Top 4 tips to improve ankle stability.
Are you a runner? Do you roll your ankle frequently? Does your ankle feel unstable? Answer yes to any of those questions and you will certainly benefit from the information below.
In South Yarra, many patients visit us for osteopathic treatment with lower limb sporting injuries. Ankle stability is paramount in rehabilitating these patients correctly. Here are our top four tips to improve the function and stability of your ankle. Whether you’re a serious runner, casual trotter or walker read on for some useful and easy tips.
1. Keep it loose
It may sound contradictory but if there is any stiffness around the ankle it will contribute to instability. Make sure that your foot, ankle, knee and hip have their full range of motion and are functioning correctly.
The first and most obvious step here is regular calf stretching. Here is a good article on calf stretching. I particularly like stretches three, four and five.
In addition to stretching you can also do some self-myofascial release to reduce muscle tightness in the foot and calf. For this a piece of PVC piping, spiky ball or even a rolling pin can act as an aid to working through all of those lumpy tight bits in your foot and calf. Warning, this is not for the feint hearted!
Finally, seeing your osteopath to assess for imbalances and address any tight and achy bits will is also beneficial.
2. Make it stable.
Check your balance. Stand on one leg at a time. How is your balance? Normal balance is one minute. Less that 30 seconds needs some work.
Start by simply standing on one leg until you can comfortably stand for 45 to 60 seconds. Then begin to add small obstacles to increase the challenge. Some examples are a small cushion under your balancing leg or try closing your eyes. Be sure to stand close to something to hold onto such as a chair.
Activities such as yoga and tai-chi can also assist in improving your balance.
3. The body is a unit.
This is one of the key philosophies of Osteopathy. As mentioned previously, see your Osteo to ensure there are no issues in your hip, low back or pelvis that may be contributing to your ankle instability.
4. Improve running technique.
Are you a runner? Have you ever had your technique assessed? Seeing a coach to have your running technique assessed can help to iron out any issues you may be having including repeated injuries of the hip, knee, ankle or low back. I would highly recommend this. Shoes can also affect your gait and there are a number of retailers now that specialize in fitting running shoes. We send our patients to Active Feet and Running Fit.
Visit us in South Yarra at Yarra Osteopathy for a full assessment, treatment and rehabilitation program.
