ankle/foot strengthening exercises?

[hollyberry]

Well, with all this shoe talk...
I have weak-ish ankles and have twisted them both (dancing in high heels lol). I also do aerobics regularly. I stopped running on treadmills, b/c 1. I hate it and 2. It was causing me to have pain/swelling in both my ankles. I love my aerobics and hate the thought of having to quit due to another injury or pain! I'm going to have to buy more suppotive shoes, but other than that are there some good excercises I could be doing? I have braces, but really, they don't *do* anything. What about foot streches/exercises?
Thanks in advance!

[ynaffit]

this is what we did to stretch achilles tendons in gymnastics: get on the floor on your hands and with your legs stretched out behind you far enough that you can't get your feet all the way flat on the floor. bend one leg while keeping the other straight and pushing the heel of that straight leg toward the floor. do it with both legs straight, also. i know that's a bad description. i need a picture. google images gives a bunch of results for a standing one. if you google "achilles stretch" you'll find instructions for that one.

we were also told that rotating wrists frequently would make them stronger. if it's true, it should apply to ankles as well.

lowering and raising your heels while standing on the balls of your feet on the edge of a stair might help, too.

[remilard]

Balance yourself, barefoot, on a basketball for as long as you can, if you can't do it for a few minutes (likely at first) repeat.

[zoebird]

First, i recommend reading the article on Yoga Journal's web site about feet written by tias little: From the Ground Up (http://yogajournal.com/practice/583_1.cfm). it gives a great explaination about foot structure and how to develop the basic strength of the foot, particularly for people with flat feet. Even if you don't have flat feet, it's a great article.

they also have an article for standing poses which is brief and pretty good: Help for Standing Poses (Take a Stand) (http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/658_1.cfm?ctsrc=sectnav).

I recommend standing balancing poses moving in different directions from the core. YOu can do them modified just to work the foot and ankle, and if you do a few, it only takes about 5 minutes or so.

Here's a brief practice:

1. Uttitha Hasta Padagustasana (http://yogadancer.com/Pages/Padangusthasana.shtml#Ashtanga1): Bring your knee into your chest, keeping the hip moving ddoward and the chest lifting. it's important to elongate the spine, making sure that the hips are level with each other. This is the modified version of the pose, so if you'd like to stay with the knee in the chest, it's a good idea. If you'd like to continue, reach around the outside of the leg, hugging the knee into the chest, and then extend the leg forward through the heel. Your leg doesn't have to be straight, you're mainly focusing on balance. After a few breaths here, rotate out of the hip, taking the leg or foot out to the side.

2. Virabhadrasana III (http://yogadancer.com/Pages/Virabhadrasana.shtml#Three): this is Warrior III pose. The full version has the arms reaching overhead. the modified version has the hands on the hips or the arms along your sides reaching back. I prefer hands on hips when i'm modifying this pose.

3. Ardha Chandrasana (http://yogadancer.com/Pages/Chandra.shtml#Ardha):This posture is a bit tricky, but an amazing pose. The real trick to it is that everything is firm. Arch lifting, knee cap lifting (quadriceps engaged), belly in, extended leg is flexed, and then, hand to hip, and if you can, hand to ceiling. I love this pose.

4. )Prasarita Padottanasana (http://de.ashtangayoga.info/asana-vinyasa/fundamental-asanas/5a-Prasarita-Padottanasana-A.html): (this web site is in german, but it's mostly for the pictureThese are Wide Leg Forward bends. stand with your feet about 4 or so feet apart. Lift your arches, ankles, and engage your quadriceps. Gently fold forward and bring your hands to the floor. move the weight of the pose to the outter edges of your feet, lifting your ankles as high as you can. also move the weight gently forward toward your toes (heels stay grounded). this is a great stretch for the ankles and a great way to strengthen feet.

Here's the way i like to do this sequence--vinyasa style. Start by entering Uttitha Hasta Padagustasana. Do five breaths in the first part of it, then five breaths with the foot out to the side. Then, bring it back to center. Gently float back into Virabhdrasana III. Hold this for five breaths. Bring the hands to heart center and then walk them down the leg bringing them to the floor. Move into Ardha Chandrasana and hold that for five breaths. Bring both hands to the floor again, and then bend the standing leg until your chest is on your thigh. extend the upper (extended) leg back and come into a basic lunge with the feet about 4 feet apart. Then, walk your hands toward the center between your legs, turning your toes inward toward each other and your heels out. This sets you up for Prasarita Padottanasana. After maintaining that pose for 5 breaths, move back into the lunge, and then walk the back leg to the front. Come to standing and do the other side.

[markc7]

Here's a very simple one: draw the alphabet with your feet a couple times a day. By the end your ankles might feel a bit tired, but it's something you can do while sitting or watching TV.

[zoebird]

mark:

would one use the toe, the heel, or the whole foot (with arch lifted, etc)? (serious question)

[hollyberry]

good suggestions, thank you!

zoebird: I will try those poses. We actually do one of those in one of my classes!

mark: I have the same question as zoebird. I'm picturing--sitting back (not quite lying resting on my arms) with one leg in the air, foot pointed, drawing with my big toe--switch.

I'll have to pick up a basketball too!

[zoebird]

glad that it's helpful to you.

