Ankle sprain, Achilles Tendonitis, Shin Splints - Ouch!
Head to Toe Series Part 2 Ankles
The ankles are the first of our 8 main load joints (ankles, knees, hips, and shoulders).
Athletes are many times the ones who get the brunt of ankle injuries or the typical accidental twist of ankle. It is common to blame the injuries on the activities we are doing but here’s the catch - a functional ankle can hold up a lot better than a dysfunctional ankle.
When all the joints are not stacking well, the puzzle pieces of an ankle are not fitting well together. This results in weakness due to muscles not being in their optimal position. You might experience snapping or clicking ankles because there is too much mobility and not enough stability.
Ankle sprains that stress or tear a ligament are a protective mechanism for lack of stability like blowing a fuse. In many cases the ankle doesn’t withstand the challenge it is given due to lack of proper function of the foot arch, the knee, or the hip above. When dealing with swelling from an ankle injury try improving the function of the alignment of the hip-knee-ankle to help improve proper blood flow.
A common scenario is after an injury, we start turning the foot out more, resulting in the arches not working. A chain reaction happens up the body, causing muscles like the inner thighs to compensate for the arches not working.
The achilles tendon, as part of the ankle, at times carries 100% of our body weight. This strong thick tendon needs steady even tension from both ends to function properly. If pulling is imbalanced, inflammation can occur. Our body protects itself with extra bone growth such as spurs and calluses when forces are beyond what is normal for the body.
I experienced some unexpected inflammation on my hike in Colorado - taking my body way out of my normal Florida flat-ground walking. I recovered quickly by working on my own alignment to help with better function while healing.
And then there are shin splints - when the foot and ankle have too much mobility there is a constant twist and turn pulling on the front muscles of the lower leg, causing microtears and resulting in inflammation.
Tip Time
Sit with your back against the wall or lie down, straighten your legs, tighten your thighs, pull your toes towards your head, making sure all five toes pull evenly. Hold this for 30 sec to 1 min and repeat.
Take walks even short distances on different surfaces such as sand, grass, or mulch which can help increase ankle stability.
Self-Test: Check your shoe soles out, are they wearing unevenly?