reverse lunges first and your feet hip-width apart usually help, and lunges aren't bad for ankles.

This guide starts with the signs that need help, from a 999 call or accident and emergency (A&E) after an injury with a crack or a changed shape, to a same-day check through the National Health Service's 111 line (NHS 111) or a general practitioner (GP) if you can't put weight on it, felt a snap at the back of the heel, or have a hot, swollen ankle or a swollen, throbbing calf. It then maps the causes by foot and by spot, explains what the studies show about stride, direction, depth and stance, shows how to change your lunge today, and gives a three-stage plan with a 3D demo of every move, from split squats back to walking and weighted lunges.

3-stage exercise plan When to get help 35 sourcesUpdated 28 October 2026

When to get help first

Exercise is for pain that has been checked or is clearly mild and settling.

Get urgent medical help if

Call 999 or go to A&E: after an injury, you heard a crack, the foot or ankle has changed shape or points at an odd angle, a bone is sticking out, there is a bad cut over it, you're in severe pain, or the toes look blue or white, feel numb or are cold to touch. These can mean a broken bone. Don't drive yourself.
Same day (NHS 111 or an urgent treatment centre): after an injury, you can't put weight on it or walk more than a few steps, the pain is very bad or getting worse, there is a lot of swelling or bruising or it is getting worse, it feels very stiff, or it's not feeling any better after treating it yourself. Get the same help if you also have a very high temperature, or feel hot, cold or shivery: this could be an infection. If you think it's broken, don't treat it yourself.
Same day: after a twist or fall, you couldn't take four steps straight afterwards, or pressing on the back edge or tip of either ankle bone hurts. Get it checked for a broken bone: you can have a fracture and still walk.
Same day: after the foot was forced outwards, pain above the ankle between the shin bones, or pain anywhere up the outer side of the leg to just below the knee, especially if you can't hop or walk normally. A high ankle sprain can be unstable, and the outer leg bone can break high up (a Maisonneuve fracture), so the whole lower leg needs examining and an X-ray.
Same day: a sudden snap or pop at the back of the heel or calf, or a feeling of being kicked there, then walking flat-footed and being unable to push off, stand on tiptoe or climb stairs. It could be an Achilles tendon rupture or a broken heel bone. Go to A&E or a minor injuries unit, or contact NHS 111.
Same day: a sudden, very painful, hot, swollen, red joint, often the big toe but sometimes the middle of the foot (the midfoot) or the ankle, especially with a high temperature, feeling shivery or being unable to eat. It may be gout, but it could be a joint infection (septic arthritis), which is urgent.
Same day (urgent GP appointment or NHS 111): throbbing pain in one leg (rarely both), usually the calf or thigh; swelling in one leg (rarely both); red, blue or darkened skin around the painful area, which may be harder to see on brown or black skin; or swollen veins. It could be a blood clot (DVT). Watch for it after an ankle injury or time in a cast or boot.
Call 999 or go to A&E if breathing suddenly becomes difficult, if pain in your chest or upper back comes on suddenly with breathlessness or a very fast heartbeat, or if someone passes out. Do not drive yourself. It can be a blood clot that has reached the lungs.
Call 999 or go to A&E: a foot or leg that is suddenly cold, pale, numb, weak or very painful without an injury. A sudden loss of blood supply is a vascular emergency.
Call 999 or go to A&E: sudden, severe pain in a muscle, which may be worse when you stretch it, with swelling, numbness, weakness or pins and needles, or tightness or difficulty moving the leg. This can be acute compartment syndrome, which needs surgery as soon as possible. It usually follows an injury or a bandage or cast that is too tight, but rarely it can follow very hard exercise. Do not drive yourself to A&E.
Same day: you have diabetes and a new foot problem, such as an ulcer or wound, signs of infection, or a hot, swollen foot with a change in colour, even if it doesn't hurt. Contact your diabetes foot team or GP: NICE asks for these to reach a specialist foot service within 1 working day, and a suspected Charcot foot is kept off weight until it has been checked.
Same day (call NHS 111, or go to A&E if you feel very unwell): after a big or unusual session, such as a first spin class, a workout of 100 back squats, or intervals of wall sits, squats, lunges and jumps, a challenge or a new class, muscle pain, swelling or weakness far worse than the session explains, and dark pee (red, brown, tea or cola coloured), sometimes starting hours or days later. Dark pee isn't always there, so muscles far sorer, more swollen or weaker than the session explains still need the same-day check. It can be rhabdomyolysis, a breakdown of muscle that can harm the kidneys.

