Returning to working on my Ankle Flexibility

[CBDB]

More than a year ago, I embarked on some flexibility exercises to improve my ankle mobility. They worked, and I could literally measure my progress.

However, one injury couch stint and a slow return to C25k journey later, meant my focus has been elsewhere and my ankle, specifically my right one, returned to the unusual inflexibility.

I notice it more when rowing, as the repetitive compression “up at the catch” results in my right heel coming up from the foot hold, but my left one feeling still quite comfortable flat.

I can also measure this difference in centimetres, 2cm in fact.

My worries have always been that this, quite significant difference affects my running, my walking and general other activities, without me noticing it directly. What if various occasionally reoccurring niggles in my knees or calves or back related to simply this weak point in my posterior chain of muscles, tendons and joints?

So it’s time to get this series of exercises out again, and attend to that weak spot, specifically as I have embarked on another 5 to 10k running journey.

So I am heading back via our Time Machine to 2022, when I embarked on this focus on my ankle flexibility. And in the present I will re-introduce them and then we’ll see if they work as well now, as they did then.

Feel free to join me, back then 😀🤸🏾‍♂️💪🏽🦿

healthunlocked.com/strength...

+ - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + -

My Measurements on 8 April 2024 (after not attending to ankle mobility for at least a year):

Left / Right: 12 cm / 8.5 cm (Current Baseline)

[Gthants Graduate]

Interesting. I've never had ankle issues - which I probably shouldn't have said outloud, so I'm now touching every wooden surface in the room! I have back, hip and shoulder problems and have had a couple ofd wiggly knees in the past, so I reckon I have quite enough to be going on with. I do make sure I specifically "warm up" my ankles every day though - even non running days.

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to Gthants]

That’s brilliant. How do you warm up your ankles, if I may ask?

[Gthants Graduate in reply to CBDB]

Simple little lifts and turns - part of the tai-chi warm up routine; I do the ankle ones as I brush my teeth if I'm not going to do tai-chi. Also do a variation on ankle drops from the bottom step at least once a day (in theory🫣).

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to Gthants]

👍🏽

[Upsidaisy]

I have a problem with pain at the top of my right foot where it joins on to my leg. It’s a very sharp pain, most noticeable when I get up in the morning or after sitting and at the end of a run. I’ll try the ankle exercises and see if they make a difference.

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to Upsidaisy]

How strange. I’ve not come across that. Definitely take care of that ankle!

[Upsidaisy]

Thank you, I went to see a podiatrist but he didn’t know what was causing it. A bit of a mystery problem!

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold]

Ankle Mobility Weekly (ca) Measurements:

08/04/2024 L/R: 12 cm / 8.5 cm (Current Baseline)

16/04/2024 L/R: 12 cm / 10 cm 😃😀