Kit_L Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 A freebie for today: https://vimeo.com/140036358 If you can put your lateral malleolus on the floor, you can't sprain your ankles (assuming bare feet or five fingers). Enjoy! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Thanks Kit! I've never really run into this limitation as I have plenty of tightness in other areas, but I just tested my eversion and it seems quite hideous! This is a really nice little exercise that would be easy to do throughout the day when just standing around somewhere. My ankles have always been quite resilient for whatever reason, but I'm sure adding this can only help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmet Louis Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Kit: Have you tried the foot wedged into the corner pu bu? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkusO Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Nice stretch! I like to walk this way sometimes for short distances (easier with shoes on as there is some leverage) to strengthen that range Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thanners Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Am I misunderstanding the usage here? I thought this was inversion, rather than eversion (at least I'm sure that last time I sprained my ankle from it going in this direction was called an inversion sprain).. Or was the eversion used with respect to the direction of the contraction? Regardless of terminology, this is a movement I've found that does sometimes help to get that ankle feeling more comfortable that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MT Nordic Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 you are correct, thanners. should be inversion. although technically inversion just means moving in, and eversion, moving out. So you could argue that foot inversion is caused by ankle eversion.... Medically speaking, though, we would say this was inversion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ciaran Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 You are stretching the ankle everters though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rik Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 You drop on the outside of the foot, rolling your ankle out. Terminology like this is just confusing. It's like telling people to supinate their hands in back lever, they won't know wtf to do. Just tell 'em "thumbs out" and they'll get it everytime. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kit_L Posted September 22, 2015 Author Share Posted September 22, 2015 I must have had a senior's moment (common when performing to camera while having to be concerned with the 10,000 things that a decent recording requires!). Supination or inversion is the correct term. But Phi's point is the more pertinent, I feel; this place should be a jargon-free zone as far as clarity permits. You drop on the outside of the foot, rolling your ankle out. That movement. I have edited the title to include all suggestions. And (@ Emmett), no, as I am trying to strengthen the adductors as much as possible. That is an option though, and I do have a place that is perfect for this, so will use this as an alternative. Thanks everyone; I will edit the title, but keep the video as is (a reminder to pay attention). 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 Oof. I remember as a kid that I could put my ankle all the way on the ground and walk around like that. Now... Hardly any ROM 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyW Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 Thank you for this, Kit! I have been working on ankle dorsiflexion but have not worked the side-to-side movement until yesterday when I tried your video. Although it was easy to understand, my ankles were so stiff hardly anything moved and I wasn't getting much stretch. So today I modified by wearing shoes and pressing the entire bottom of my foot into the flat side of a 40 pound dumbbell - the shoe and dumbbell stabilized my foot so i could put more tension on the ankle. Wow! After about 10 seconds I felt and heard a loud pop! pop! in my ankle that left me speechless while I assessed whether there was any damage. Then I suddenly broke out in goosebumps over my whole body. After about 30 seconds I was brave enough to walk around and make sure everything was OK. My ankle felt like it was light as a feather! The difference in feeling between the two ankles was so drastic I had to repeat the stretch on the other side. No popping on that side, but an incredibly freeing stretch. To assess whether I really had gained mobility, I tried Tree Pose, the classic yoga pose balancing on one leg. Although I have been practicing advanced yoga for many years, standing balancing poses are my nemesis since my ankles were so locked I couldn't make small shifts to change weight distribution. I am thrilled to say that I was able to balance easily for 60 seconds each side and could tell that my ankles were actually making micro-movements! This is awesome!!! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kit_L Posted September 23, 2015 Author Share Posted September 23, 2015 Amazing physical reaction, no? I like the goosebumps part, particularly. When some adhesion lets go like this, the body's reaction can be dramatic. Great result. Personally, when trying a new movement, I like to go very gently in the initial explorations (just in case I get near to breaking something). Speaking more generally, most 'knee' problems have their genesis in restrictions in either the ankle or hips joints (and most likely both). If the ankles can't move in some plane, something else has to. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDowd Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Ahh, tight ankles - a very personal issue for me! Kit - did you ever release your post-fatigue stretching protocol that Olivia used to get her ankles more flexible? I played soccer my whole life and I have high arched feet so my ankles are super stiff compared to my hips! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kit_L Posted October 3, 2015 Author Share Posted October 3, 2015 Shane, no, it will be on of the first programs we do on our return. For people with high, usually tight/somewhat rigid, feet, all the ankle exercises from the Master the Squat series will be helpful. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oliviaa Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 To StaceyW: I had a similar experience to you. Years of gymnastics training, with beam being my best apparatus, so thought I had decent balance skills. When I came to ST classes I was hopeless at many of the static balance poses, on two feet let alone one! The thing that woke up my balance was learning to squat on a Swiss ball – instant need for all the intrinsic muscles in the feet to wake up, and the slight slope of the ball seemed to work well in my very tight feet/ankles/calves. Plus, it's great fun! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyW Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 That's a great idea, Olivia! Also good to know that you've had the same problem and were able to "wake up" those muscles. I now have hope and a plan! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Spriggs I Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Good morning, Thanks Kit and few others, your advice has helped with my flat feet. I see improvement and still do exercises. So I have another issue and hope you can help. I sprained my ankle playing basketball , the one I sprained four to five years ago. I did RICE method. After four weeks it was still slightly swollen and was weak as I tried to return to activities. So I saw podiatrist and he put me in an aircast and told me to take aleve twice day for two weeks and then review progress. Should I just be in the cast or be trying strengthen the ankle? My appointment is Thursday and if its not better to 100, then he recommends a cortisone shot. Whatever gets it to health, because I'm tired of being out of commission. Any advice? For now and future ankle issues? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederik Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Good morning C, This might be off-topic enough to warrant moving your post, I will let it stand for the moment. We cannot do diagnosis or treatment over the Internet. It would depend on how advanced your sprain was (graded 1-3), whether there is laxity a the ligaments, and in what direction you sprained it and of course pain? I am not sure the RICE protocol is gold standard anymore, at least not outside a very narrow parameters. The tide is moving to towards early mobilization, some recommend using the mnemonic: RICEM (instead with the M standing for mobilization). You come from the land of lawyers, so take my advice for what it is. General advice, not treatment. I would encourage you to take ownership of your own body. If go to a podiatrist you are almost guaranteed to end up with a cast, insert or similar treatment. That is what is in their toolbox. You might be able to find a few odd ones who recommend certain exercises, but they will be few and far in between. Cortisone will kill any inflammation, at least temporarily, but will do nothing to strengthen or inherently improve the condition. What I would do with that type of injury: Early mobilization, ditch the cast: Move your foot in every possible direction! Walk. Strengthen the area, look at the flat feet thread, many excellent exercises there, just work in your way in some of the more intense ones gradually. Work on your lower body strength. Do not take up basketball to soon, as in when you are out of pain, but still have not gotten traction with the rehab protocol. Ligaments are slow to heal, and many people end up with a chronic problem because they do not do a proper rehabbing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Spriggs I Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Thanks Frederick....yes, sorry if I have requested anything beyond the measures. But will definitely adhere to this advice. Yes, remove post, if it violates something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederik Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 On second thought your question it is a useful addendum. I what direction did you sprain your ankle? If I personally had experienced a sprain with ankle going into inversion (as the exercise above mimics) I would consider in time to strengthen exactly these tissues, rather than avoiding the position and thereby not loading them. If the tissues are weak then it will be a very fine line to load them, but not re-injure them. Ligaments take a long time to heal. But, ultimately this is what will give the head room to avoid injuries in the future. Try looking at the exercises where weight is put on the inside and outside of the feet, in the thread I linked to, but please be gentle. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kit_L Posted October 7, 2015 Author Share Posted October 7, 2015 My comment is general and not directed to any individual: this thing you live in is robust. It repairs itself in incredible ways, if it's given just a few elements: adequate nutrition and sufficient rest, in the early stages, then stretching stressors and resistance stressors in the later stages—the completion of this process being the injured part is now strong enough for what you need to do, and feels 'right'. If you go to see a specialist (of any kind) do not be surprised if they prescribe a device or drugs: this is what they can offer. But is it necessary? Limp for a while, take care, and see what happens. Please stop treating yourselves as though your body will fall apart without these crutches. Re. basketball: one of the main reasons ankle sprains are so common (and some can be catastrophic in extent) is the footwear everyone uses: way too much cushioning and the extra leverage on the calcaneum that this padding creates. @C Spriggs I: no one will delete your post; we do not do that here. It has provided a platform for useful comments; we try to do that here. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederik Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 @C: No, your post will not be deleted, I was less than clear. Only reason to delete a post is if it is offensive, rude or an obvious double post. I was speaking as a moderator considering whether it was better to create a separate thread, or move your post to another thread more specifically covering your question. Mostly this is to facilitate ease of use of the forums for other forum members, which in the end would give you a better answer. Most posts should be easy to find with a simple search, but very few people seem to be using that function! @Kit: Maybe even anti-fragile? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kit_L Posted October 8, 2015 Author Share Posted October 8, 2015 Definitely #Anti-TAF, too, as well as Anti-Fragile! Can the inventor of that hash-tag comment, please. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyW Posted October 18, 2015 Share Posted October 18, 2015 To StaceyW: I had a similar experience to you. Years of gymnastics training, with beam being my best apparatus, so thought I had decent balance skills. When I came to ST classes I was hopeless at many of the static balance poses, on two feet let alone one! The thing that woke up my balance was learning to squat on a Swiss ball – instant need for all the intrinsic muscles in the feet to wake up, and the slight slope of the ball seemed to work well in my very tight feet/ankles/calves. Plus, it's great fun! Olivia, I finally got a Swiss ball and tried squatting on it. Wow! Are you balancing with a free-rolling ball? I penned mine in so it couldn't roll around and just the subtle movement as I squatted on it made my feet, ankles and legs feel like they were on fire after just a few minutes. This is fantastic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oliviaa Posted October 20, 2015 Share Posted October 20, 2015 Hi Stacey Yes, balancing on a free rolling ball. You can start with it less inflated and/or on a thickish mat in order to slow down its movement: this is better than pinning it IMO. Also, practise kneeling on the ball also, as this helps wake up the whole system and is easier than squatting. Have fun! Cheers Olivia 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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