See a doctor or physiotherapist if

Pain that isn't better after 2 weeks of looking after it yourself, is getting worse, keeps coming back, or stops you doing normal things.
Pain at the front of the ankle that keeps coming back when you squat, lunge, climb or kick: see a GP or physiotherapist. In many areas you can refer yourself to NHS physiotherapy.
An ankle that keeps giving way months after a sprain.
Pain or swelling still there 6 to 12 weeks after a sprain, or deep pain inside the joint with catching or locking: see your GP. A damaged patch of cartilage and bone on the talus (an osteochondral lesion) is one cause, X-rays often miss it, and it has its own guide.
Not better after about 3 months of good rehab, or it keeps you from training, dancing or playing: ask about seeing a sports medicine doctor or a foot and ankle specialist about an injection or keyhole surgery.
Achilles pain that hasn't improved within 12 weeks of following this advice, or is getting worse: talk to a healthcare professional. In many areas you can refer yourself to physiotherapy.
Pain that is getting worse week on week despite cutting back, or is stopping your normal activities.
Contact your doctor straight away if your Achilles tendon becomes painful or swollen while you're taking a fluoroquinolone antibiotic (such as ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin or ofloxacin), or in the months after. The UK medicines regulator (MHRA) advises stopping the antibiotic at the first sign and resting the painful area until you've been seen; the risk is higher over 60, with kidney problems, after an organ transplant and with steroid medicines.
Pain along the inside of the ankle and arch, with the arch dropping on one side, or you can't rise onto tiptoe on that foot: see a GP or physiotherapist (possible posterior tibial tendon problems).
Tingling or loss of feeling in the foot, or a foot that feels weak.
One spot on a foot bone that hurts with every step and later at night: a possible stress fracture.
Swelling in several joints, or morning stiffness that lasts more than 30 minutes: see a GP. It can be an inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis rather than osteoarthritis.
Bone pain that is constant or worse at night, especially with a lump, unexplained weight loss, fever or tiredness, or a past history of cancer.
Any foot pain if you have diabetes: foot problems can be more serious.

Where does it hurt?

Location narrows the likely causes; it does not diagnose.

A pinch or block at the front of the front ankle at the bottom of the lunge, as the knee travels forward, often on stairs, hills and in deep squats too

Usually anterior ankle impingement, often after repeated sprains, and worse with a short stride and a deep lunge (our reading). Work just short of the pinch.

Read: Anterior ankle impingement →The front outer corner of the ankle, pinching at depth, months or years after sprains

Often soft tissue caught at the front outer corner after old sprains. Our outer ankle guide maps the outside of the ankle.

Read: Outer ankle pain →Stiff and blocked, bending less than the other side, in the weeks after a sprain

Usually a joint that hasn't got its bend back yet. It usually returns within weeks.

Read: Sprained ankle →The outer ankle feeling wobbly or rolling in lunges, months after a sprain, with repeated sprains or giving way

Possibly chronic ankle instability. Feet hip-width apart and balance work come first.

Read: Chronic ankle instability →The cord above the heel of the back leg as you push off or rise onto your toes, stiff first thing

Usually the Achilles (the middle of the tendon). It doesn't improve with rest alone; loading exercise helps.

Read: Achilles tendinopathy →Where the Achilles meets the heel bone, worse at the bottom of a deep lunge or pushing off

Possibly pain where the tendon attaches. Calf work on the flat floor suits it better than dropping the heel below a step.

Read: Back of heel pain →The big toe joint or the ball of the back foot, as the toes bend back

Our reading, as no study has looked at the back foot in a lunge: often a stiff or arthritic big toe joint, or a sore ball of the foot. Our big toe guide maps the causes.

Read: Big toe pain →The top of the back foot or the front of the back ankle in a Bulgarian split squat

The foot pressed into the bench with the ankle pointed (our reading). A pad and a lower bench usually help.

Read: Pain on top of the foot →The inside of the ankle and arch, with the arch dropping and the front foot rolling in

Possibly the tibialis posterior tendon. A flat foot you didn't have before needs a GP check.

Read: Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction →Behind or just below the bony bump on the outside, sometimes clicking

Possibly the peroneal tendons, which often go with an unstable ankle.

Read: Peroneal tendinopathy →Deep in the joint, with swelling after activity, catching or locking, 6 weeks or more after a sprain

Possibly a damaged patch of cartilage and bone on the talus. X-rays often miss it: see your GP.

Read: Talus cartilage lesion →A deep, stiff ache with grinding, years after a fracture or repeated sprains

Usually ankle arthritis, which mostly follows an injury.

