Your ankle is the joint that connects your foot to your leg. It's that knobby part where your leg bends when you walk, run, or jump. The ankle works like a hinge, letting your foot move up and down and tilt from side to side.

The ankle is one of the hardest-working joints in your body. Every step you take puts pressure on it, and it has to be both strong enough to support your weight and flexible enough to let you move smoothly. Athletes rely on strong ankles for quick changes of direction: basketball players pivot on them, soccer players use them to control the ball, and gymnasts need stable ankles for landing.

Ankles can be vulnerable to injury. A sprained ankle happens when you roll or twist your ankle suddenly, stretching or tearing the ligaments (tough bands that hold the joint together). This is one of the most common sports injuries. Ice, rest, and sometimes a supportive wrap can help sprained ankles heal.

People sometimes wear ankle weights when exercising to make their legs work harder, or ankle bracelets as jewelry. The expression biting at someone's ankles means pestering them with small, annoying attacks, like a yappy little dog nipping at a person's heels.