Ankle Strengthening Exercises to Try at Home/Work/Anywhere
The foot and ankle complex are the powerhouse of the body. It is the first thing touching the ground and absorbing everything the body does. While the foot and ankle are very important structures for the body, they are also very complex. There are 26 bones, 30 joints, and more than 100 muscles, ligaments, and tendons that help to support the foot and ankle. Having a strong foot and ankle is essential for injury prevention. How can you increase the strength of your ankles on the fly? Try doing 3 sets of 10 repetitions of these 5 exercises on the go.
4 Foot Strengthening Exercises for Gymnasts
Foot injuries can occur when playing sports but a shoe or cleat can often protect the foot from injury. Some sports, like gymnastics, are performed barefoot. Gymnasts have extra demands placed on the small muscles of the foot as they are not getting the support of a shoe. When training barefoot, there is an increased demand of the muscles in the foot and lower leg. These muscles will help to stabilize the foot and ankle which may reduce the risk of ankle sprains or injuries higher up the leg such as in the knee or hip. How can gymnasts help prevent injury when training barefoot? Here are some ways gymnasts can strengthen their foot muscles to improve their performance.
Take Control of Your Feet
The human body is an incredibly efficient machine that, over time, will adapt to loads and stresses by increasing the strength of its tissues. Walk around any weight room in America and you will see examples of tissue adaptation (think Arnold Schwarzenegger). Conversely, if there is a lack of stress or demand placed on muscle or bone, tissue wasting can occur. A perfect example may be right underneath you: your feet. Imagine someone that sits at a desk while wearing dress shoes for eight hours a day, year-after-year. One evening, he goes for a walk but limps the final steps to his house as his feet have become painful. Some will say this is due to bad arch supports, worn out shoes, or even bad feet. Or, could it be that the muscles in his feet are weak?