Read: Ankle arthritis and stiff ankles →Above the ankle, between the shin bones, after the foot was planted and forced outwards

Possibly a high ankle sprain: get it checked the same day, as the warning signs say.

Read: High ankle sprain →A snap at the back of the heel or calf, as if kicked, then you can't push off

A possible Achilles rupture: get help the same day, as the warning signs say.

Read: Achilles rupture →A sudden hard knot in the calf of the back leg

Usually cramp, which lets go within minutes.

Read: Leg cramps →One spot on a bone that hurts with every step, and later at night

A possible stress fracture. Stop the activity that hurts and get it checked.

Read: Stress fracture →A swollen, throbbing calf, especially after an injury or time in a boot

A possible blood clot: get help the same day, as the warning signs say.

Read: Calf pain →The knee, the hip, the groin or the lower back in lunges

Our lunge guides for the knee, the hip, the groin and the back cover them.

Read: Knee pain when lunging →The same ankle pain in squats or calf raises

Our squatting and calf raise ankle guides cover those moves.

Read: Ankle pain when squatting →

A sudden hot, red, swollen ankle without an injury

Possibly gout or a joint infection: get help the same day, as the warning signs say.

Understand it

What a lunge asks of each ankle, and what no study has countedEmerging evidence

In a lunge the front shin tips forward over the front foot, so the front ankle bends upwards (dorsiflexion, which we call ankle bend) while it carries your weight, and the back heel lifts while the back toes bend back. In 9 men, the front ankle bent about 25 degrees in a forward lunge and 22 in a reverse lunge, about the same, and 30 in a single-leg squat; the turning force at the ankle was higher in the forward lunge (1.00 against 0.72 newton-metres per kilogram of body weight), and the authors advise starting the ankle with reverse lunges. In 16 adults, adding weight up to half of body weight raised the work done at the ankle and hip, not the knee.

Stride sets how far the front ankle bends. In 20 men doing split squats, its peak bend was about 14 degrees with a step of half a leg's length, 8 degrees at 70%, 3 degrees at one leg's length and none at 1.2 leg lengths, though the longest steps made feet slip. A short step pushes the front knee 8 to 10 cm past the toes and loads the kneecap more, and a long step raised front calf activity (26% against 15% of a maximal contraction in 20 adults).

No study counts ankle pain or injury from lunges, and none has measured the back ankle or the back toes in a lunge. So the map on this page is built from what each condition is known to do (our reading).

Sources 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

The front of the ankle: "it pinches at the bottom of the lunge"Emerging evidence

In anterior ankle impingement, something at the front of the joint is pinched as the shin comes forward at the end of ankle bend: bone spurs, soft tissue scarred after sprains, or both. Reviews list climbing stairs, walking uphill, ladders and deep squatting as triggers, and in ankles without symptoms the soft tissue at the front is squeezed beyond about 15 degrees of bend. It is commonest in footballers and dancers, and its rate in the general population is unknown.

In 6,754 professional footballers, ankle impingement caused 0.4% of the injuries that cost training or matches. Front-of-ankle cases more often came on gradually (69%), kept players out longer (a median of 10 days) and came back more often (31%) than impingement at the back.

Sources 6, 7, 8, 9

The back foot: our reading, with no study behind it

In the back leg the heel is up, the calf holds you there and the toes bend back. So pain in the cord above the back heel as you push off is likely the Achilles, pain at the big toe joint or the ball of the foot is likely the toes bending back under load, and pain on the top of the back foot in a Bulgarian split squat is likely the foot pressed into the bench with the ankle pointed. That is our reading: no study has measured the back ankle or the toes in a lunge, or tested any change for them.

"It started after an old sprain": stiffness and giving wayEmerging evidence

After a sprain, ankle bend usually comes back within weeks: in 22 people doing home exercises, it was back to normal within 4 weeks. But in 16 people with repeated sprains, 34% still bent less when standing and 71% had an ankle bone (the talus) that didn't glide back fully. Up to 40% of people develop an ankle that keeps giving way after a first sprain, and across 31 studies, 5% to 33% still had pain a year after a sprain and 3% to 34% sprained it again.

Sprains are commoner in women, children and indoor and court sports. In lunges, an in-line stance, one foot directly in front of the other, made the front leg sway more side to side than a hip-width stance in 15 men, which matters for an ankle that gives way (our reading).

Sources 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

When a scan or test mattersStrong evidence

Not for pain that builds up in lunges, at first; the NHS starts with self-care and a GP if it hasn't improved after 2 weeks. After a twist or fall, the Ottawa ankle rules decide on an X-ray: across 27 studies (15,581 people) they missed almost no fractures and could cut X-rays by 30% to 40%.

