Strength and Flexibility training for legs and (particularly) ankles
12 watchers
Sep 2012
8:01am, 26 Sep 2012
2,678 posts
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Derby Tup
I'm a big fan of wobble boards for improving ankle strength and proprioception. Regular sessions on mine helped with recovery from a badly twisted ankle plus later a torn calf. I also do squats for general strength and conditioning and a lot of standing on one leg (brushing teeth, queuing at the bar etc) If you want to try the feel of a wobble board or bosu ball without buying the kit try rolling a towel up and standing on that on one leg 
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Sep 2012
8:16am, 26 Sep 2012
801 posts
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rosehip
Can you do the Yoga more often ? at home? Just 10 minutes a day of a simple Hatha(?) routine including "Salute to the sun" and the tree pose should loosen up the pelvic area nicely. Youtube has some good demos. Get in the habit of doing it as soon as you wake up - in your PJ's
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Sep 2012
9:21am, 26 Sep 2012
3,532 posts
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rf_fozzy
Steve - I do do fell running and orienteering. This is why I want to improve my ankles as I keep turning them running on the fells. I also get problems when the toe lands higher than the heel and compresses the joint a bit. Unfortunately I'm not a member of a gym and can't afford to join one. The one that is near me that does do Pilates, body balance and other classes I might use is so far out of my price range it's funny. Unfortunately, as I said in my OP, I can't find any Pilates classes that aren't based in gyms or don't clash with other stuff (i'd need it to be wed or Fri eves or weekends) . I'll have another look though. Rosehip - I know I wouldn't do it. I don't have the disciple. There's also no one there to correct me when I go wrong. I will have another go on a wobble board today and see. Not convinced about them though and of course they won't help flexibility in my legs and pelvis region. My hip flexors are very short and starting to cause as much concern to me as my ankles. |
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Sep 2012
9:28am, 26 Sep 2012
3,533 posts
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rf_fozzy
Also does the tree pose improve flexibility in the pelvis? When we've done it in class, it doesn't feel like it's working anything. Plus I can't get my non-standing leg high enough to make it stick (keeps sliding down leg and puts pressure on inside of knee, which is not good). I also struggle to balance on one leg in that pose.
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Sep 2012
9:28am, 26 Sep 2012
19,978 posts
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Dave A
Evene as a child I had trouble sitting cross legged and can't even contemplate it now. I try and stretch after a run and if I get back trouble it's usually due to not stretching something in my legs after a run or being in one position too long. As well as trying certain exercises for strengthening ankles etc, how about rest? Crazy suggestion I know, but it could work. I suffered a foot injury a few years ago and aggrevated it on fells/trail. 6 weeks enforced rest due to another matter and I returned with the damage in my foot being healed. |
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Sep 2012
9:35am, 26 Sep 2012
3,534 posts
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rf_fozzy
Dave - it's not an injury as such, just a general weakness that i'm trying to improve. It's not particularly affecting my running, just that occasionally I seem.to turn ankles etc. The flexibility around my pelvis is a concern because that's obviously effecting my running economy. My back problems have improved since I started yoga - I think primarily because my hamstrings are longer. I want to do something to further speed the process along whilst complementing the running and yoga (and swimming, cycling etc)
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Sep 2012
9:41am, 26 Sep 2012
2,683 posts
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Derby Tup
Shoes have a big play in ankle turning whilst fell running. I had loads of problems a year or two ago running in Walsh PBs. They just didn't seem as stable on rough ground as Inov-8 Mudclaws, be they 270 or 330 type A big problem with turning your ankles is the various nerves, receptors in the lower legs etc get 'scrambled' after this type of injury and the wobble board, standing on one leg, bosu ball etc exercise re-educate your feel for the ground (proprioception) to overcome this. If you don't do anything else do some standing on one leg. It's free (!) and can be done whilst you're queuing in the shops, cleaning your teeth, mashing tea etc
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Sep 2012
9:41am, 26 Sep 2012
17,131 posts
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Stepford Wife
Fozzy - I know you've said several times that you can't/won't do stuff because you're not discplined but have you tried fitting stuff in with your daily routine - like the standing on one leg to clean your teeth - it's not a routine as such, just a habit. Similarly at work there are lots of chances to stand on one leg and practise balancing. Balance only comes with practise. And if you've been doing Iyengar for a year you should be able to feel confident that you are doing the basic poses right by now. That can be done by feel not necessarily by someone telling you whether you are. As for tree, if i'm doing it to stretch my hips out then I use my hand to get my leg further up and support it in a half lotus as that's the stretch I want rather than both arms in the air. Again you can do that at work. Your colleagues get used to it. Mine have. |
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Sep 2012
9:42am, 26 Sep 2012
19,979 posts
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Dave A
If it's a weakness that results in a turned ankle, then why not stop doing what causes the turned ankle until you've strengthened the weakness up then?
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Sep 2012
9:44am, 26 Sep 2012
2,316 posts
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Sharkie
Agree with Derby Tup - and both me and Mrs. W. mentioned the one leg stuff on page 1. Just standing on one leg IS good - any time. I do one leg squats holding luggage while waiting for trains on my London - seaside commute. Mrs. W recovered from a serious ankle/leg injury REALLY quickly.
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