Ankle Stability
Maeve here! Ankle stability is a huge focus of mine, especially in my work with dancers and performers! Here are a few things I look for in my bendy clients when it comes to building ankle stability.
Poor proprioception + lax joints = prime opportunity for recurrent ankle sprains. This in turn can lead to what we call chronic ankle instability (CAI). Bendy bodies are particularly skilled at finding compensations to complete movements and the feet and ankles are no exception. Finding the proper support through feet and ankles can transform how you train and move through the world.
Loosey Goosey Ankles
Often, due to laxity in the ankles I will see clients rolling out on their ankles, particularly when asked to rise up on their toes. While strengthening the muscles along the outside is an important piece, understanding where neutral alignment is is often where I begin. Placing a small ball between the inner ankles and then rising up on to the toes can give you enough tactile cueing to bring the ankle into a neutral position. The idea of squeezing the ball will also help you turn on the inner sling of the ankle and arch.
Hyperextended Knees → Limited Ankle Flexion
While ankles may be very mobile in one direction, I often find they’re limited in another, particularly dorsiflexion (think of pull toes up towards your face). Standing in your hyperextension can cause limited dorsiflexion in a few ways. One is that the calf muscles are on constant tension, making it difficult for them to stretch to allow the foot to flex. Secondly, in this position the tibia (shin bone) sits back a bit. The shin needs to be able to move forward over the ankle to allow for normal movements like deep squats or going down the stairs. A gentle mobilization technique can help improve joint mobility.
Next Steps
I encourage you to try these movements if you deal with ankle instability. If you try them out, we'd love to know how you feel after!
Next week, we're going to dive into Jenna's ankle routine for inline skating. Stay tuned to see this ankle stability info put into action!
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This blog is written based on personal experience and is not medical advice. Always ask your doctor for individual concerns and support.