For a pinch that won't settle, imaging shows bony impingement but not pinched soft tissue, which the examination decides; a side X-ray alone detected only 40% and 32% of the spurs on the shin bone and the talus, against 85% and 73% with an angled view added. Typical Achilles pain is diagnosed from the symptoms and an examination. The NHS lists a popping or snapping sound with heel pain under a ruptured Achilles or a broken heel bone, which needs NHS 111.

Sources 16, 7, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21

How it usually goesEmerging evidence

No study follows ankle pain in lunges. NHS inform says new ankle problems often begin to settle within 6 weeks. After a sprain, the NHS says most sprains feel better after 2 weeks and to avoid strenuous exercise such as running for up to 8 weeks. Front-of-ankle impingement in footballers kept players out for a median of 10 days and came back in 31%.

Achilles pain takes "several months or more", NHS inform says, and both heavy slow calf training and heel drops gave lasting improvements at a year in 58 people. No one can promise a date.

Sources 22, 23, 13, 9, 24, 25

What helps, and how strong the evidence is

Stride: about one leg's length (our reading, borrowed from split squats)Emerging evidence

No study has tested stride length for ankle pain. A stride of about one leg's length, measured from hip to ankle, is our reading, borrowed from split squats in 20 healthy men, in whom it cut the front ankle's bend from about 14 degrees to about 3. A longer stride also raised front calf activity in another study, which matters if the Achilles is sore, and a short stride loaded the kneecap more.

Sources 3, 5, 4

Reverse before forward, light before heavyEmerging evidence

The forward lunge asked more turning force of the front ankle than the reverse lunge in 9 men, and adding weight raised the ankle's work in forward lunges in 16 adults. So reverse lunges and split squats come first and load comes last. These are lab studies in people without pain.

Sources 1, 2

Impingement: rehab first, despite limited evidenceEmerging evidence

Reviews put rest from what provokes it, physiotherapy for ankle stability and balance, and shoe changes (including heel lifts) first, "despite limited evidence of its efficacy", with an injection next. Keyhole surgery gives good long-term results when good rehab fails and there is no significant arthritis. No trial has tested any of this in people whose ankles hurt in lunges.

Sources 6, 7

The Achilles: progressive calf strengtheningStrong evidence

The Dutch guideline advises replacing provoking activities for a while, monitoring pain, and progressive calf strengthening for at least 12 weeks, starting on a flat surface for pain where the tendon meets the heel, with surgery considered only after at least 6 months of active treatment. Carrying on with running and jumping under a pain-monitoring model did as well as rest in 38 people, and heavy slow resistance did as well as heel drops in 58.

Sources 18, 26, 25, 27

An ankle that gives way: balance and exerciseStrong evidence

Balance training gave the most consistent improvements in function for ankles that keep giving way, and a guideline prefers exercise-based treatment after a sprain, with a brace to prevent it happening again. Early exercise after a sprain improved function in the first 2 weeks without more reinjury (4% in each group of 101 people). Stretching with a home programme gave the largest gain in ankle bend 2 weeks after a sprain, and the knee-to-wall test needs a change of about 1.6 to 1.9 cm to be real.

Sources 28, 29, 30, 31, 32

How much pain is OK while you exercise?

Up to 5 out of 10, settled within an hour, and no pinch at the frontEmerging evidence

This guide uses the ankle hub's rule. Some discomfort during exercise is fine. Aim for pain you would call mild to moderate, no more than about 5 out of 10, that settles within an hour, with no more swelling or stiffness the next morning. If it's worse the next day, do a little less (a smaller range, fewer reps, a lighter band), not nothing.

The exceptions: pain in one spot on a bone should be pain-free, because it could be a stress fracture; burning, tingling or numbness means stop that movement; and if your feet are numb, pain won't warn you, so check your skin after exercise.

For a pinch at the front, from our anterior ankle impingement guide. Bending the ankle up under load (squats, lunges, stairs, the knee-to-wall rock, landings, plié): stay short of the sharp pinch at the front of the ankle. A stretch in the back of the calf is fine; a pinch at the front is not. Let the depth come back over weeks (our suggestion).

For the Achilles, from our Achilles guide. This site's suggested rule: pain during exercise up to 5 out of 10, back to its usual level by the next morning, and not creeping up week on week. If it is worse the next morning, lighten the load for a few sessions rather than stopping. In a trial of 38 people, carrying on with activity under a pain-monitoring model did as well as rest.

If pain climbs day after day, or you notice a warning sign, stop and get it checked. The 5 out of 10 figure is an editorial starting point that matches this site's other pain guides, not a tested rule.

