Ankle Stretches?

[TomEske]

I'm not the runner type, but I'm training for a 60 mile trip at altitude in New Mexico next month and have been run/walking almost everyday in additon to calestenics and weight training alomost everyday also. I have gotten some stretching advice from an Army Major/Doctor friend for my calfs which worked great. Now I'm having some problems with the muscles that go down the front of the ankle from the shin to the top of the foot. They are tighter than banjo strings in the morning and force me to walk like an old bull rider. This morning my right ankle feels like I injured it in last night's run.
Any suggestions on what I can do to strengthen and or stretch these muscles? I don't want to run anymore if this is going to get worse because it will take me out of the trip.
Thanks,
Tom

 

[JohnL]

Tom,

I used to have that problem as a high school hurdler (a very long time ago) and when I finish a hike with a long and fast road walk. Below are a couple ideas for exercises and stretching.

Here

and here

You can also work those muscles by sitting in a chair, feet flat on the floor. Raise the toes off the floor ten or twelve times. Finish with a heel raise or two and hold for 30 seconds. This will stretch the muscles.

Do a Google on "shin muscles" and you'll get plenty of hits.

JohnL

 

[Dugan]

These are some exercises I learned this spring when rehabbing an injured ankle
Range of motion:
draw the alphabet with your big toe (harder than it sounds!)
point & flex: hold each for 10-15 seconds - as you improve add resistance with something stretchy, or perform them standing which'll help with balance too

It may help to use ice and elevation, but make sure it's at least a couple of hours before/after training.

I turned up a bunch of other exercises on the internet, but those seem to target the shin the most. Try googling something like "physical therapy ankle".

Good luck!

 

[whcobbs]

stretches

Tom--

You can get a pretty good ankle stretch combining it with a quads stretch, assuming your knees are ok. Stand on one foot, bring the other foot up behind your buttock, grab the toes with your hand and extend the ankle by pulling. Hold 30 to 60 sec.

Another stretch is used by freestyle swimmers to improve ankle flexibility and hence flutter kick efficiency. Kneel and arrange your feet so the backs of your toes are flat to the floor. Now sit back on your heels. Hold for 10 sec to start, work up to a full 60 sec. You should feel the stretch in your shins and ankles. You can modify the maneuver to stretch calf and Achilles by putting the ball of the forefoot instead of the dorsum of the toes flat to the floor before you kneel.

As an aside, you may be overtraining. Consider cutting back to an alternate day or hard-easy schedule and leave one day a week as a rest day.

Walt