[AngelOfDance]

in dance, we're told to do "ankle pushups"

basically, stand barefoot or in socks/stockings. we're told to stand in first position (heels together,toes apart) but I don't know if that's essential. then just raise up on tiptoe and then down again. do it while you're brushing your teeth, waiting in line, talking on the phone, etc.

that and... get a resistance band, put it around your foot, and point and flex your foot. This can also be done with a pair of old tights if you don't want to invest in a band.

or tendus... stand straight, feet parallel, and draw a straight line with your toe as far forward as you can, keeping both knees straight and your working knee forward. do the same to the side and back, keeping knees straight and forward.

then turn your feet out to first position, and do the same, keeping your knees aligned with your toes and the inside of your foot facing forward. when you do tendu to the side in first position, go with the natural line of your foot, not straight out. If your feet are only turned out 90 degrees: (like this: \/ rather than like this -- ) then your tendu should be at 90. Don't force your turnout, either, or you could hurt your knees.

that's what I've got right now. I'll post more if I remember them.

[zoebird]

i have to admit, i'm not thrilled about the ball idea. it just seems dangerous and unnecessary. particularly if you can't balance on a bare foot to begin with.

i'm just concerned. do whatever ya want.

[Kiz]

Another good incidental exercise is to pick everything up with your feet when you are tidying your house. Use your toes like fingers. Saves your back and knees from bending, too!

[remilard]

i have to admit, i'm not thrilled about the ball idea. it just seems dangerous and unnecessary. particularly if you can't balance on a bare foot to begin with.

i'm just concerned. do whatever ya want.

I don't recall the OP claiming she had balance problems.

It works fine for the UNC men's basketball program.

I've done this thousands of times and it doesn't strike me as remotely dangerous, I just do it next to a wall and if I lose balance I can put my hand on the wall.

[zoebird]

that's a good idea.

the thing to me is that i've seen this drill before and watched the ball go flying and the individuals land and twist ankles and whatever else.

i think that if i were to do it, i would do it only after i felt confident of my balance on solid ground. Then, i'd do it by a wall or with a chair or something.

i saw a guy in the gym standing on a medicine ball doing curls. that was bad news. the ball went flying, he tore both biceps, his mid back landed on the edge of a machine, his fingers, hand, and wrists were crushed my the falling weights, and he had head injuries. i was thinking, you know, you get the same benefit if you hold your belly right while curling and just focus on the movement.

[remilard]

that's a good idea.

the thing to me is that i've seen this drill before and watched the ball go flying and the individuals land and twist ankles and whatever else.

i think that if i were to do it, i would do it only after i felt confident of my balance on solid ground. Then, i'd do it by a wall or with a chair or something.

i saw a guy in the gym standing on a medicine ball doing curls. that was bad news. the ball went flying, he tore both biceps, his mid back landed on the edge of a machine, his fingers, hand, and wrists were crushed my the falling weights, and he had head injuries. i was thinking, you know, you get the same benefit if you hold your belly right while curling and just focus on the movement.

The guy doing curls is an idiot. I had practiced Tae Kwon Do for sometime before I started the basketball thing so perhaps my balance was better than average and most people would be wise to do balancing exercised on flat ground to work up to it.

That being said, it is an excellent exercise for the feet and most of the stabilizer muscles in the legs.

[Coney]

doing tippy-toe lifts will strengthen your feet and ankles and calf muscles. just stand with your feet shoulder width apart and slowly go up to your toes, then slowly back down again.



The guy doing curls on a medicine ball is just an idiot.

[madder]

Hollyberry

I sprained my ankle quite badly a while ago, and afterwards was spraining it every couple of weeks, just 'going over' on it while walking on flat pavements! Exercises 1 & 2 from this website: http://www.painreliever.com/ankle_exercise.html seemed to strengthen up the joint. Also, standing on one leg, arms out like an 'airplane' and raising the other leg behind you as far as you can and balancing like that for a few seconds.

Good luck!

[markc7]

mark:

would one use the toe, the heel, or the whole foot (with arch lifted, etc)? (serious question)

You would point with all the toes together, so the rotation would be at the ankle. Does that make sense?

The neat thing about this one is that it's not weight bearing, so there's virtually no way you can hurt yourself. But it also encourages a full range of motion in the ankle joint.

[zoebird]

mark:

ah, i see what you mean! thanks!

remi:

that's probably the case (tkd training helped with balance). do you do it with both feet on the ball too? are you barefoot or in shoes?

also, that guys not alone in being an idiot. There are actual training manuels thta teach you how to 'get better core results' by 'training while standing on a ball--basketball, fitness ball, or one of those balance boards.' All of the gyms where i teach allow this technique--even when i've mentioned the dangers and liabilities. Some of the trainers at the gyms where i teach train their clients using these techniques. People who aren't being trained by trainers and are new to gym culture see people using this technique and are inclined to use it.

i forsee that injuries and liabilities will go up before osmeone says 'no standing or sitting on a ball while lifting weights."

[hollyberry]

omg, who would do curls standing on a ball?! that's pretty stupid...

i imagine if i stood on a basketball i would be barefoot for better grip and holding onto something (a wall, counter etc.) to prevent falling (at first). haven't tried it yet though. i have pretty good balance, so i think id be alright.

thanks for the good suggestions everyone!
i cant stop imagining that guy standing on a medicine ball...

[remilard]

Yeah barefoot, should have mentioned that.

Standing by the wall makes it pretty easy to step down once you've lost your balance.

[zoebird]

that makes sense.

i stand on a ball sometimes when i'm teaching, it's mostly for fun when they're in a restorative pose, but i'm near a wall. it is fun if you're safe. but i hadn't thought that i stand on a ball for a few minutes once a week. LOL

[Mskedi]

What AngelofDance said is almost exactly what I was about to say.

Now... if you really want some strong ankles, you can take up tap dancing. :D I've got ankles of steel... of course, I'm sure some of that comes from my history of ballet and the fact that I still do all those exercises AoD mentioned so that I don't injure myself while tap dancing. :)

[skanky]

Try ice skating. That'll get your ankles in shape quick.