NHS inform's calf and ankle exercises use the same bands (0 to 3 minimal, 4 to 5 acceptable, 6 to 10 excessive), with pain no worse the morning after, and in long-lasting pain, exercise into some pain did no worse than pain-free exercise (7 trials, 385 people). For lunges (our suggestion, built on the same rules): use the stride, depth and load at which the last reps stay at 5 out of 10 or less with no sharp pinch at the front of the ankle, and the ankle is no stiffer or more swollen the next morning. If it is, go back one step (a longer stride, a shallower lunge, reverse instead of forward), not to nothing.

Sources 33, 26, 34

The exercise plan: 3 stages

Start at the first stage. Each move opens a full guide with a 3D demo.

Stage 1

Keep lunging without the pinch

About the first 2 weeks: a split squat you can do without the pinch (a long stride, a short range), plus calf, ankle and balance work from day one. With a diagnosed condition (impingement, Achilles tendinopathy, chronic instability, a cartilage lesion or arthritis), that guide's plan can replace this one; after a fresh sprain, our sprain guide comes first; after a fracture or surgery, your clinic's plan does.

Split squat demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSplit squatIntermediate · No equipment

2 to 3 sets of 8 each leg, a stride of about one leg's length, a short range, holding a wall, front heel down · Editorial. The stride is our reading, borrowed from split squats in healthy men, and matches the site's lunge guide

Easier: Bodyweight squat · Harder: Reverse lunge

Ankle CARs (controlled articular rotations) demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoAnkle CARs (controlled articular rotations)Beginner · No equipment

5 slow circles each way with each ankle, morning and evening (our editorial starting point). While an ankle is stiff, an NHS leaflet suggests ankle range exercises regularly through the day. · The move page's dose. A smaller circle if the front pinches, as the move page says

Easier: Ankle circles · Harder: Toes-tucked kneeling (toe squat)

Isometric calf raise hold demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoIsometric calf raise holdBeginner · A wall

5 holds of 30 to 45 seconds, once or twice a day. An editorial starting point: the 2024 Achilles guideline lists isometric loading among the effective types of tendon loading, but this dose is not from a trial. · The move page's dose. For back-of-ankle pain

Easier: Seated bent-knee calf raise (soleus raise) · Harder: Slow calf raise

Seated bent-knee calf raise (soleus raise) demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSeated bent-knee calf raise (soleus raise)Beginner · A bench or box

2 to 3 at a time, building to sets of 8, 2 to 3 times a day, up to 2 sets of 15 · NHS inform's seated heel raise, with its pacing

Harder: Slow calf raise

Band ankle eversion demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoBand ankle eversionBeginner · A band + A bench or box

2 to 3 sets of 5 to 8 · As in our ankle squatting guide (editorial)

Easier: Isometric ankle eversion against a wall · Harder: Single-leg stand

Single-leg stand demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSingle-leg standBeginner · A wall

Up to 30 s, a few times a day, near a support · As in our ankle squatting guide (editorial)

Easier: Tandem stance and heel-to-toe walk · Harder: Single-leg reach matrix

Move on when: Split squats at your chosen stride and depth pass the pain rule with no sharp pinch, and the ankle is no stiffer or more swollen the next morning, for a week (editorial).

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Stage 2

Build calf strength, ankle bend and control

About weeks 2 to 6, strength 3 days a week and range most days: stronger calves through more of their range, side-to-side ankle strength, ankle bend coming back short of the pinch, and the reverse lunge.

Reverse lunge demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoReverse lungeIntermediate · No equipment

3 sets of 8 each leg, a long step back, the front heel down, a short range first · As in our knee lunge guide (editorial). It asked less of the front ankle than the forward lunge in a lab study

Easier: Split squat · Harder: Split squat with dumbbells

Slow calf raise demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSlow calf raiseBeginner · A wall

2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15, holding a support · As in our ankle squatting guide (editorial)

Easier: Seated bent-knee calf raise (soleus raise) · Harder: Standing dumbbell calf raise

Single-leg calf raise from a step demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSingle-leg calf raise from a stepIntermediate · A step + A wall

10 to 15, rest, repeat 3 times, once a day; heels not below the step, and on the flat floor with pain where the Achilles meets the heel · As in our ankle squatting guide (editorial); the flat floor for pain at the heel is the Dutch Achilles guideline's advice. Keep a hand on a rail, as the move page says

Easier: Slow calf raise · Harder: Single-leg pogo hops

Knee-to-wall ankle rock demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoKnee-to-wall ankle rockBeginner · A wall

