Daily trials that life throws at us come in different forms and the sprain of the ankle is just one of those troublesome and painful occurrences. The ankle injuries can damage the connective tissue in our foot, which contributes to immobility, stiffness, and insecurity when walking and let alone running.
Who would have thought that a single step or a curb is capable of putting our robustness at risk? Your interest in this article is proof that every recuperation requires knowledge to put the foot back in its primary state.
The numerous occasions of my clumsiness have encouraged me to gather the list of 8 trustworthy ankle mobility exercises that renew the dorsiflexion of the ankle and also reduce the chances of new trauma.
1. Up-Down and In-Out exercise
To execute this first exercise you will have to sit on the ground and extend your legs in full length. The up-down exercise consists of two simple motions; extending your foot down as much as possible and curling up the foot without the feeling of pain. In-out exercise has a similar nature.
Move your foot in (left) and out (right) as far as you can and as long as you feel at ease. By repeating these two routines 10 to 20 times you will improve your dorsiflexion, which is crucial for efficient jumping, squatting, running and graceful movement.
(You can look for more at boxlifemagazine.com on the Section: How does poor dorsiflexion affect your performance?)
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2. Foot Circles For Gaining Stability
To execute this exercise you will have to sit down and slightly lift up each foot, one at the time. Move your foot in the circle, changing the direction when needed. By curling up your toes you will tighten up the front part of your foot also called intrinsically.
Intrinsic muscles of the foot are responsible for toe movement and also for the support of the arch of the foot. By repeating this ankle mobility exercise 10 to 20 times you will not only mobilize your ankle but also gain back the confidence one step at the time.
3. Stretch With Towel
This exercise requires the sitting positions, with one leg fully extended. Make sure your posture is presentable by straightening up your back and your knee. Hook the towel on the foot of the extended leg and carefully pull the sides so that you bring the toes forward until your feel the tightness in the back of your calf and Achilles tendon.
The Achilles tendon also known as heel cord serves to attach different surrounding muscles to your heel (calcaneus) bone. The “stretch phase” should last 15 seconds and be repeated 4 times.
4. Myofascial Drills With Foam Roller
This ankle mobility exercise is a part of myofascial release alternative medicine that treats muscle immobility by healing contracted tissues and boosting the circulation in the blood and lymphatic system (http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/physical-therapy/myofascial-release-therapy).
To execute this exercise you will have to sit on the ground and extend your legs. Place a firm foam roller right underneath one of the ankles. Slightly lift up your body with the hands and begin the sliding motion, so the roller moves from the Achilles tendon to the upper part of your calf.
5. Step Exercise For Calf Stretching
The human calf consists of triceps surae muscles that are constantly used even when standing and walking. The lack of diverse mobility can stiffen our lower leg and leave us with immobile ankles (http://www.stretching-exercises-guide.com/calf-stretches.html).
You can easily improve your flexibility by giving this stretching exercise a try. Firstly, you will need a step or a stool. Step on the slightly lifted surface only with the half of the foot. Let the weight of your body drop your heel down till you sense the stretch in the lower part of your leg.
6. Wall Exercise For Calf Stretching
To execute this exercise you will have to face the wall and place your hands on the surface just so they are in the height of your eyes. The foot that is causing the pain should be in the back while the other in the front.
By turning your injured foot slightly inwards and leaning towards the wall you will instantly feel the tightness in the back of your calf. Strong calf muscles reduce the chances of getting Achilles tendonitis, which can affect your overall foot performance.(http://www.runnersworld.com/injury-prevention-recovery/how-to-take-care-of-your-calves/slide/1).
7. Pillow Balancing Exercise
This pillow balancing exercise will strengthen not only your feet but also your core and balance ability as well. Knowing your personal limits and capabilities, in relation to gravity, will help you reduce the chances of falling, tripping and slipping on banal obstacles.
The well-trained brain easily interprets the signals of the position in space and therefore sends the action impulses to your muscles in time (http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=755&page=2).
To execute this ankle exercise all you have to do is step with your hurt leg on the pillow and balance on it for 30 to 60 seconds or as long as your condition allows you to.
8. Wall Flexing Exercise
This ankle mobility exercise is excellent for improving dorsiflexion. Dorsiflexion is an ability to bring the top part of your foot towards the shin. The normal upwards movement ranges from 0° to 20°.
To improve your ankle mobility simply face the wall and press the selected foot against the surface just so the angle gets closer to 20°. Change the angle by moving your leg and torso forward and backward.
Conclusion
With the technologically advanced medicine at our hands, we tend to forget the primary natural treatments that have perfectly served our ancestors and hopefully, will also many generations ahead of us.
This list of ankle mobility exercises is proof that the process of redeeming can be realized in the comfort of the home without any negative and harmful side effects. Have you enjoyed this step-by-step article?
If so, leave your thoughts and advice in the comment section or share these written words with your closest ones and friends on social media and encourage the world to embrace the self-helping methodologies once again.
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