Taking Care of Your Feet and Ankles – Part II

In the last article, we discussed how muscle imbalances may cause ankle and foot misalignments. These misalignments can then produce erroneous biomechanics which may result in injuries. When muscles are activated through abnormal patterns, they may lead to inflammation and tenderness in body tissues such as fasciae, tendons, and muscles, which results in painful conditions and joint instability. Many people know what I’m talking about. Foot and ankle impairments such as plantar fasciitis[1], Achilles’ tendinopathy[2], shin splints[3], and ankle sprains are usually associated with lack of flexibility of the ankle and hyperpronation of the foot (flat foot), conditions caused by local muscle imbalances.

Of course, if you already suffer from any of those conditions, you need medical attention in order to relieve the acute symptoms. An experienced doctor can identify possible causes and prescribe appropriate treatment. However, just because you’ve never experienced any foot or ankle impairment doesn’t mean that you can ignore this region. Keep in mind that muscle imbalances are somewhat common, and many times they develop without your even noticing. That’s why it is important to include foot and ankle exercises in your workout routine. The goal is to strengthen muscles that are frequently weak, while stretching the ones that are usually tight.

Exercises

The muscles located in the front and medial (towards the big toe) parts of the lower leg are often found to be underactive (weak). Thus, it is important to include strengthening exercises that target this region. On the other hand, the muscles from the posterior and lateral segments of the lower leg are usually overactive (tight). The problem is that tight muscles limit mobility. This means that stretching exercises should also be included in the program in order to improve joint range of motion.

Following are a few drills you could include in your program. Note that to better activate muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the foot, these exercises provide the best results when performed without shoes.

• Pada Bandha – Pada Bandha is a yoga technique used to promote foot awareness, which is the key to create stability in all standing poses. Stand with your feet together, spreading the toes wide apart (1). Then, lift the toes and gently press the outer edges of the feet on the ground (2). Feel how this movement awakens the arches of the foot. Slowly, release the toes down, without flattening the arches, until the inner edge of the ball of each foot is in contact with the ground (3). Repeat this drill three to five times.

• Towel crunches – Sitting on a chair, place a towel on the floor beneath your bare foot. Flex the toes as if you wanted to grab the towel with your foot. Release and repeat. Perform 10 to 15 repetitions with each foot.

• Point and flex – Standing close to a wall, extend one leg in front of you, balancing on the back leg. Keep the extended leg close to the floor. Point the toes of the front leg and then flex the ankle. This is one repetition. Perform 10 to 15 repetitions with each foot.

• Calf raises – Stand close to a wall for balance. Place your feet parallel to each other, pointing forward. Shift your weight to the balls of the feet, raising the heels off the floor. Hold up for two seconds and slowly come down. Perform 15 to 20 repetitions.

• Self-myofascial release (SMR) – SMR is a flexibility technique used to inhibit overactive muscle fibers. This technique uses rollers, balls, and other devices to create pressure on soft tissues with the intent to promote muscle relaxation. For foot and ankle purposes, a foam roller can be used to target the calves and the lateral aspect (towards the pinky toe) of the lower leg. Sitting on the floor, place the foam roller under your calf while looking for sore spots. Once you find a tender area, hold the position for 30 seconds.
• Calf stretches – From a standing position, place both hands on a wall, keeping the arms extended. Step back with one foot, keeping the back knee straight. Hold this position for 10 to 15 seconds. Then, soften the back knee, giving it a little bend, and hold it for another 10 seconds. This is one repetition. Perform two to four repetitions with each side.

• Peroneal stretch – Peroneals are muscles of the lateral aspect of the lower leg. From a standing position, place both hands on the wall and extend one leg in front of you. Turn the front foot out, gently pressing the outer edge of the foot on the ground. You should feel a stretch on the lateral aspect of the lower leg. Hold the position for 10 to 15 seconds and then switch sides. Perform two to four repetitions on each side.

References

Clark, M., et al. NASM Essentials of Corrective Exercise Training. Baltimore, MD: Lippinicott Williams & Wilkins. 2011.

Stephens, M. Teaching Yoga. Essential Foundations and Techniques. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books. 2010.

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