10 slow rocks per side, daily · The move page's dose. Stop at a stretch in the calf, never a pinch at the front

Band ankle inversion demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoBand ankle inversionBeginner · A band + A bench or box

2 to 3 sets of 5 to 8 · As in our ankle squatting guide (editorial)

Harder: Single-leg calf raise from a step

Tibialis raise demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoTibialis raiseBeginner · No equipment

3 sets of 10, lifting only as far as it doesn't pinch · As in our anterior ankle impingement guide (editorial)

Harder: Single-leg tibialis raise

Move on when: 15 single-leg calf raises from the floor are comfortable, and reverse lunges pass the pain rule for 3 sets of 8 with no sharp pinch (editorial; the 15 calf raises as in our anterior ankle impingement guide).

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Stage 3

Back to forward and walking lunges, load and sport

From about week 6, often later, 2 or 3 leg sessions a week: your usual lunges, then load, then landings and your sport, one change at a time, by the written steps below. No study has tested a return to lunges after ankle pain, so the order is editorial.

Dumbbell reverse lunge demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoDumbbell reverse lungeIntermediate · A dumbbell

3 sets of 8 to 12 each leg · As in our knee and hip lunge guides (editorial)

Easier: Reverse lunge · Harder: Barbell walking lunge

Bodyweight walking lunge demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoBodyweight walking lungeIntermediate · No equipment

2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 steps each leg, stopping with 2 or 3 reps in reserve (our editorial starting point). · The move page's dose. Feet hip-width apart, a long step

Easier: Bodyweight squat · Harder: Barbell walking lunge

Dumbbell lunge demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoDumbbell lungeIntermediate · A dumbbell

3 sets of 8 to 12 each leg, a long step, one dumbbell held at your chest first · As in our knee lunge guide (editorial)

Easier: Reverse lunge · Harder: Barbell walking lunge

Rear-foot-elevated split squat (Bulgarian split squat) demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoRear-foot-elevated split squat (Bulgarian split squat)Intermediate · A bench or box

2 to 3 sets of 6 to 10 each leg, last · As in our knee and hip lunge guides (editorial). Pad the top of the back foot, and use a lower bench if the front of the back ankle or the top of the foot hurts (our suggestion)

Easier: Reverse lunge · Harder: Split squat jump

Single-leg reach matrix demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSingle-leg reach matrixIntermediate · No equipment

3 rounds of 5 reaches in each direction, each leg (our editorial starting point). In trials in athletes, neuromuscular (balance and control) training lengthened reaches on the test and roughly halved ankle injuries. · The move page's dose

Easier: Standing crossed-leg side reach · Harder: Single-leg Romanian deadlift

Ankle bounces (mini pogo) demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoAnkle bounces (mini pogo)Beginner · No equipment

4 sets of 20, on alternate days · As in our anterior ankle impingement guide (editorial), for sports that jump and land

Harder: Pogo hops

Move on when: Walking and weighted lunges at your usual stride and depth pass the pain rule for 2 weeks: then deficit and jumping lunges and your sport. If a session flares it, drop back a stage for a few days, not to nothing (editorial).

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

What to change for now

Your lunge for now (written steps)

Our 3D figure can't show your stride, your depth or where your heels sit. These steps come from the site's lunge guides, lab studies, reviews and NHS inform; no trial has tested a change to the lunge for ankle pain, and each step names its source or says it is our suggestion.

1. Stride: about one leg's length front to back, so the front heel stays down and the front shin stays nearer upright (our reading, borrowed from split squats in 20 healthy men; a longer stride also raised calf activity, so build it gradually if the Achilles is sore).
2. Width: feet hip-width apart, "railway tracks, not a tightrope", as our lunge guide says; an in-line stance made the front leg sway more.
3. Depth: to just short of the pinch at the front of the ankle, building a few centimetres at a time over weeks (our suggestion).
4. Direction: split squats and reverse lunges first, then forward and walking lunges, then deficit and jumping lunges last (editorial; the forward lunge asked more of the front ankle).
5. Heel: if the front pinches and your kneecap is fine, try a small plate under the front heel to cut the ankle bend (our suggestion: heel lifts are used for impingement, but no study has tested one in a lunge).
6. Back foot: keep most of your weight on the front foot and tuck the back toes only as far as is comfortable; pad the top of the foot on a bench (our reading; no study covers the back foot).
7. Load: bodyweight first, then a light dumbbell at your chest, then dumbbells at your sides, then a bar (editorial; added weight raised the ankle's work). NHS inform advises avoiding sports or heavy lifting until you have less discomfort and good movement.
8. Volume: fewer lunge sets for 2 to 4 weeks, keeping the rest of your training going (editorial).

