ankle flexibility and foot arch: how should it feel on the ground?

[AndreaC]

Hello, 

I started the squat drills since a couple of weeks, and in doing the exercises, I am getting confused about how the sole of my foot should feel on the ground. I have attached an image showing normal foot, supination and pronation for reference.

lets take the E1-calf exercises:

In the video, Kit explains that we should maintain a proper foot arch by rotating the leg outward. I tend to rotate the leg until the sole of my foot feels like is supineted, i.e. I feel the exterior of my foot well in contact with the ground so that the arch is lifted. However, when I go into the stretch I feel a sharp pain  (like having someone practicing a ju-jutsu lever on me) more or less in proximity of the junction between the cuboid and the calcaneous bones, as per the figure attached. If I don't concentrate too much on the foot arch, I can instead stretch more easily and actually feel the tension on the muscles, but I feel like the foot is pronating

my questions are: 

- is there something like over-supination when doing these drills?

- is the image of the normal foot position a good guideline for what it should feel when doing these drills? 

many thanks!

 

 

 

[Kit_L]

@AndreaC: that sharp sensation you feel at the front of the ankle is impingement. It's probably the navicular, but also could be in the region you identified. The solution is to stretch the top of the foot and ankle first, to loosen muscles and fascia.

The easiest way to do this is to sit on the floor, fold one leg with its foot pointed out direct behind you, lift that hip away from the floor, grasp the calf muscle and roll it out of the way sideways, then settle down as much as you can onto the floor and then try to lift the knee away from the floor. If your hips are not level, put a support under the other hip. This position stretches the instep and the front of the ankle.

Then try the exercise you were talking about, trying to keep the foot neutral as best you can, but this is an optimal position rather than an absolutely necessary position. A slight amount of pronation will not do any harm, but it simply weakens the maximum effect of the exercise. This will improve over time.

A suggestion to everyone reading here: all the ways any exercises are demonstrated in our system are the optimal positions (as best we can demo. them!). Just get as close to optimal position as you can and don't worry too much about the fine detail, in the beginning anyway. When you go back and repeat any exercises, that's the time when you try to make the position closer to optimal. Remember that old adage: perfect is the enemy of good.

[AndreaC]

Many thanks Kit, 

It is interesting that you mention stretching the top of the foot. I am recovering from a plantar fasciitis, and recently spent quite a lot of time stretching the foot as you suggested: the tibialis anterior and the muscles close to the foot neck felt super tight, and that type of stretching provided relief. 

I'll try this immediately before the calf exercises and see how it goes!

[Nathan]

For anyone reading and finding it difficult to visualize what Kit describes above, you can see him demonstrate here (cued to 11:14): 

 

[Kit_L]

I knew we had it somewhere, but could not recall where! Thanks @Nathan.