In our last two blogs, we talked about common injuries and what to focus on in a rehab plan for your ankle pain. Now, let’s dive into some exercises that we usually start out with.
Half Kneeling Ankle Stretch (With Band)
There’s more to calf flexibility than the typical runner stretch on the wall. There’s two things we’re tackling with this one. Flexibility of the ankle with the knee bent – this is taking the main calf muscle out of the equation and stretching the soleus – and the band is improving the mobility of the ankle joint. One way to determine if you need the band for this stretch is if you notice a pinching in the front of the ankle.
Standing 3 Way Ankle Stretch
Speaking of runner stretch, here is a more effective twist on the movement. This will stretch the calf with the foot in different positions that you may experience when running, especially if you are a trail runner.
Calf Raise w/ Ball Squeeze
This calf raise variation targets the posterior tibialis muscle that we mentioned in the articles linked above. It is a great movement if you are looking to improve your arch support.
Single Leg Stance on a Foam Pad
Runners are notorious for having poor balance, which is funny for a sport that involves repeatedly being on one leg. Here is a good place to start when working on improving your balance by strengthening the ankle muscles. This can be done on a pillow or towel rolled up.
If you are struggling with a running related injury, send us a message at brett@limitlessptny.com or fill out a form here to request a free discovery visit. We look forward to seeing how we can help you get pain free and back on the pavement.