Sources 3, 5, 1, 2, 15, 6, 22

After a sprain, and keep moving

After a fresh sprain, follow our sprain guide first: the NHS advises avoiding strenuous exercise such as running for up to 8 weeks, and split squats to a short range can come back once you walk normally (our suggestion). Resting the ankle completely rarely helps: NHS inform says Achilles pain does not improve with rest, and after the first 48 hours of a new ankle problem it says to try to use your leg more. Early exercise after a sprain improved function without more reinjury in a trial.

Sources 23, 22, 24, 30

Everyday life and sport (written steps)

Our suggestions unless a source is named.

1. Walking and stairs: as usual; stairs one at a time with the rail if the front of the ankle pinches, as our ankle stairs guide says.
2. Kneeling and gardening: a cushion under the back knee, and the back toes tucked only as far as is comfortable.
3. Running: flat routes before hills, as our impingement guide says.
4. Court sports and football: a lace-up brace for sport while the ankle gives way; a guideline backs a brace to prevent repeat sprains.
5. Dance and fencing: shallow lunges in warm-ups until they are pinch-free.

Source 29

Positions to swap, and why

Habit or position	Why it matters	Instead
A short stride with the knee driven far past the toes	It bends the front ankle most and loads the kneecap more.	A stride of about one leg's length.Try: Split squat
Lunging deep into a pinch at the front of the ankle	The front of the joint closing is what hurts in impingement.	Stop just short of the pinch.Try: Split squat
Forward and walking lunges first	They asked more of the front ankle than reverse lunges in a lab study.	Reverse lunges first.Try: Reverse lunge
Feet in a line, like a tightrope	More sideways sway, and an ankle that gives way rolls more (our reading).	Feet hip-width apart, with balance work.Try: Single-leg stand
Heavy weighted lunges while it's sore	Added weight raised the ankle's work.	Bodyweight or a light dumbbell.Try: Dumbbell reverse lunge
Pushing hard off the back toes with a sore Achilles or big toe	It loads the back calf and bends the toes back (our reading; no study covers it).	Most of your weight on the front foot, a gentle push from the back foot, and calf strength.Try: Isometric calf raise hold
Resting the top of the back foot on a hard bench edge	It presses the top of the foot with the ankle pointed (our reading).	A padded, lower bench, or a split squat.Try: Split squat
Pushing the knee-to-wall rock into a pinch	Our impingement guide says a pinch means you're jamming the joint.	Stop at a calf stretch.Try: Seated calf stretch with a towel
Jumping lunges and deep landings while it pinches	Impact at full ankle bend (our reasoning, as our impingement guide says).	Small, quick bounces later.Try: Ankle bounces (mini pogo)
Long calf stretches or daily foam rolling "to fix" ankle mobility	Stretching adds a few degrees over weeks; stride and depth change the demand at once.	The knee-to-wall rock within comfort, and calf strength.Try: Knee-to-wall ankle rock
Resting the ankle completely	Achilles pain doesn't improve with rest, and early exercise helped after sprains.	The stage 1 moves.Try: Ankle CARs (controlled articular rotations)

Routines to follow

Learn to lunge: split squat to walking lunge

A 25-minute session from the split squat to the walking lunge: ankle and balance prep, slow split squats, reverse lunges, then walking lunges.

25 minBeginner11 movesA wall, A bench or box

Foot and ankle strengthening routine: toes, arches, calves and balance

A 15-minute barefoot routine for stronger toes, arches, calves and ankles, finishing with balance. You need only a towel, a wall and a resistance band.

15 minBeginner11 movesA wall, Other / check instructions

Balance exercises routine

Balance practice in 10 minutes: tandem stance, single-leg stands, marches, heel walks, tree pose and floor transfers.

10 minBeginner7 movesA wall, A bench or box

Springy starter: calf strength and gentle bounces

A beginner's springy session: calf strength first, then heel drops, calf springs and gentle bounces, building towards skipping and pogo hops.

20 minBeginner11 movesA wall, A step

Strength workout for runners at home

A 40-minute strength workout for runners at home: hops, Bulgarian split squats, single-leg deadlifts, step-ups, calf raises and side planks.

40 minIntermediate15 movesA wall, A bench or box

More moves for this area

Questions people ask

Why does my ankle hurt when I do lunges?

The front ankle bends a long way under load in a lunge, and the back foot pushes off on its toes, so anything sore around the ankle can show up there. Where it hurts is the best clue: a pinch at the front of the front ankle points to impingement, the cord above the back heel to the Achilles, and an ankle that wobbles after old sprains to instability.

Why does the front of my ankle pinch at the bottom of a lunge?

Usually the front of the joint closing as your shin moves forward, from bone spurs, pinched soft tissue after sprains, or both. Lengthen your stride, lunge less deep and try reverse lunges; work just short of the pinch while it settles.

How long should my lunge stride be?

About one leg's length, measured from hip to ankle. In a lab study of split squats in healthy men, that cut the front ankle's bend from about 14 degrees to about 3, though the longest steps made feet slip. It is our reading for sore ankles, not a tested treatment.

Are reverse lunges easier on the ankles?

A little: the turning force at the front ankle was lower in reverse lunges than forward lunges in a lab study, and the ankle bent about the same. Start with reverse lunges and split squats.

Why does my Achilles hurt after lunges?

Usually Achilles tendinopathy, from pushing off the back foot or a deep front ankle bend; pain right where the tendon meets the heel is insertional pain. Calf strengthening for at least 12 weeks helps, on the flat floor first for pain at the heel. A snap at the back of the heel needs a same-day check.

Why do my toes or the ball of my foot hurt in lunges?

Usually the back foot: your toes bend back under load, which a stiff big toe joint or a sore ball of the foot won't like. No study has looked at this, so this is our reading. Keeping most of your weight on the front foot, tucking the back toes only as far as is comfortable, and split squats or step-ups for a while usually help.

Can I do lunges with a sprained ankle?

Not in the first days: follow our sprain guide, and get an X-ray if you couldn't take four steps or the bony points of the ankle are tender. Once you walk normally, split squats to a short range within the pain rule are fine. The NHS advises avoiding strenuous exercise such as running for up to 8 weeks.

My ankle wobbles in lunges. What should I do?

Keep your feet hip-width apart, not in a line, hold a support, and add balance work: balance training gave the most consistent improvements in ankles that keep giving way. An ankle that keeps giving way months after a sprain needs a GP or physiotherapist.

Do I need better ankle mobility to lunge?

Not first: a longer stride and a shallower lunge cut the ankle's demand at once. Calf stretching and the knee-to-wall rock add a few degrees over weeks.

Do I need an X-ray or a scan?

Not for pain that builds up in lunges, at first. After a twist or fall, the Ottawa rules decide on an X-ray; for a pinch that won't settle, the examination matters more than the scan.

When should I see a doctor?

Call 999 or go to A&E after an injury with a crack, a changed shape or severe pain. Get help the same day if you can't put weight on it, felt a snap at the back of the heel, or have a hot, swollen ankle or a swollen, throbbing calf. See a GP or physiotherapist if it isn't better after 2 weeks or keeps coming back; in the US, call 911 where this page says 999.

Related exercise guides

Sources

Exercise education, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. It is written from the guidelines and studies listed above; review by a clinician is pending. If your pain follows an injury, is severe, is getting worse, or comes with any warning sign listed on this page, get it assessed. Health disclaimer.

When to get help first

Get urgent medical help if

See a doctor or physiotherapist if

Where does it hurt?

Understand it

What a lunge asks of each ankle, and what no study has countedEmerging evidence

The front of the ankle: "it pinches at the bottom of the lunge"Emerging evidence

The back foot: our reading, with no study behind it

"It started after an old sprain": stiffness and giving wayEmerging evidence

When a scan or test mattersStrong evidence

How it usually goesEmerging evidence

What helps, and how strong the evidence is

Stride: about one leg's length (our reading, borrowed from split squats)Emerging evidence

Reverse before forward, light before heavyEmerging evidence

Impingement: rehab first, despite limited evidenceEmerging evidence

The Achilles: progressive calf strengtheningStrong evidence

An ankle that gives way: balance and exerciseStrong evidence

How much pain is OK while you exercise?

Up to 5 out of 10, settled within an hour, and no pinch at the frontEmerging evidence

The exercise plan: 3 stages

Keep lunging without the pinch

Build calf strength, ankle bend and control

Back to forward and walking lunges, load and sport

What to change for now

Your lunge for now (written steps)

After a sprain, and keep moving

Everyday life and sport (written steps)

Positions to swap, and why

Routines to follow

Learn to lunge: split squat to walking lunge

Foot and ankle strengthening routine: toes, arches, calves and balance

Balance exercises routine

Springy starter: calf strength and gentle bounces

Strength workout for runners at home

More moves for this area

Questions people ask

Related exercise guides

Other pain guides

Sources